Haggis
The Haggis
Ahhh, haggis, a dish like no other, met the world around with apprehension and fascination. What is in haggis you ask…well some would rather not know, but for the sake of education: haggis contains the minced heart, liver, and lungs of a sheep, also called the “pluck” or “offal”, chopped onion, oatmeal, salt, spices, and suet, which is beef or mutton fat. This enticing mixture is then packed into a sheep’s stomach which is tied closed. The whole thing is boiled for approximately three hours, requiring that you keep a close eye to make sure it doesn’t blow up and rain haggis down on your kitchen.
It is traditionally served with a splash of whiskey “sauce” and accompanied by boiled turnips and potatoes. A hearty meal for a hearty people. I can hear my grandmother say “waste not, want not”, and the Scots don’t waste much of a sheep!
In the United States there are health laws that govern our food and it is illegal to include sheep lungs in the haggis made here, ( the USDA cites tuberculosis) but everything else is fair game. The really surprising thing to me was, this stuff is actually good! At least the bit I had that was produced by a manufacturer here in the states. It was a little like a spicy hamburger casserole. I highly recommend trying it at least once, just try not to think too much while that fork is headed toward your mouth and a wee dram beforehand helps with that.
Legend of the Haggis
There are always those that like to pull the innocents leg, these are the inventors of the snipe hunt, the mongoose trap, rattlesnake eggs, and the legend of the haggis. They would have us believe that Haggis are small furry but fierce animals that live in the Scottish highlands. The legend goes that these small creatures have two legs shorter on one side than the other which enables them to climb the high ranges in circular fashion with no danger of falling off the steep inclines. However if the Haggis becomes confused and attempts to switch direction it will find itself head over heels rolling down the mountain into the sack of a skilled Highland Haggis gatherer. Of course the people in my family know that Haggis is really my pet hedgehog.
The New Haggis Cuisine
In recent years the trend in culinary circles has been “fusion cuisine” and not to be left out amongst the more exotic dishes of the world the Scots have come up with some fine fusion dishes. My favorite is Haggis Nachos, that’s right, instead of ground beef, crumble some haggis over your plate of tortilla chips slathered in cheese and jalapenos. How about some haggis curry, haggis with polenta, haggis pot stickers, haggis lasagna, or a haggis california roll. Haggis, it’s not just for Burn’s night anymore.
