With Burns night on Wednesday, time to think about the Great Chieftan o' the Pudding Race!

Or more specifically what to have with it.

Am currently torn between tradional neeps and tatties or going for it Orcadian style with clapshot and mince.

And maybe a wee dram or several!

Whisky, lots of. Bang the Haggis in some fresh bread with some butter. Nom nom nom nom nom

Bit hard to get over here. Had to arrange a last minute tinned delivery as not paying 30 quid to courier it over. Wife does not like it anyway so more for me.


Doing it with a finger or two,eyes scrunched a bit near the screen, trying to make sure I don't make a mess or mistake in the process.

I always had it with tatties neeps AND mince. What is clapshot though? Never heard of it!

Chicken stuffed with haggis is also lovely, had it in a restaurant in Aberdeen.

I wonder how many of our English brethren who wish Scotland to remain tied to England will be joining us in partaking of our national dish?

Many, I hope, as it is a wonderful and wholesome meal.

Originally Posted by Boozy

.What is clapshot though? Never heard of it!

IIRC it is an Orcadian recipe, a mixture of mashed potato, turnip and swede plus various herbs and condiments.

Clapshot - chapped neeps and tatties with a good dose of pepper to taste. Turnip - if you can get one that has been nipped by frost it should be sweeter.

Originally Posted by W21A

Clapshot - chapped neeps and tatties with a good dose of pepper to taste. Turnip - if you can get one that has been nipped by frost it should be sweeter.

Even better and cheaper if lifted straight from the field and one that's not had a yow chewing on it!

Originally Posted by Emsav

IIRC it is an Orcadian recipe, a mixture of mashed potato, turnip and swede plus various herbs and condiments.

Tatties, neeps, butter and pepper.

Sorry, potatoes, turnip, butter and pepper.

I seem to remember it being peppery, but we didnt call it that. Neeps tatties, lots of pepper and some salt, just went a treat with Haggis. I asked my english mrs to buy some haggis on our first family trip to Skye, she put one grapefruit size haggis each in the trolley, I told her its very filling and kept 1, we ate it over the course of two nights.

From Robert Burns Country: the official Robert Burns site

Wee, sleekit, cow'rin, tim'rous beastie,
O, what a panic's in thy breastie!
Thou need na start awa sae hasty,
Wi' bickering brattle!
I wad be laith to rin an' chase thee,
Wi' murd'ring pattle!

I'm truly sorry man's dominion,
Has broken nature's social union,
An' justifies that ill opinion,
Which makes thee startle
At me, thy poor, earth-born companion,
An' fellow-mortal!

I doubt na, whiles, but thou may thieve;
What then? poor beastie, thou maun live!
A daimen icker in a thrave
'S a sma' request;
I'll get a blessin wi' the lave,
An' never miss't!

Thy wee bit housie, too, in ruin!
It's silly wa's the win's are strewin!
An' naething, now, to big a new ane,
O' foggage green!
An' bleak December's winds ensuin,
Baith snell an' keen!

Thou saw the fields laid bare an' waste,
An' weary winter comin fast,
An' cozie here, beneath the blast,
Thou thought to dwell-
Till crash! the cruel coulter past
Out thro' thy cell.

That wee bit heap o' leaves an' stibble,
Has cost thee mony a weary nibble!
Now thou's turn'd out, for a' thy trouble,
But house or hald,
To thole the winter's sleety dribble,
An' cranreuch cauld!

But, Mousie, thou art no thy lane,
In proving foresight may be vain;
The best-laid schemes o' mice an 'men
Gang aft agley,
An'lea'e us nought but grief an' pain,
For promis'd joy!

Still thou art blest, compar'd wi' me
The present only toucheth thee:
But, Och! I backward cast my e'e.
On prospects drear!
An' forward, tho' I canna see,
I guess an' fear!

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