A traditional Burns night wouldn’t be complete without the “chieftain o’ the pudding race” – haggis.
And I’ve got a “grate” recipe to kick off celebrations.
Then, share a “cup o’ kindness” with a sweet slice of Scottish flavours in my hot toddy tea loaf, with Aberdeenshire honey drizzle, featuring the wonderful Glen Garioch whisky. Delicious.
So, we’ve got the food, we now need the entertainment, and I’ve got that covered too.
On January 25 at 7.30pm, Fiona Kennedy will host the Nae Ordinary Burns Supper 2022, featuring an array of musicians, poets and performers from Huntly to Hollywood.
The event will be a virtual celebration of our national Bard, you don’t want to miss it, for more information visit: naeordinaryburnssupper.eventbrite.co.uk.
‘Grate’ Haggis Neeps and Tatties Oat Bites
Makes 12 bites
Ingredients
- 250g peeled grated raw rooster tatties
- 250g peeled grated neep
- 250g grated haggis or vegetarian haggis
- Pinch salt
- Pinch black pepper
- ½ tsp turmeric
- 1 tbsp medium oatmeal
- 12 mini oatcakes (optional)
- Sprig of fresh rosemary (to decorate)
Method
- Preheat oven to 160C/180 Fan/350F/Gas Mark 4. Grate the haggis, neeps and tatties and place into a bowl. Add pinch of salt and pepper along with the turmeric.
- Using your hands, mix all of the ingredients together. Once combined, take around 50g portions of the mixture and form into 12 mini haggis shaped bites.
- Place each mini haggis into muffin paper cases.
- Place the cases on to a greaseproof lined baking tray or use a muffin tray, then sprinkle each haggis bite with the oatmeal and place into the oven for 20 minutes.
- Once cooked, remove from the oven and serve warm on a mini oatcake. Take a teaspoon of your favourite chutney, spread it on to the oatcake and then place the haggis bite on top of the chutney. Decorate with sprig of rosemary.
Hot toddy tea loaf with honey drizzle
Makes one large 2lb loaf or two small 1lb loaves
Ingredients
For the tea loaf:
- 250g softened salted butter
- 250g soft dark brown sugar
- 4 eggs
- 250g self-raising flour
- 100g pitted dates (chopped)
- 100g dried apricots (chopped)
- 100g stem ginger (chopped)
- Juice and zest of half a lemon
- Zest of half an orange
- 3 tbsp Glen Garoich whisky
- 1 tsp cinnamon
- 2 tbsp boiling water
- 1 tsp bicarbonate
For the honey drizzle:
- 1 tbsp Aberdeenshire honey
- 2 tbsp Glen Garioch whisky
- Juice of half a lemon
- 200g icing sugar
- Zest of half an orange
Method
- Preheat oven to 185C/165 Fan/360F/Gas Mark 4. Take a large 2lb loaf tin, alternatively use two small 1lb loaf tins, and line with greaseproof paper.
- In a bowl cream together softened butter and sugar. Add two eggs and half of the sieved self-raising flour and mix through. Then add the remaining flour and two eggs and give everything a final stir, until well combined.
- In a separate bowl place the chopped fruits and the stem ginger, zest and juice of the lemon and the orange zest. Add in the cinnamon, whisky and boiling water and combine. Finally, add the bicarbonate of soda and give a final mix.
- Pour the toddy flavoured fruit into the cake mixture and stir well, to ensure the fruit is evenly combined.
- Take the lined loaf tin and spoon in the cake mixture, then place into the oven for 45 minutes, until well risen and golden on top. Remove from the oven and insert a skewer into the centre of the cake, if it is clean when removed from the cake, it is ready. Leave to cool slightly in the tin, then transfer on to a wire rack.
- Leave to one side and make the drizzle.
- To give the cake a real whisky kick, make some holes on the top of the cake with the skewer and pour over an extra dram into the holes, and leave to seep into the cake.
For the drizzle:
- Into a bowl, measure the honey and whisky, then squeeze in the lemon juice.
- Using a sieve, start adding some of the icing sugar and stir, continue to add in the remainder of the icing sugar until it is fully combined. Finally, add the zest of the orange and give a final mix.
- Once the cake has cooled, place on a serving dish and drizzle over the honey and whisky icing.
- Allow to set before serving.