Burns night is just around the corner and while this year we will be limited to a household gathering it is still a great time to celebrate the seasonal vegetables; potatoes and swede.
This very comforting haggis cottage pie has a topping of neeps and tatties. You can make this ahead to step seven then refrigerate, just cook for one hour from cold. Serve with your favourite green vegetables.
Don’t forget to raise a toast and shout: the haggis!
Ingredients
2 tbsp olive oil
400g minced beef
Salt and pepper to taste
1 onion, finely diced
2 carrots, finely diced
2 sticks celery, finely chopped
1 tbsp tomato purée
200g haggis
100ml red wine
1 tbsp plain flour
For the topping
500g potatoes (maris piper work well), peeled and cut in half or quarters
250g swede, peeled and cut into 1cm cubes
50g butter
Salt and pepper to taste
Method
1. Put a large heavy bottomed pan over a medium-high heat and add 1 tsp oil. Spread out half of the beef evenly; season and fry undisturbed for 3-4 minutes then mix and cook for 2 more minutes.
Don’t worry about a brown crust on the pan – it’s intentional for flavour.
Remove and repeat with 1 tsp oil and the remaining beef, remove and set aside
2. To the empty pan add the remaining oil (1 tsp and 1 tbsp), lower the heat to medium and add the onion, carrots and celery; fry for 5 minutes to soften then mix in the tomato purée and return the meat to the pan
3. Cut open the haggis and crumble in 200g; mix well
4. Increase the heat and add the wine; cook for 2 more minutes
5. Mix in the flour and cook for 2 more minutes
6. Mix in 500ml water and cover the pan.
Simmer for 20 minutes, then transfer into a dish about 1.5 litre capacity / 21cm square; set aside.
Topping
7. Put the potatoes and swede into a large pan and cover with water. Place over a high heat and boil for 20-25 minutes until soft then drain
8. Preheat your oven to 180°C/gas mark 4
9. Mash the topping with the butter and a good pinch of salt and place on top of your meat
10. Bake for 45 minutes or until golden.
