This article was created by National Geographic Traveler (UK).
A quintessential Scottish dish, haggis is a flavorful offal-based pudding described as a “super sausage” by food historian F. Marian McNeill in his book The Scots Kitchen (1929). It will be the centerpiece of the Burns Night banquet, held around January 25th, in honor of Scotland's national poet Robert Burns. Burns dedicated an entire poem to “the great chieftain of the pudding race,” but the origins of this traditional dish may be more international than you might expect.
(What is Burns Night? Where can I celebrate it?)
origin
One of the earliest written mentions of haggis appears in a 13th-century poem by the English knight Walter of Bibsworth intended to teach French to noble children. The word “haggis” is thought to derive from the French verb hacher or hager (to hack), where hagëis means chopped or chopped substance. Going back to ancient Rome, people had stuffed animal parts such as wombs and breasts. The Romans had meat and pine nuts or sea urchins in each of them. And there are variations of offal and cereal puddings across Europe and beyond, from Icelandic slatur (made with sheep's stomach) to Lebanese game (stuffed cow intestines).
In 1771, Scottish writer Tobias Smollett described haggis as a “jumble of finely chopped light, liver, suet, oatmeal, onions, and pepper stuffed into a sheep's stomach.” However, as McNeil points out, the content of haggis has changed over time. The 17th century cook Robert May (another Englishman) created three haggis recipes. Two of them contain no offal or meat (other than suet), and the other is full of cream, raisins, and herbs. When some people avoided meat during Lent, Prime Minister Theresa May suggested cooking the stuffing in napkins or bags instead of in the sheep's stomach and omitting the suet. Scottish cook Susanna McIver took the 18th century recipe for delicious Scotch Huggies and added beef, liver, oatmeal and mixed spices.
The word “haggis” is thought to derive from the French verb hacher or hager (to hack), where hagëis means chopped or chopped substance. Photo courtesy of Getty
How to make
Smollett's description of haggis is similar to a modern recipe, but making haggis from scratch is not for the faint of heart. McNeil explains that the sheep's stomach must first be thoroughly washed in cold water, then turned over and scalded (briefly immersed in boiling water), then scraped off with a knife. Then soak in cold salt water overnight. The liver, heart, and lungs are washed and boiled for 90 minutes, “with the trachea hanging over the side of the pot to remove impurities.” After removing the entrails and pipes, the innards can be grated or chopped. Mix the roasted oatmeal, chopped onions, suet, and a good amount of pepper and salt with the offal and moisten the stuffing with the stock. The stomach is about half full to allow the stuffing to expand. Sew it together and boil it in water or stock for 3 hours. “As soon as[the haggis]starts to swell, make sure to prick it all over with a large needle to prevent it from bursting,” McNeil warns. She added that haggis is traditionally served with crapshot (mashed Swedish and pepper-seasoned potatoes).
In 1771, haggis was described as “a hodgepodge of minced lungs, liver, suet, oatmeal, onions and pepper” and is still ceremonially carved on Burns Night. Photo by Dave Custance
where to try it
1. The Scottish Cafe & Restaurant, Edinburgh
The full Scottish breakfast here includes high-quality Scottish produce such as bacon, sausage and eggs, as well as traditional haggis. There is also a meat-free version of the Vegetarian Scottish Breakfast. In keeping with tradition, the cafe and restaurant hosts an annual Burns Night Dinner, featuring a seasonal three-course Scottish meal and a glass of whisky, before live music and ceilidh dancing.
2. Marsanta, Glasgow
Haggis is celebrated all year round at this bar and restaurant in Glasgow's Merchant City. From Haggis Scotch Egg with Mustard Mayonnaise to Chicken Balmoral (haggis-stuffed chicken breast wrapped in pancetta and served with a creamy whiskey sauce), the regular menu includes vegetarian options to suit most tastes. There is a haggis-related menu that goes well with this. Is there somewhere near Glasgow? Marsanta's Haggis Lasagna recipe can be found on our website.
3. Stravaigin, Glasgow
Named after an old Scottish word meaning “wandering aimlessly with a purpose,” Stravaigin makes his own haggis and eats a whole pig (or sheep?). Available in starter or main course sizes and comes with sides of neeps and tatties (swedes and potatoes). The restaurant's menu has an international influence, with haggis starters followed by Jamaican coconut and Scotch bonnet curry and Malaysian rendang soup with Shetland mussels.
