Winter warmer in a bowl
A different take on a Scottish favourite – neeps and tatties soup, Ideal for a burns night supper or a delicious heartwarming soup for this time of year.
Spicing up bland root vegetables creates a delicious soup. Nutmeg, cumin, sea salt and black pepper are great accompaniments to this ancient Scottish dish. Shining a light on neeps and tatties can be difficult. Neeps are often overcooked, mashed and served as a dollop on the plate!. But you don’t need to follow that route. (Pun not intended). Presentation is the key issue with root vegetables. Neeps can be used in soups, vegetable curries – even sliced and roasted with maple syrup. Packed with Vitamin C, it’s the perfect way to fight winter colds and flu!
The humble potato can become a nutritious treat – baked, roasted, mashed, and even in a potato salad. And it’s an excellent source of fibre, vitamins and potassium! An economical and warming addition to your neeps and tatties soup.
Try out this delicious recipe below – then add the haggis to give it a special twist for any post-Burns night celebration! Easy ingredients and simple to cook, and ideal for sharing.
Spicy neeps, tatties and haggis soup
Serves 4-6
Ingredients
50g butter
2 shallots, chopped
2 medium carrots, finely sliced
2 celery sticks, chopped
1 large swede peeled and chopped
5 small potatoes, peeled and chopped
2 cloves garlic, peeled and chopped
1 tsp ground cumin
1tsp ground nutmeg (or to taste)
600 ml vegetable stock
400 ml coconut milk
Sea salt
Black pepper
2 slices haggis (optional vegetarian)
Swirl of cream (optional)
Celery tops chopped (optional)
Method
- Melt the butter over a medium heat in a heavy-based large saucepan. Stir in the shallots, cumin and garlic and saute until shallots are soft. Add rest of vegetables to the pot. Sweat the vegetables for at least 2-5 minutes, gently stirring.
- Add vegetable stock, bring to the boil and simmer for 20 minutes. Check all vegetables are tender.
- Season with sea salt and black pepper. Add the nutmeg at the same time.
- Add coconut milk and stir gently. Check the seasoning.
- Cool soup and blend.
- If adding haggis (optional), cook haggis slices in a frying pan. Warm soup bowls and serve the hot soup topped with the crushed haggis, a swirl of cream and some celery leaves.
Delicious!
Neeps and Tatties Soup
Ingredients
- 50 g butter
- 2 shallots chopped
- 2 medium carrots finely sliced
- 2 celery sticks chopped
- 1 large swede peeled and chopped
- 5 small potatoes peeled and chopped
- 2 cloves garlic peeled and chopped
- 1 tsp ground cumin
- 1 tsp ground nutmeg or to taste
- 600 ml vegetable stock
- 400 ml coconut milk
- Sea salt
- Black pepper
- 2 slices haggis optional vegetarian
- Swirl of cream optional
- Celery tops chopped optional
Instructions
- Melt the butter over a medium heat in a heavy-based large saucepan. Stir in the shallots, cumin and garlic and saute until shallots are soft. Add rest of vegetables to the pot. Sweat the vegetables for at least 2-5 minutes, gently stirring.
- Add vegetable stock, bring to the boil and simmer for 20 minutes. Check all vegetables are tender.
- Season with sea salt and black pepper. Add the nutmeg at the same time.
- Add coconut milk and stir gently. Check the seasoning.
- Cool soup and blend.
- If adding haggis (optional), cook haggis slices in a frying pan. Warm soup bowls and serve the hot soup topped with the crushed haggis, a swirl of cream and some celery leaves.