Haggis, Neeps and Tatties Stack for Burns Night is an example of how haggis can be served in the most enticing and beautiful manner. No, haggis isn’t the only thing Scots eat, but like anything else, if the quality is good, it’s delicious!
Being from Scotland is a grand thing. I know people who’d give their right arm to be from Scotland, and I bet you do, too. However, sometimes people who don’t have the widest view of the world say things like, “The Scots only eat haggis” which is, of course, completely untrue. I actually only tasted haggis for the first time about 10 years ago. I liked it, too!
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What is haggis?
Haggis is not for the faint of heart (no pun intended) as it contains sheep’s heart, liver and lungs. It’s typically prepared and then put into a sheep’s stomach, which gives it its unappealing look. I know that if I grew up in the US or another country where this isn’t a typical dish, I might not give it a try myself. However, I don’t believe I’d bash or admonish anyone who eats it. We really need to be more open-minded in this country when it comes to food. According to the 2001 English edition of the Larousse Gastronomique: “Although its description is not immediately appealing, haggis has an excellent nutty texture and delicious savoury flavour”.[2]-from Wikipedia
What are “neeps”?
This term, which is a Scottish term for “turnips” actually is very confusing. Well, not the term, but the fact that turnips in Scotland are actually what we call “rutabagas” in the US. There seems to be different terms for both in different parts of the UK, too. “Swedes” are thrown into the mix, and it rather does my head in to try to sort them all out! Just know that if you want to make haggis, neeps and tatties in the US, use rutabagas and not turnips.
What are “tatties”?
Tatties are a Scottish nickname for potatoes. If you see or hear “totties”, it’s the same. For example, Potato Scones are referred to as tattie scones.
What is Burns Night?
Scotland’s most famous poet, Robert Burns (also known as Rabbie Burns), wrote a poem entitled, “Address to a Haggis”. On January 25, his birthday, it is tradition in Scotland to make haggis and have it paraded into the dining room to the sounds of a piper (often). Then the poem is read and the haggis is cut open.
Now, you may know that real haggis is banned from being imported into the US, so what are we to do? Well, to me, the next best thing is this tinned haggis from Grant’s.
It’s really quite good, especially given that it’s from a can. It’s what you’ll need to make this haggis, neeps and tatties stack.
Haggis, Neeps and Tatties Stack
recipe by Christina Conte (serves 5 or 6)
Ingredients
- 1 can Grant’s haggis
- rutabaga (in US), turnip (in UK) boiled and mashed with butter and salt
- potatoes, boiled and mashed with butter, cream and milk and salt
Whisky Sauce
- 2 good knobs of butter
- 1 tsp olive oil
- 3 or 4 shallots, minced
- salt and pepper
- 2 or 3 tbsp single malt Scotch whisky
- 1/2 cup (4 oz) beef stock
- about 1/4 cup (2 oz) heavy cream
Preheat the oven to 375˚F (190˚C)
Prepare the haggis, neeps and tatties stack~
Open the tin of haggis, removing both ends completely. Take the haggis out in one piece and carefully slice into 5 of 6 pieces.
Place one slice back into the tin and place on a plate. Add some mashed rutabaga/turnip to the top of the haggis (approximate the amount of rutabaga to match the size of the haggis slice).
Next, add a layer of mashed potatoes. Push down with a small spatula to remove any air.
Now, carefully place one of the metal ends of the tin back onto the mashed potato layer. Use a spice jar or similarly sized item to push the contents of the tin out onto a tray. (Thanks for my friend Cathy at She Paused 4 Thought for this idea.)
Repeat with the other 4 or 5 slices of haggis.
Bake for about 20 minutes or until thoroughly heated. Meanwhile, make the…
Whisky Sauce
Sauté the minced shallots with salt and pepper in the butter and oil until translucent. Add the whisky and stir well.
Add the beef stock and cook, stirring constantly for a few minutes.
Lower the heat and add the cream, continuing to stir.
Taste and add salt and pepper as needed. Remove from heat.
When the haggis stacks are ready, place each one on a plate using a metal spatula.
Pour a little sauce around each stack and then over the top.
Serve the haggis, neeps and tatties stack hot with some more of that single malt whisky you just used in the sauce.
Now, this doesn’t look too bad, does it?
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- 1 can Grant's haggis
- rutabaga (in US), turnip (in UK) boiled and mashed with butter and salt
- potatoes, boiled and mashed with butter, cream and milk and salt
- 2 good knobs of butter
- 1 tsp olive oil
- 3 or 4 shallots, minced
- salt and pepper
- 2 or 3 tbsp single malt Scotch whisky
- ½ cup (4 oz) beef stock
- about ¼ cup (2 oz) heavy cream
- Open the tin of haggis, removing both ends completely. Take the haggis out in one piece and carefully slice into 5 of 6 pieces.
- Place one slice back into the tin and place on a plate. Add some mashed rutabaga/turnip to the top of the haggis (approximate the amount of rutabaga to match the size of the haggis slice).
- Next, add a layer of mashed potatoes. Push down with a small spatula to remove any air.
- Now, carefully place one of the metal ends of the tin back onto the mashed potato layer. Use a spice jar or similarly sized item to push the contents of the tin out onto a tray. (Thanks for my friend Cathy at She Paused 4 Thought for this idea.)
