Emma 
Haggis, Neeps and Tatties Starter
Chef Alan Gibb from Gleneagles Hotel (who has since sadly passed away) has shared this haggis, neeps and tatties starter from the kitchen. Haggis can be a heavy meal, so this starter size portion means you can have all the taste but without the heaviness.
Haggis, Neeps and Tatties
Ingredients
- 1 x 450gm 1lb haggis
- For the Turnip and Saffron
- 250 g Peeled and diced turnip
- 25 g Butter
- A pinch of saffron
- Salt
- Cracked pepper
- For the Potatoes:
- 250 g Potatoes floury, peeled and cut to an even size
- 150 ml Milk 50ml Double cream
- 25 g Butter
- Sea salt
- White pepper
- Nutmeg
- For the Whisky Sauce:
- 10 g Unsalted diced butter
- 1 Shallot peeled and finely diced
- 1 Small sprig of thyme
- 1 Clove of garlic
- 50 ml of whisky
- 100 ml Veal stock or beef stock
- reduced
Instructions
- For the haggis:
- Heat the haggis, by wrapping, in the packaging, in foil and submerging into a pan of boiling water, simmer until piping hot (this will take about an hour). When hot remove packaging and soften the haggis so it can be spooned -you may wish to add a splash of whisky. Alternatively follow the heating instructions on the pack but do ensure that it is piping hot.
- For the turnip: In a pot, place the turnip in salted water, bring to the boil, add the saffron and cook until just cooked, drain into a colander. Place the pan back on the heat, add the butter, allow to froth, add the turnip back in and sauté until cooked and breaking up, pass through with a masher a few times. Taste and season with salt and pepper, then keep hot until required.
- For the potatoes:
- Place the potatoes in cold water, season with salt, bring to the boil and cook through. Once cooked, pass through a sieve. Bring the butter, cream and 23 of the milk to the boil and add back in with the potatoes, beating well, adjust consistency with more milk if too thick. Season with salt, pepper and nutmeg – keep hot.
- To make the sauce:
- Place a small pan on the heat, add the butter, then add the shallots and sweat until clear. Add the garlic clove and thyme sprigs and sauté for a further minute. Deglaze the pan with the whisky and allow to flambé to burn off alcohol, then reduce by 23. Add the reduced stock to the pan and reduce by a half. Add the double cream into the stock, bring back to the boil, check consistency and adjust as required, strain before using, keep hot.
- To serve:
- Take a large spoon of the runny potatoes and drag down the centre of the plate. Make a line of turnip across the bottom of the potatoes. Add a quenelle of the haggis to the centre of the plate. Pour the sauce over the haggis and around the plate. Garnish as required with snipped chives, edible flowers and crisp potatoes
