Vegan Haggis

Vegan Haggis

With Burns Night coming up, I thought I would have a go at making a vegan haggis. Haggis is the traditional dish that is eaten on Burns Night to celebrate the Scottish poet Robert Burns.

Haggis is a spiced minced offal and oats, stuffed and cooked in a sheep’s stomach! It is traditionally served with neeps and tatties (swede and potato) and maybe a wee dram of whisky.

My vegan take on this Scottish classic is good anytime of year and would be a good alternative to a nut roast on a Sunday.  Make sure you get the right oats, oat flakes will bring about a different texture.

INGREDIENTS

• Pinch of Allspice

• 1 tsp Nutmeg

• 1/2 tsp mushroom powder

• 250g cooked lentils (I used puy)

• 220g pinhead/coarse/steel cut oats

• 1 tbsp marmite

• 500 ml vegetable stock

• 25g sunflower seeds roughly chopped

• 1 tbsp olive oil

• 1 large onion finely chopped

• 1 large carrot coarsely grated

• 200g mushrooms finely chopped

• 200g tempeh rough chopped 

• 1 tbsp soy sauce

• 1 tsp black pepper

• 1 tsp onion powder

METHOD

1. In a large frying pan over a medium heat, add 1 tbsp of olive oil followed by the onion, carrot and a big pinch of salt. Cook until softened, about five minutes.

2. And the mushroom and increase the heat to medium high and cook for five minutes, when the mushrooms should have started browning.

3. While the mushrooms are cooking mince the tempeh in a food processor until it has a coarse texture. Add the minced tempeh to the pan along with the soy sauce, stir thoroughly then add the spices, mushroom powder, lentils and stir again. Lower the heat back to medium and heat through for a couple of minutes.

4. Add the oats, marmite and stock to the pan and reduce the heat to low/medium. Cover and cook for around 15 minutes, stirring regularly. You want the mixture to be thick but not dry, so add splashes of water if required.

5. Pre heat the oven to 180c and line a large loaf tin, or two smaller ones, with greaseproof paper.

6. After the haggis mixture has cooked for 15 minutes, add the chopped sunflower seeds, taste and season, adding more spices or salt to taste.

7. Transfer the mixture to the loaf tin. Place in the oven and cook for 25 minutes. 

8. After 25 minutes, increase the heat to 220c to crisp up the outside of the haggis.

9. Serve with your choice of sides but neeps and tatties (mashed swede and potatoes) are a must!