The Herald - The Herald Magazine
What would the Bard say? An Italian take on a haggis supper
IALWAYS enjoy Burns Night and will prepare haggis, neeps and tatties on the 25th. In Italy, we have an equivalent to haggis, cotechino, a speciality of Modena in Emiglia Romana, the pork production centre of Italy; home of Proscuitto di Parma, salami and porchetta.
Cotechino is made from minced lean meat of specially reared Italian acorn-fed pigs, seasoned with a blend of wine, garlic, salt and spices, nutmeg, cinnamon and cloves.
Traditionally served with spiced Castelluccio lentils, soft polenta or mashed potatoes and whole fruits preserved in syrup and mustard, Mostarda di Frutta.
If you don’t fancy the cotechino, do try these spicy lentils which can be made with or without the spicy Italian sausage. Dare I say it, they might even be tasty with haggis.
Ingredients
250g Castelluccio lentils or small brown lentils
2 -3 tablespoons V&C Fior
Fiore extra virgin olive oil, or any good oil
1 clove garlic, peeled and sliced 1 piece dried pepperoncino 1 small onion, peeled and chopped
200g spicy Italian pork sausage (V&C Fonteluna) or chorizo 200g tinned Italian plum tomatoes, chopped
Sprig fresh rosemary and a fresh bay leaf 1 handful finely chopped parsley Sea salt
Method
Rinse the lentils in cold water, discarding any that float to the surface.
Place in a saucepan, cover with cold water, about 750ml, and simmer until tender, about 20-25 minutes depending on how old they are.
Drain off, but retain any excess liquid. Warm the oil in a large frying pan. Add the garlic, chopped onion and dried chilli and sauté gently to infuse the oil.
Skin the spicy sausage and slice into thin slivers. Add to the oil and cook for 10 minutes. Add the tomatoes, rosemary, fresh bay leaf and the drained lentils.
Cook for 20 minutes or so adding some of the drained liquid or water if necessary.
Season and finally add the finely chopped parsley.
If you are cooking the cotechino, heat as directed. Remove from the silver package and discard the juices that lie inside. Easiest to do this directly in a sieve in the sink. Slice the cotechino and serve with the
lentils and Mostarda di Frutta.