6 IDEAL BURNS NIGHT RECIPES

If you’ve ever belted out Auld Lang Syne, or if your Heart’s in the Highlands, then we’re sure that on this Winter Night, January 25th, you’ll be recognising the life and work of Robert Burns. Today marks the great Scottish poet’s birthday, and every year this date is used to honour him. In modern times, Burns Night has morphed into a more general celebration of the Scots, and most importantly, their fantastic food and produce.

So even if you’re not observing all the rituals traditionally observed on the night – the playing of bagpipes (or ‘piping in’) when guests arrive, the Selkirk Grace opening speech, and of course the haggis, we’re sure you’ll be sitting down to a Scottish feast. If you’re the one at the stoves and in need of some inspiration, with the help of Waitrose & Partners, here are 6 IDEAL Burns Night recipes.

BLACK PUDDING CROQUETTES WITH HOMEMADE BROWN SAUCE

• Preparation time: 20 minutes
• Cooking time: 25 minutes
• Total time: 45 minutes
• Serves: 4

WHAT YOU’LL NEED

FOR THE BROWN SAUCE:

• 400g can chopped tomatoes
• 100g pitted medjool dates, chopped 
• 30g dark brown sugar
• 1 tbsp malt vinegar
• ½ tbsp black treacle
• 3 tbsp tamarind paste 
• 1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
• 1 tsp English mustard powder

FOR THE CROQUETTES

• 200g potato, diced
• 190g black pudding, skinned and crumbled
• 3 salad onions, finely sliced 
• ½ tbsp English mustard
• 25g plain flour, seasoned
• 2 medium eggs, beaten
• 100g breadcrumbs
• 500ml groundnut oil

WHAT YOU’LL NEED TO DO

1. For the sauce, place all the ingredients into a small saucepan, heat and bring to a simmer, then cook gently for 15 minutes until slightly thickened. Remove from the heat and leave to cool, then blend with a stick blender to form a smooth sauce.
2. To make the croquettes, place the diced potato in a pan, cover with water and bring to the boil. Simmer for 10 minutes or until the potato is tender. Drain and mash, and allow to cool. 
3. In a large bowl, mix the cold mashed potato, black pudding, salad onions and mustard together until combined. Season well. Divide the mixture equally into 8 and then shape into cylinders with your hand. 
4. Dip each croquette first into the seasoned flour, then the beaten 
   egg and finally the breadcrumbs. Cover with clingfilm and place in the fridge for 30 minutes until ready to cook.
   
5. Heat the oil in a deep saucepan and gently fry the croquettes in batches for 4 minutes, turning occasionally, until golden and crisp. Serve with the brown sauce.

HAGGIS BON BONS WITH WHISKY SAUCE

• Preparation time: 10 minutes + chilling
• Cooking time: 15 minutes
• Total time: 25 minutes + chilling
• Makes: 24

WHAT YOU’LL NEED

• 300g haggis 
• 50g plain flour
• 1 tsp smoked paprika
• 1 large Egg, lightly beaten
• 100g panko breadcrumbs
• 5 tbsp mayonnaise 
• 2 tsp wholegrain mustard 
• 1-2 tbsp whisky
• Vegetable oil for deep frying 

WHAT YOU NEED TO DO

1. Remove the outer casing from the haggis, break up into 24 pieces and roll each piece into a small ball.
2. Place the flour and paprika in a shallow bowl, the egg in another shallow bowl and finally the breadcrumbs in a third bowl. Roll the haggis balls in the paprika flour, then in the beaten egg and finally in the breadcrumbs until evenly coated. Transfer to a baking tray and chill for 10 minutes.
3. Meanwhile, stir together the mayonnaise, wholegrain mustard and whisky. Spoon into a serving bowl and set aside.
4. Pour vegetable oil into a medium saucepan to a depth of about 6cm. Heat until it reaches 170ºC or drop a small piece of bread in the oil – when it turns brown in about 30 seconds, the oil is ready.
5. Using a metal slotted spoon, lower the haggis bon bons, a few at a time, into the oil and cook for 2-3 minutes until golden and crispy. Drain on kitchen paper and keep warm in a low oven while you finish cooking the remainder.

Cook’s tip: This recipe also works well using vegetarian haggis.

VEGGIE HAGGIS WITH WARM BUTTER BEAN & SPINACH SALAD

• Preparation time: 10 minutes
• Cooking time: 10 minutes
• Total time: 20 minutes
• Serves: 6

WHAT YOU’LL NEED

• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 454g vegetarian haggis, casing removed, cut into 2.5cm pieces
• 200g pack Grilled Red and Yellow Peppers
• 2 tsp paprika
• 420g can butter beans, drained and rinsed
• 150g pitted black olives, drained
• 2 tbsp balsamic vinegar
• 225g bag baby spinach

WHAT YOU NEED TO DO

1. Heat the oil in a large frying pan and gently cook the haggis for 4-5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until it starts to break up and turn crisp. Remove the pan from the heat and cover with foil to keep the haggis warm.
2. Meanwhile, place the peppers with their oil in another frying pan with the paprika and cook for 2 minutes, then stir in the butter beans and olives and cook for 2-3 minutes, until the beans are heated through. Stir in the vinegar, cook for 1 minute, then remove from the heat.
3. Place the spinach in a large mixing bowl, add the warm bean mixture and toss to combine. Divide between 6 plates, then spoon the haggis over the top. Serve immediately, with a wholemeal bread such as Waitrose Organic Old Fashioned Wholemeal Batch.

