Assorted Haggis

Diverse haggis recently tasted at home here in Edinburgh:

Above: Various haggis sourced from different regions of Scotland (including Stromness, Orkney;  Stornoway, Isle of Lewis; Nairn, Highlands; Aberfoyle, Trossachs; Edinburgh; Carluke, Lanarkshire). As you can see is there is great deal in variation in these haggis, indicating a wide range in preferences for a particular style of haggis in Scotland.

 

Above: Two different Haggis made from historic recipes. On the left is a 17th century English haggis:

"The Accomplish'd lady's delight in preserving, physick, beautifying, and cookery (1675)

To make a Haggess-Pudding 

Take a fat Haggess, par-boyl it well, take out the Kernels, shred it small, and temper it with a handful or two of grated Manchet; then take three or four Eggs well beaten, Rose-water, Sugar, Cloves, Nutmeg, Cinamon, and Mace finely beaten, Currans and Marrow good store; temper them all together with a quantity of Cream, being first moderately seasoned with salt."

Interestingly, in this recipe the haggis is used to make the stuffing, not as a container. I quite liked the taste of this but many people found it very challenging. It is quite sweet and perfumed, with a very light texture, but there is also the slight faecal aroma, much like an Andouillette. In fact as many similar recipe specific the use of "Calves Chaldron" (entrails), this type of haggis would qualify as an Andouillette.

The Haggis on the right is an based on an early 18th century Scottish recipe. Sheep lung, heart and kidney are boiled and mince. These are mixed with breadcrumbs, lots of herbs, spice, eggs, currants and cream. While quite difference to the extant haggis recipes, it was similar enough that many people really liked it. Its useful to recreate these recipes, due to the bread/eggs/cream the texture of this is completely different to a modern Scotish haggish made with oats and offal, like a very light textured meatloaf, rather then being crumbly or a moist hash.

 

Comments

[Blair Kilpatrick]

Great blog and amazing photo! My father was Scottish. In later years, he and my mother got into a bit of a "roots revival" and bought haggis for Robert Burns dinners they would host. Can't say I ever liked it much. The main Scottish food we made was the yearly Christmas shortbread.

Best wishes from California.