Vegan Haggis
The 25th January is Robert (or Rabbie) Burns’ birthday and is celebrated annually by Scots all over the world by having a Burns Supper, this typically involves haggis, copious amounts of whisky and some poetry that the man himself wrote. This can be either an informal get together at home or a formal event where the haggis is piped in to the room by a piper followed by the chef and the person who will address the haggis. Sound a bit weird to you? Drink some more of that whisky and you will be clapping along to the piped music in no time at all!
If you are unaware what haggis is (it’s not a strange animal that lives in the Highlands as some people jokingly tell tourists), it’s a dish made with minced sheep’s lungs, heart and liver along with oatmeal, spices, onion and suet and then stuffed inside a sheep’s stomach. Mmmmmm doesn’t that sound yummy! No? You might need some more of that whisky that’s on the table to make you forget what you are about to eat.
If you are hosting a Burns night at home or just fancy some haggis, neeps and tatties for your dinner there are ones you can buy in the supermarket or butcher. Simon Howie now do a gluten free version of the meat variety and Macsween do a vegetarian haggis (this is also vegan but not gluten free) depending on which one you prefer (Why you would want to eat a meat haggis knowing what’s in it is beyond me and I’m a meat eater!!). As I can no longer eat the veggie one due to the gluten in the oats I set about making my own one. This one is packed with veg, seeds, pulses and gluten free oats and tastes so much nicer than the real thing and makes enough for 4 people.
What you will need
75g Gluten Free Oats
1 380g tin of Green Lentils
1 400g Butter Beans
1 Large Onion Chopped
1 Large Carrot Grated
5 Mushrooms Chopped
2 Garlic Cloves Minced
3 Tablespoons Mixed Seeds
1/4 Teaspoon Ground Cinammon
1/2 Teaspoon Allspice
2 Tablespoons Gluten Free Soy Sauce (Tamari)
Salt
Lots of Black Pepper
How to make
Soak the oats in a bowl of water for over an hour and then drain.
Preheat your oven to 190 deg
In a large pan put some oil in, once hot enough sauté the onions. Once the onions are soft throw in the grated carrot and chopped mushrooms and cook for a couple of minutes. Drain the green lentils and add those to the pan along with the Cinammon, Allspice, Tamari, stirring to mix everything well.
Drain the butter beans and mash these up with a fork chuck this into the pan as well as the drained oats, add salt, plenty of black pepper and the minced garlic.
Make sure everything is mixed through properly and then empty the contents of the pan into a loaf tin. Place into a preheated oven and cook for 30-40 minutes.
Serve with neeps and mashed tatties (turnip and potatoes if you are unsure what that is), a dram of whisky or Irn Bru if you are driving.
Have you ever tried haggis?
