(images will return once the domain move is complete – it’s just photos of the food I made ;))

I thought it would be nice, as an introduction to what I sometimes get up to, instead of talking about the washing pile of doom from the outset, that I’d share a traditional dish from my home land.  I’m Scottish

Shopping list

1 Chicken breast per person
1 Haggis per three people (for generous portions) – based on using Halls Haggis – check how big or small your haggis portion is.
400g potatoes per 3 people
400g Turnip/swede per 3 people (For my US readers – I think they’re called Rutabagers)
400g Carrots – cut into thick strips per 3 people.

(for the sauce)
2 tblspoon Whiskey
2 tblspoon Dijon or Wholegrain mustard
100ml Double cream or Creme Fraiche
1/2 a lemon (juice and rinds)
5 tblspoon milk (any type)

It should be noted that these portions are huge to ensure that people who really like the constituent parts can get more, and those that don’t can balance out with what they do like.  You can adjust portion sizes accordingly, but this is basically what we use for two adults and two children who enthusiastically look for seconds.

Chicken Balmoral.

Chicken Balmoral is basically a chicken breast butterfly cut, and stuffed with Haggis.  We’ve found it easier to cook the chicken breast and haggis seperately, and then use the haggis as a bed for the chicken.  It’s as simple as preparing and arranging the constituent ingredients.  I recommend cooking the chicken in a stock, topped with a chicken oxo cube, as it makes it especially succulent.  Haggis takes upwards of an hour to cook – so cover your chicken in tinfoil until 10 minutes before you’re going to take it out.

The Veg

Cook the potatoes and swede/turnip until soft and mashable.  Cook carrots until soft and warm, based on your needs.  Mash potatoes and swedes (you can mix them, it’s called‘Clapshot’) and dish up the carrots.  I recommend that you use the stock from the chicken to cook the carrots in, they taste amazing.

Whiskey Sauce (makes lots!)

2 tblspoon Whiskey
2 tblspoon Dijon or Wholegrain mustard

100ml Double cream or Creme Fraiche
1/2 a lemon (juice and rinds)
5 tblspoon milk (any type)

To make the Whiskey sauce – mix all ingredients in a pan and reduce to desired thickness.  As the cream cooks, the volume may increase slightly, but it doesn’t curdle if you cook it off and then add the Whiskey.  Add the lemon rinds at the end, and possibly sugar or salt to taste.  You can use single malt or blended Whiskey.

Putting it all together.

Place the haggis on the plate and flatten – place the chicken breast on top.  Serve up the mashed potatoes, carrots and swedes.  Drizzle Whiskey sauce in generous spoonfuls over the top of the haggis and chicken.

Hand to guests.

A word about Haggis

If anyone questions why you’re eating haggis, feel free to remind them that it’s difficult to identify what’s in most sausages sold commercially (unless you know your butcher, in which case, he’ll tell you what goes into them.  Our butcher, who orders in our haggis direct, rocks – and makes his own sausages.  Still, I’d like to highlight that most supermarket sold sausages aren’t exactly the best of ingredients).   Traditional haggis is made up of the bits of a sheep that would otherwise go to waste – modern haggis may still contain some of the ingredients that are ‘traditional’.  Mainly barley and oats, meat and spices. It’s very tasty, has a slightly spicy taste and is very worthwhile.  It’s also incredibly filling.

Kai

Kai is a writer, author and avid reader.  A mental health advocate, Ludosport athlete and coder. She’s the mother of two young adults, owned by two cats, and lives with her beloved in the Cotswolds.