Haggis Pie: (and a vegan version): National Pie Week, day 4, pie #3

National Pie week - and a haggis in the freezer - natural result "Haggis Pie".  Basically neeps and tatties as the pie top for a haggis/lentil filling - with cabbage and whisky cream sauce.

To cope with the various dietary requirements in this house we actually had two versions - one with haggis and one entirely vegan.

The one with the haggis also had a healthy layer of the lentil mixture underneath the haggis (don't tell the veg dodger - they happily scoffed thirds!)

The haggis needs to be cooked before adding to the pie, so I started with this - 45 minutes simply boiling in its bag, as per package instructions.

Haggis
Olive oil
Leeks
Celery
Courgette
Red pepper
Mushrooms
Lentils
Wholegrain mustard
Marmite
Chilli flakes
Oregano

Carrots
Swede
Potatoes
Dairy free spread

Cabbage

Sour cream
Whisky

1.  Cook the haggis as per package instructions.
2.  Sautee chopped leeks and celery in olive oil until a bit soft, then add crushed garlic, chopped courgette, red pepper and mushrooms.  Stir In.  Add a handful of lentils (I used brown, red/puy would also be fine).  Pour in about a pint of water and simmer.  After a couple of minutes add mustard, marmite, chilli flakes and oregano.  Simmer.  It takes about 30 minutes - check it doesn't go too dry, for taste and that lentils are cooked.
3.  Meanwhile peel and chop root veg and boil.  When cooked, drain and mash with plant based spread and plenty of seasoning.
4.  Assemble the pie(s).  For the vegan one - 2 layers - lentils and mash.  For the haggis pie - lentils, haggis, mash.  Spread the mash around and bake for about 25 minutes - until the top starts to brown.
5,  Steam cabbage.
6.  Whisky sauce - simmer a little water, add a spoonful of sour cream and a splash of whisky.
7.  Serve, scoff - watch veg dodger have thirds, and vegan/vegetarian types have seconds.

Burn's night supper

… also known as, haggis neeps and tatties, with a whisky sauce.

The haggis was from Bracewell's butchers in Todmorden market hall - and is the best haggis I have ever tasted.

All ingredients from Tod market - except the whisky, which came out of the cupboard.

Haggis
Potatoes
Swede
Double cream
Butter
Black pepper
Whisky

1.  Cook haggis - I boiled ours for an hour.
2.  Peel and chop potatoes and swede, boil until cooked, then mash with plenty of butter and black pepper.  Transfer to an oven dish and bake while the haggis finishes.
3.  Simmer double cream, whisk in a splosh of whisky and simmer again for a couple of minutes, whisking occasionally.  This allows the alcohol to evaporate, but retains the flavour of the whisky.
4.  Serve, scoff … pipe Scottish tunes.
5.  Raise a wee dram to the timorous beastie.