THE RECIPES

fill it with the mixture then tie off the other end tightly. Cook the haggis in the oven at a low heat for 2-3 hours.

NORDIC HAGGIS

By Ben Reade, formerly of the Nordic Food Lab in Copenhagen, and now running the pop-up restaurant Scratch Series at Iglu, Edinburgh (thescratchseries.com) 3 lamb tongues or 1 ox tongue 1 good-quality haggis 1 large beef bone for the marrow (ask your butcher) A handful of dried blueberries (ask your butcher to smoke them – it’s easier) Gin, to marinate the berries in for 4 days A little salt and white pepper A beef bung (ask your butcher) Braise the tongues in beef stock until you can peel them. Take off the skin (it’s easier when they are warm) and chop the tongues into small pieces.

Remove the haggis from its casing and put it in a large bowl. Break it up into a breadcrumblike consistency.

Roast the bone in the oven until the marrow is warm enough to scoop out, then add it to the haggis mix. Add the marinated berries, mix thoroughly and season lightly.

Tie the bung twice at one end with string. Fill it with the mixture and tie off the other end twice. Remember the bung will tighten during cooking so don’t worry about tying it too tightly. Simmer the haggis slowly in a big pot for about 45 minutes until heated through.

Serve with a glass of Scottish gin.

TRADITIONAL RECIPE

McNeill (Birlinn) 1 sheep’s pluck (liver, lungs and heart) The large stomach bag of a sheep or deer 250g fresh beef suet 1 cup of fine oatmeal 2-3 onions Salt and pepper Pinch of cayenne pepper 1 cup of stock Clean the stomach bag by washing, plunging in hot water and repeatedly scraping. Then soak overnight in cold salted water

Boil pluck for one and half hours. Trim off gristle and tubes and mince. Only half the liver is required Mince the onions and the suet. Lightly toast the oatmeal in a warm oven. Mix all ingredients together with salt, cayenne and a generous amount of black pepper. Add just enough stock to make the mixture sticky but not runny.

Fill the bag five-eighths full, press out the air and sew up very securely. The mixture needs plenty of room to expand.

Boil slowly for three hours. Prick when it first swells up to prevent bursting.

Serve with mashed turnip and mashed potatoes.

From top: Fred Berkmiller with the ingredients for his horsemeat haggis; Jesse Stevens with a Vietnamese-style haggis, served on lettuce with nuoc mam cham sauce; and Ben Reade’s Nordic haggis next to some of its constituent parts Taken from The Scots...