Piping in the Haggis on Hogmanay, Scottish New Years
Friends, I grew up in a predominately Scottish family. My dad and brother played the bagpipes. Another brother played the drum in our Sioux City Scottish band, the Heather Highlanders. My mom, sisters, and I danced the fling and the reel. Of course Mom made haggis, and we enjoyed this delicious meat loaf twice a year on Hogmanay and Burns night (January 25). It might be an acquired taste. Serve with mashed potatoes and turnips if you like them.
Ingredients
1 sheep stomach
1 sheep liver
1 sheep heart
1 sheep tongue
1/2 pound suet, minced
3 medium onions, minced
1/2 pound dry oats, toasted
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 teaspoon dried ground herbs–basil, bay leaf, chervil, coriander, marjoram, mint, oregano, parsley, rosemary, sage, savory, tarragon and thyme.
Directions
Rinse the stomach thoroughly and soak overnight in cold salted water.
Rinse the liver, heart, and tongue. In a large pot of boiling, salted water, cook these parts over medium heat for 2 hours. Remove and mince. Remove any gristle or skin and discard.
In a large bowl, combine the minced liver, heart, tongue, suet, onions, and toasted oats. Season with salt, pepper, and dried herbs. Moisten with some of the cooking water so the mixture binds. Remove the stomach from the cold salted water and fill 2/3 with the mixture. Sew or tie the stomach closed. Use a turning fork to pierce the stomach several times. This will prevent the haggis from bursting.
