Clapshot for Haggis Recipe

It's Burns Night on Sunday, in honour of the Scottish poet Robert or Rabbie Burns.

Here we have haggis and clapshot with whiskey sauce.  I somehow made this previous creation look a little like a flag with 3 stripes.  Burns night is on 25 January in celebration of the poet's birthday in 1759.

Haggis (for me) is Macsween, I'm sure there are other great ones.  It's rather like buying a giant lamb sausage, mine (for this year) is a 500g haggis although much bigger ones can be found (usually only the huge ones are the last available in Waitrose supermarket in London if you left it too late).  Lesson learned, already purchased.  Haggis is tasty, peppery, filling and pairs brilliantly with swede (neeps).

I like to cook Haggis by wrapping it in foil and oven roasting at a gentle 160 C heat in a water bath for the time specified (according to size).  It cooks perfectly this way and chars slightly on the outside.

I'm serving it with clapshot and whiskey sauce.  Here's how to make clapshot (it's easier to make the neeps and tatties this way as it 's a one pot, although they can also be served separately).

No haggis? Make the clapshot and top a cottage pie (beef) or shepherd's pie (lamb) - I've done this.  You could also serve the clapshot with sausages.

Clapshot (4):

500g swede, peeled and diced in 1 cm cubes (or thereabouts)

1/4 tsp grated nutmeg

500g mashing potatoes, peeled and chopped (cut approximately double or treble the size of swede- chunky)

40g butter

60 ml of whole milk

4 TBSP of cream

4 TBSP of chopped fresh chives

Salt and pepper

Method:

Start the swede in a pan of cold salted water and bring to a simmer.  Cook for around 12 minutes.

Add potatoes, simmer together for about 15 minutes.

Drain.

Add milk, nutmeg and butter,  begin to lightly crush.

Add cream, turn off heat and crush further. It should be chunky not a puree

Check the seasoning, usually more salt and pepper is required then stir in the chives.

Lid on and keep warm whilst preparing whiskey sauce.

More Scottish inspiration:

Burns Night Whiskey Sauce

Sausages with Blue Cheese Colcannon