SMOKED HADDOCK KEDGEREE

• Preparation time: 15 minutes
• Cooking time: 10 minutes
• Total time: 25 minutes
• Serves: 4

WHAT YOU’LL NEED

• 250g long grain rice
• 4 tsp medium Madras curry powder
• 2 Eggs
• 400g smoked haddock
• 1 tbsp oil
• 1 Onion, chopped
• 1 Red Pepper, diced
• 200g frozen peas
• 25g pack parsley, chopped
• 200ml tub half fat crème fraîche
• 2 tsp Dijon Mustard

WHAT YOU NEED TO DO

1. Cook the rice with 1 tsp curry powder in boiling water for 12-15 minutes until tender, then drain.
2. Boil the eggs for 7-8 minutes and then cool in cold water. Peel and cut into quarters.
3. Poach the haddock in boiling water for 3-4 minutes, drain and allow to cool. Then remove the skin, flake the fish and reserve.
4. Meanwhile, heat the oil in a large frying pan and fry the onion and pepper for 4-5 minutes. Add the remaining curry powder and cook for 1 minute. Then add the rice and peas, and heat through for 1-2 minutes. Stir in the parsley, crème fraîche, mustard and reserved flaked haddock. Season your smoked haddock Kedgeree to taste. Serve topped with the eggs.

HAGGIS, NEEPS & TATTIES

• Preparation time: 20 minutes
• Cooking time: 45 minutes
• Total time: 1 hour 5 minutes
• Serves: 6

WHAT YOU’LL NEED

• 2 x 500g haggis
• 1.5kg King Edward potatoes, peeled and cut into large chunks
• 100ml whole milk
• 60g unsalted butter
• 1.5kg swede, peeled and diced
• 50ml whisky

FOR THE GRAVY

• 1 tbsp sunflower oil
• 1 celery stick, roughly chopped
• 1 carrot, roughly chopped
• 1 small onion, roughly chopped
• 1 tbsp plain flour
• 1 tsp tomato purée
• 750ml beef stock
• 3 tbsp redcurrant jelly
• 1 splash Worcestershire sauce
• 1 splash Tabasco sauce

WHAT YOU NEED TO DO

1. Preheat the oven to 180°C, gas mark 4 and cook the haggis according to pack instructions.
2. Meanwhile, make the gravy. Heat the oil in a large pan and fry the vegetables for 5 minutes until just brown. Add the flour and tomato purée and cook for 2-3 minutes. Slowly add the stock, stirring until smooth. Bring to the boil and simmer gently for 30 minutes, then pass through a sieve. Return the gravy to a clean pan and add the redcurrant jelly, Worcestershire and Tabasco sauces. Simmer for 5 minutes, then remove from the hob and reheat before serving, if necessary.
3. Place the potatoes (tatties) in a pan and cover with cold water. Bring to the boil and simmer for 12-15 minutes until tender. Drain, and allow to dry in the pan for 2-3 minutes, then mash. Warm the milk and half the butter in a pan until the butter has melted. Stir into the potato and season.
4. Place the swede (neeps) in a pan and cover with cold water. Bring to the boil and simmer for 15 minutes until tender. Drain and return to the pan to dry out for 2-3 minutes. Mash, stir in the remaining butter and season.
5. Reheat the gravy, neeps and tatties if necessary. Remove the haggis from the oven. Make a slit through the casing and pour in the whisky. Serve spoonfuls of haggis with the tatties, neeps and gravy.

CRANACHAN WITH STRAWBERRIES SOAKED IN LIQUEUR

• Preparation time: 20 minutes, plus cooling
• Cooking time: 3 minutes
• Total time: 33 minutes, including cooling

WHAT YOU’LL NEED

• 600g strawberries, hulled and quartered
• 50ml Védrenne Supercassis liqueur
• 25g caster sugar
• 50g Oatmeal
• 50g light brown soft sugar
• 500g pot whole milk yogurt
• 4 small sprigs fresh mint, to decorate

WHAT YOU NEED TO DO

1. Place the strawberries in a large bowl and gently stir in the liqueur and caster sugar. Leave for 10 minutes or so to allow the fruit to soften and absorb the flavour of the liqueur.
2. Meanwhile, place the oatmeal and brown sugar in a small heavy-based saucepan over a gentle heat and cook for 2-3 minutes, stirring continuously until the sugar has dissolved and the oatmeal is golden and caramelised. Remove from the heat. Spread the oatmeal out on a plate to cool, breaking up any large clusters with a fork.
3. Just before you are ready to serve, fold the caramelised oatmeal gently into the yogurt. Assemble the dessert by spooning a layer of the strawberries and liqueur into the base of 4 small glasses. Top with a layer of the yogurt mixture. Repeat the layers, spooning any remaining liqueur over the top. Decorate each one with a sprig of mint and serve immediately.

IDEAL Tips:

Use other summer berries such as raspberries or blueberries, or make the dessert with desiccated coconut instead of oatmeal. Oh and caramelise the oatmeal in advance, cool and then store in an airtight container for up to 1 week.