Foo - Burns Day, lets celebrate

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View Full Version : Burns Day, lets celebrate


Rev.Chuck
01-24-04, 09:34 PM
Is every one ready? Sunday is the day to celebrate Robert Burns birthday 01/25/1759, so get out your book of poems, your Haggis, Tatties, and Scotch.

First, a poem:

Address to a Haggis


Fair fa' your honest, sonsie face,
Great chieftain o the puddin'-race!
Aboon them a' ye tak your place,
Painch, tripe, or thairm:
Weel are ye wordy of a grace
As lang's my arm.

The groaning trencher there ye fill,
Your hurdies like a distant hill,
Your pin wad help to mend a mill
In time o need,
While thro your pores the dews distil
Like amber bead.

His knife see rustic Labour dight,
An cut you up wi ready slight,
Trenching your gushing entrails bright,
Like onie ditch;
And then, O what a glorious sight,
Warm-reekin, rich!

Then, horn for horn, they stretch an strive:
Deil tak the hindmost, on they drive,
Till a' their weel-swall'd kytes belyve
Are bent like drums;
The auld Guidman, maist like to rive,
'Bethankit' hums.

Is there that owre his French ragout,
Or olio that wad staw a sow,
Or fricassee wad mak her spew
Wi perfect sconner,
Looks down wi sneering, scornfu view
On sic a dinner?

Poor devil! see him owre his trash,
As feckless as a wither'd rash,
His spindle shank a guid whip-lash,
His nieve a nit:
Thro bloody flood or field to dash,
O how unfit!

But mark the Rustic, haggis-fed,
The trembling earth resounds his tread,
Clap in his walie nieve a blade,
He'll make it whissle;
An legs an arms, an heads will sned,
Like taps o thrissle.

Ye Pow'rs, wha mak mankind your care,
And dish them out their bill o fare,
Auld Scotland wants nae skinking ware
That jaups in luggies:
But, if ye wish her gratefu prayer,
Gie her a Haggis!


An easy Haggis, what I will make:

Americanized Haggis (from Country Living, March 1991)
1 lb boneless lamb shoulder or breast, cut into pieces (or ground lamb)
1/2 lb lamb liver, cut into pieces
1/2 c water
1 small onion, coarsely chopped
1 large egg
3/4 ts salt
3/4 ts pepper, black
1/2 ts sugar
1/4 ts ginger, ground
1/8 ts cloves, ground
1/8 ts nutmeg, ground
1 c oats, rolled, old fashioned
Heat oven to 350-F. Grease an 8 1/2 by 4 1/2 inch loaf pan.
In food processor with chopping blade, process together half of the lamb, the liver, water, onion, egg, salt, pepper, sugar, ginger, cloves, and nutmeg until well combined. Add the remaining half of the lamb and the oats; process until well combined.

Spoon lamb mixture into the greased pan; pat surface to level. Bake 45 to 55 minutes or until center feels firm when gently pressed. Cool 5 minutes in pan; unmold onto platter; slice and serve.

Traditional Haggis:

For this, the greatest of Scots savouries, is required: a sheep's bag, and the small bag, the pluck complete (lights, liver, and heart), beef suet, onions, and oatmeal, with seasoning of salt and black pepper. Thoroughly clean the bag, and soak in cold salted water for at least twelve hours. Turn the rough side out. Wash the pluck and the small bag, cover them with cold water, an set to boil with the windpipe hanging over the side of the pot to let out impurities. Boil for an hour and a half, or two hours. Then take out, and cut away all gristle and pipes. Half the liver only will be required, grate this, and mince the heart and lights. Make a mixture of this and half a pound of minced suet, a couple of finely chopped onions, and a large cupful of previously toasted oatmeal, all well moistened with some of the liquid in which the pluck was boiled. Put the mixture into the large bag, leaving plenty of room to swell. Sew the bag securely, and put it to boil in a large pot of hot water. Prick the bag all over with a darning needle as soon as it begins to swell, to prevent the possibility of its bursting. Boil steadily for three hours with the lid off the pot. Serve immediately.

Tatties are, of course, mashed potatoes. Boil 'em and mash 'em oldschool with milk and lots of butter or use the instant. Turnips (neeps) are also good.

Scotch, I will be partaking in a bit of the White Horse myself. If you have the $$ you might want Lagavulin.


lsits
01-24-04, 10:34 PM
When I first saw this thread I thought you meant George Burns, born January 20th 1896.

james Haury
01-25-04, 11:13 AM
Happy Posthumous Birthday,Bobby! :p And may you have many more.


geneman
01-25-04, 11:31 AM
My first introduction to Haggis was at a Burns supper given by a Scottish friend of mine. It wasn't until the end of the evening (and many beers later) that I learned where it came from. I guess it washed down well with the McEwans.

-mark

ngateguy
01-26-04, 10:56 AM
I met some Scotsman at my brothers bday in SD last year. They told me that all Scottish food is based on a dare. Is this true?
:beer:

Rev.Chuck
01-26-04, 11:46 AM
Could be, could be. A lot of the stuff tastes better than it looks. :D I realize this is not saying much :D I think the real issue is the Scottish, English. and Irish addiction to boiling EVERYTHING.
(Stand back I am a closet anthropoligist and cook) I believe this is because they had large quantities of fuel from peat and lumber. So lots of boiling, roasting, and bread making. In Asian cultures where fuel is more limited the tendency is for quick cooking, with food cut into small pieces, like wok style. I have a couple of Asian cook books(Thai, Chinese, Japanese) and they don't have any baking in them.

geneman
01-26-04, 11:55 AM
I met some Scotsman at my brothers bday in SD last year. They told me that all Scottish food is based on a dare. Is this true?
:beer:

... extend that to "all English, Scottish, and Irish" food and I'd say it hits the mark.

-mark