Burns Night 2017 - Recipes For Crockpot Haggis, Tatties and Neeps, and Scottish Oatcakes

Robert Burns - Scottish Bard

Celebrating Burns Night has become an annual event in our home. It started back in 2012 when I was browsing Facebook and something came up on one of the Scottish groups that I was in about Burns Night (an annual celebration in Scotland commemorating the life of bard, Robert Burns, who was born on January 25, 1759). 

After doing a little research, I decided that, while it probably wouldn't be traditional by UK standards, we were going to celebrate Burns Night anyway...American style!

I discovered that the Burns Night supper traditionally consists of haggis, tatties, and neeps. I searched around online and came up with a recipe for haggis made in a crockpot. I tweaked the recipe a bit, made it my own, and have made it this way annually ever since.

In addition to the crockpot haggis I also make the traditional tatties (mashed potatoes) and neeps (mashed turnips), and have added my own favorite version of Scottish oatcakes to round out the meal. It makes for a delicious meal...one that we look forward to year after year.

Up to now we have always celebrated Burns Night on January 25th (Robert Burns' actual birthday and traditional date of celebration in the UK), but, this year, I had to be out of town for training with work on the 25th, so we decided to celebrate a day early and do it on the evening of the 24th.

My cousin, Dave, who just happens to share a birthday with the beloved bard of Scotland, joined us for our celebration this year and enjoyed his first Burns Night by partaking of a fine Scottish meal (at least the American equivalent thereof) and listening, with us, to two of our favorite works by Robbie Burns...Auld Lang Syne and Address To A Haggis (which I absolutely adore!).

Should you and your family decide to celebrate with us at any point, here are my traditional Burns Night recipes to enjoy. <3

Crockpot Haggis

Tatties and Neeps

Scottish Oat Cakes

CROCKPOT HAGGIS

2 pounds lean ground turkey
1 large or two small chopped red onions
2 cup whole oats
a couple of pinches each of nutmeg, cloves, and cinnamon
1 tsp. cayenne pepper
2 tsp. salt
2 egg
1 cup chicken broth (I add more as cooking time progresses)

In a large mixing bowl, mix all of the ingredients, minus the broth, the same way you'd make a meatloaf. Plop it into your crockpot that has been sprayed with cooking spray. Press meat down to form in the shape of the crockpot. Pour broth over top. Cover and cook on low for 6 to 7 hours, or on high for about 4. This is cooked fully when it has browned on the edges and is beginning to brown on top. Don't overcook and risk drying out. Using a large spatula, carefully remove from crockpot and place on cutting board (I loosened ours by running a table knife around the edges first and it came out beautifully). (Save broth to serve over top.) Let rest for 30 minutes before slicing.


TATTIES AND NEEPS

1¼ lb. potatoes, peeled and roughly chopped
1¼ lb. turnips, peeled, roughly chopped
A generous pinch of grated nutmeg
4 tbsp milk
4 tbsp butter
Sea salt and pepper

Tatties - Place the potatoes in a large saucepan, cover with cold water, add a pinch of salt, cover the pan with a lid. Bring the potatoes to the boil, reduce to a simmer and cook until tender (approx 20 mins). Drain the potatoes and keep to one side. Add half of the butter and half the milk to the pan the potatoes were cooked in. Melt the butter and warm the milk, add the cooked potatoes and mash. Add the nutmeg and stir well to create a smooth, creamy mash.  

Neeps - Place the turnips in a large saucepan, cover with cold water, add a pinch of salt, cover the pan with a lid. Bring the turnips to the boil, reduce to a simmer and cook until tender (approx 20 mins). Drain the turnips and keep to one side. Add half of the butter and half the milk to the pan the turnips were cooked in. Melt the butter and warm the milk, add the cooked turnips and mash.


SCOTTISH OATCAKES

2 c. all-purpose flour
1 1/2 c. old-fashioned oats
1 tsp. sugar
1 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. baking soda
3/4 c. light butter
1/2 c. water, or more if needed

In a large bowl, mix together the dry ingredients. Cut in the butter with a pastry blender or 2 knives until the mixture resembles coarse meal. With a fork, stir in the water. Dough should just cling together. Divide into 3 portions.

On a lightly floured surface, roll out each portion as thin as possible. Cut into triangles. Place 1 inch apart on an ungreased cookie sheet and bake in a preheated 375 degree oven for 10-15 minutes. Oatcakes should not be brown but be still quite blonde when done.

Happy Burns Night!

~Rebecca