Burns Night Baked Highland Haggis With Whisky Cumberland Sauce

French Tart's Note:

First you must catch your haggis! These little creatures are very shy and EXTREMELY wiley - so you must proceed with caution and patience! I find the best place to find them is behind or under Highland heather bushes, although I have been known to catch a couple lurking near thistles! Having caught your haggis - you must treat it with GREAT respect and cook it well for the Burns Night Tribute Supper! That is why my haggis is baked instead of boiled - and it is served with Lindseylcw's special Cumberland sauce with lashings of good Scotch whisky! Other traditional accompaniments are: clapshot, bashed neeps and tatties, rumbledethumps, buttered leeks, skirlie mash, champit tatties and buttered cabbage. Don't forget the "correct" format for a Burns Night Supper: Chairperson's opening address. A few welcoming words start the evening and the meal commences with the Selkirk Grace. The company are asked to stand to receive the haggis. A piper then leads the chef, carrying the haggis to the top table, while the guests accompany them with a slow handclap. The chairman or invited guest then recites Burns' famous poem To A Haggis, with great enthusiasm. When he reaches the line 'an cut you up wi' ready slight', he cuts open the haggis with a sharp knife. It's customary for the company to applaud the speaker then stand and toast the haggis with a glass of whisky. The Immortal Memory: One of the central features of the evening; an invited guest is asked to give a short speech on Burns. There are many different types of Immortal Memory speeches, from light-hearted to literary, but the aim is the same - to outline the greatness and relevance of the poet today. Toast To The Lasses: The main speech is followed by a more light-hearted address to the women in the audience. Originally this was a thank you to the ladies for preparing the food and a time to toast the 'lasses' in Burns' life. The tone should be witty, but never offensive, and should always end on a concilliatory note. Response: The turn of the lasses to detail men's foibles. Again, should be humorous but not insulting. Poem and Songs: Once the speeches are complete the evening continues with songs and poems. These should be a good variety to fully show the different moods of Burns muse. Favourites for recitations are Tam O' Shanter, Address to the Unco Guid, To A Mouse and Holy Willie's Prayer. The evening will culminate with the company standing, linking hands and singing Auld Lang Syne to conclude the programme.

• Total Time: 1 hrs 40 mins
• Prep Time: 10 mins
• Cook Time: 1 hrs 30 mins

Ingredients:

Servings: 6

HAGGIS

• 650 g fresh haggis

CUMBERLAND and WHISKY SAUCE

• 1 cup Scotch whisky
• ½ cup fresh orange juice
• 2 tablespoons grated orange zest
• 1 cup red currant jelly
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• 1 pinch cayenne

Directions:

1. CUMBERLAND WHISKY SAUCE:.
2. In a medium saucepan, combine the whisky, orange juice, and orange zest, and bring to a boil.
3. Lower the heat and simmer, stirring occasionally, until reduced by 50 percent in volume to about 3/4 cup.
4. Add the redcurrant jelly, salt, and cayenne, and stir well.
5. Cook until thickened, about 2 to 3 minutes.
6. Remove from the heat and pour into an attractive serving bowl. Cool slightly before serving with your baked haggis.
7. HAGGIS:.
8. Preheat the oven to 200C/400F/gas 6. Remove the outer packaging from the haggis then prick all over with a fork, wrap in foil like a baked potato and bake in the oven for 1 and a half hours.
9. To serve, split open the haggis with a sharp knife and spoon the contents over neeps and tatties or serve separately with other traditional accompaniments - see the introduction.

Reviews

[Chef #1145241]

Sorry French Tart, but this just does not work. I tried it out on Burns Night. No problem with the instructions but it is way too sweet to eat with haggis. Imagine having a runny jam with your haggis and you are not far wrong!! I used an Islay Malt which also gave a little peatiness but the sweetness of the orange and redcurrant is OTT. So sorry but no stars. Next time I will go back to my old Cream and Whisky which is a doddle to make and very tasty.