well seeing as it's burns night and the traditional fare is haggis tatties and neeps (i'm having that anyway ) just wondering if anyone else in fenderland is going to a burns supper or just stuffing their face with haggis ? , and just for giggles , who has never tried haggis ? cheers
Alan

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Alan, hi mate

tell them about the haggis animal. It's a fascinating creature.

and by the way:


A FOOD THREAD! YEEEEEHAW!!

Ah: I'm ashamed to admit that's me. I love many things Scottish, but I'm afraid on that one I just can't get past the list of ingredients.

Pathetic of me: must put that right. Is today the day...?

Have a great Burns Night, Alan and other Scots on the board.

Cheers - C

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Well, I can't say I haven't had it, and I certainly can't say I didn't like it, for I did, and I did.

As for ingredients... well, under modern hygiene regulations I don't suppose it was ever safer or healthier to try haggis, so giving it a try is certainly survivable. Same goes for black pudding I guess.

I found a nice recipe by the Hairy Bikers which I shall try my whisk at later: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lI-vm8VSP0s

Now I only need to go for the haggis hunt...



Cheers

Nutter

first up a picture of the beast , i captured this earlier


they are tricky wee buggers with short front legs and long back legs (for running up hills )

and Ceri theres no need to fear the haggis it's delicious and nutritious at the same time , and yes today is rabbie burns birthday and before the haggis gets eaten it gets addressed

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qJSjAGVV6Zg

enjoy also it's great for making pakora , if anyone wants the batter recipe just gius a shout ,cheers
Alan

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For those as don't know, here's a recipe for haggis:

Ingredients
1 sheep's stomach or ox secum, cleaned and thoroughly, scalded, turned inside out and soaked overnight in cold salted water
heart and lungs of one lamb
450g/1lb beef or lamb trimmings, fat and lean
2 onions, finely chopped
225g/8oz oatmeal
1 tbsp salt
1 tsp ground black pepper
1 tsp ground dried coriander
1 tsp mace
1 tsp nutmeg
water, enough to cook the haggis
stock from lungs and trimmings

Method
1.Wash the lungs, heart and liver (if using). Place in large pan of cold water with the meat trimmings and bring to the boil. Cook for about 2 hours.
2.When cooked, strain off the stock and set the stock aside.
3.Mince the lungs, heart and trimmings.
4.Put the minced mixture in a bowl and add the finely chopped onions, oatmeal and seasoning. Mix well and add enough stock to moisten the mixture. It should have a soft crumbly consistency.
5.Spoon the mixture into the sheep's stomach, so it's just over half full. Sew up the stomach with strong thread and $@!&# a couple of times so it doesn't explode while cooking.
6.Put the haggis in a pan of boiling water (enough to cover it) and cook for 3 hours without a lid. Keep adding more water to keep it covered.
7.To serve, cut open the haggis and spoon out the filling. Serve with neeps (mashed swede or turnip) and tatties (mashed potatoes).


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Why - why do I find the idea of that a challenge? What a sissy I must be. Man up, Ceri, and get it down ya!

(No wonder they drink all that whisky first...)

Cheers - C

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Go on then!

My friend makes the best pakoras out there. I'll forward your method to him and we'll give it a try.

Cheers - C

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ahm slevirin at the mooth noo Ceri , i jist telt the wife tae hurry up wi the wee beastie
translation
i'm salivating from my mouth (at the thought of haggis) and i have just told my wife to make haste in the preperation of the haggis

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What else would you do with those parts of the animals involved? They've gotta be used somewhere... I suppose nailing them to the wall never caught on.

I much more detest a current thing going on in a modern "War of the Roses"-type thing called "Black Pudding Throwing Championship", where contestants knock Yorkshire puds off a platform chucking food around - ah well.

Hahahaha!

I suspect the subtitles are appreciated by some here. My uncle in Boston MA told me Train Spotting played in cinemas over there with subtitles, like a foreign language movie. So I'm guessing Rabbie Burns might not be seeing his lines used as lyrics on MTV anytime soon...

Alan, I will most definitely be raising a fat glass of Talisker to you and yours tonight! Have a good one.

Cheers - C

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here you go Ceri and anyone else who wants to try a real indo/scots delicacy , it's easy to make and tastes great , i'll put up a wee sauce recipe as well

pakora , which is an indian fritter and can be made with onions or vegetabels , fish or haggis

gram flour 1lb/450 g ( 1lb/450g onion , some mushrooms and some chicken breasts cut into chunks, AND A HAGGIS )
salt 1 tsp
chilli powder (hot) 1 tsp
corriander seeds 2 tsp
cummin seeds2tsp
turmeric 2 tsp
baking powder 2tsp
curry powder 1 tsp
dried methi - fenugreek leaves
water 3/4 pint
mix all the ingredients in a bowl , AND GET THE DEEP FAT FRYER ON , PUT THE ONIONS IN TO START WITH , then get 2 spoons and scoop up some of the mixture and drop into the hot oil , cook till brown , use the onions up . half the mushrooms and coat in the batter , then fry , do the same with the chicken , bite sized bits , and for the haggis a ball about the size of a golf ball works fine
for the sauce
tomatoe sauce 8tblsp
onions 3 tblsp finely chopped
chilli powder 1 tsp
sugar pinch
green chilli 1 finely chopped
and 4 tblsp of water
mix together and bung in the fridge
enjoy

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I never did aquire the taste for haggis, I'm still celebrating the bards big day though. Steakpie and tatties here at chez snowman's

Ceri , you should read the book of trainspotting , it's written in embra patter (edinburgh dialect) , it takes a wee bit of getting used to for us west coast types and don't forget when the bbc aired rab c nisbet down you'r way that had subtitles as well cheers
Alan

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Howz it gaun davy , keeping good bud ? if i'm still peckish i'll drop down tae you'rs for some steak pie cheers
Alan

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