- Repeat with the other 4 or 5 slices of haggis.
- Bake for about 20 minutes or until thoroughly heated. Meanwhile, make the..
- Sauté the minced shallots with salt and pepper in the butter and oil until translucent. Add the whisky and stir well.
- Add the beef stock and cook, stirring constantly for a few minutes.
- Lower the heat and add the cream, continuing to stir.
- Taste and add salt and pepper as needed. Remove from heat.
- When the haggis stacks are ready, place each one on a plate using a metal spatula.
- Pour a little sauce around each stack and then over the top.
- Serve hot with some more of that single malt whisky you just used in the sauce.
This is a great recipe and I’ll give it a try!
I’m English but of Scottish descent and I hope this will clarify you vegetable confusion:
Rutabagas are the same as swedes and are what the Scots call neeps so you serve your haggis with swede and definitely NOT turnips.
Turnips are white/creamy with a touch of purple at the stem end, they are a root vegetable but they are definitely not neeps.
Glad you’ll give it a try, Sarah. I think that’s what I wrote in my post, but reading the Wikipedia page is a nightmare as some parts of the UK call the same things by different names! Let me know what you think of the recipe; enjoy!
Just made this tonight, the whisky sauce was delicious!
Happy Burns Night, Kate and thank you for the lovely review! :) So happy you liked it!
[…] is Burns Night, traditionally celebrating the famous Scottish poet, Robert Burns (or Rabbie Burns). Haggis is served with a bagpiper piping and the haggis being paraded into the dining room. Then the poem, […]
Loved this!
Ta!!
This is very interesting. When I first came across the picture on IG, I thought it was a dessert of some kind until I read the description. I’ve had liver, but never heart or lungs. I’d like to try this dish once though!
You’re not the only one! Someone thought it was lemon cheesecake! Haha! I think if you could try it, you’d like it! :)
I’ve never seen canned haggis, but we’re lucky that’s there’s a Scottish butcher in Vancouver who makes his own haggis. I haven’t had it for ages but after seeing your photographs, I’ll buy one for Burns’ Day.
Lucky you, Patricia! Enjoy!
This comment has nothing to do with haggis I’m afraid……I have a question on the avocado mousse recipe you have posted. I don’t have a food processor and wondered if I can make this with just a hand mixer. Thanks
No worries, Jeannette. Unfortunately, the hand mixer will leave chunks and the avocado won’t be smooth. It would work in a small blender, like a bullet type mixer if you have one of those. Good luck!
Thanks very much. I do have a blender, so I guess I’m all set!
Good! Enjoy, Jeannette!
We’ve actually been served that brand of haggis and it is really delicious! But it was nowhere near as pretty as yours! I will try this for our Burns Night party! xoxo
Awesome, David! That will be perfect!
I love haggis. When I went to Scotland, I had it almost every day. It was prepared special by the type of meal, so I had breakfast haggis…pub haggis… and elegant haggis. This one would rival any 5 star there……tapadh leat!
Wow, you are a haggis lover! I tried vegetarian haggis (I know, silly name), but that was delicious, too! Thanks for the lovely comment! CC
I adore stacked food and this recipe would be the talk of the dinner table. Although I am not ready to go buy a can of haggis (yes I have tasted it before when I was in Scotland many years ago), I would love to try this with another meat. :)
I gave you credit on this stacking method, Cathy! It’s so much fun to make!
I adore haggis and any time I can get my hands on a MacSween’s Haggis, I bring it home and it goes in the freezer for a special occasion. Bon the other hand, no way would I make my own. I prefer not knowing what’s in it but it is unbelievably good!
Love how you’ve presented it, Christina – looks like something out of a top French restaurant. Wonderful. At our wedding in Edinburgh, we had haggis balls served with a whisky sauce to welcome guests as an apéro. We were worried about the French side not liking it but everyone adored it – some even talk about it yet! I’ll share this so they can make this beauty.
You’re lucky you can bring it home, I can’t :( Thanks for passing this on, it is a way for those who are not so sure about haggis to give a safe try! :)
Well you’ve certainly elevated haggis to a new level! (Pun intended!) elegant enough to serve in any restaurant!
Haha! That’s a good one, Cynthia! :) Thank you!
I’ve actually always been curious to try haggis. Love trying new foods no matter how off-putting they might sound at first. And as you may know, I’m a fan of any kind of offal.
I’m happy to hear your quasi-endorsement of the canned version since I’ve never been able to find freshly made anywhere near me. There are a few places around town who organize Robert Burns nights, but curiously enough none of them seem to serve haggis! I had resigned myself to waiting to try it until I would actually have to the chance to travel to Scotland… Now I may give the can a go.
Although I do think you’re better off going to Scotland, this is definitely the next best thing, Frank. I do think you’d like it! Let me know if you give it a try.
A couple of years ago I made my own haggis from scratch, it was pretty good, although of course I couldn’t get the lungs. I used lamb liver, kidneys, a bit of veal heart, oatmeal and spices. I didn’t use any casing, just cooked it in a basin over simmering water. It was as close as I could get, and at least as good as the canned kind!
Wow! I’m sure it was better than the canned version, Lee! Good for you! Not sure I’d be brave enough to make it from scratch, but I admire anyone who does!