The usual Burns' Supper menu has changed little over the years and though it is relatively simple fare, done properly it can be fantastic. However, for those who would like to try something a little different and more adventurous without deviating too far from the spirit of the event, Food Trust Scotland has devised the following menus which bring a modern twist to traditional ingredients.
Wherever possible, you should try to use genuine Scottish produce but in order to meet any export constraints, alternatives or substitute ingredients are suggested within the recipes.
Menu 1: Agnes McLehose
- A Wee Sleekit Ramekin of Haggis & Turnip mousse flavoured with Highland Park Single Malt Scotch Whisky
- Poacher's Sea Trout on a bed of celeriac with tattie mash, crispy leeks, steamed kale, steamed julienne of neeps and carrots tossed in butter and chopped fresh basil
- Clarinda's Cream: a light Cranachan of créme fraiche, honey, Angus raspberries, toasted oatmeal and Longmorn Single Malt Scotch Whisky
The following recipes are for the Alternative Burns' Night menu. All recipes are for 6 portions. If you have higher numbers, please remember to adjust amounts of seasonings and flavourings accordingly.
Haggis & Turnip Mousse
Ingredients
- Haggis – traditional sheep: 200g
- Turnip: 120g
- Whisky (Highland Park): 15ml
- Cream (single): 25ml
- Eggs (medium): 2
- Rowan Jelly: 3 teaspoons
Method
Thick slice haggis and bake in oven at 170 °C for 10 minutes.
Boil turnip until soft, mash (do not purée) and mix with haggis.
Add whisky, cream and egg yolks.
Whisk egg whites until peaky and fold into mixture.
Grease 6 ramekins lightly with vegetable oil.
Spoon in the mixture and cook in a water bath at 170 °C for 20 minutes or until firm to the touch.
Garnish with rowan jelly.
Alternatives
Haggis – lamb and vegetarian are available world wide
Turnip – may be known as swede
Whisky – any good quality 'sherried' malt
Rowan jelly – cranberry or blackberry jelly
Poacher's Sea Trout
Ingredients
- Sea trout steaks: 6 x 150g
- Fish stock: 300ml
- Dry white wine 75ml
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper
Method
Pre-heat the oven to 170 °C.
Place the fish in a large sauté pan.
Pour over the stock and wine.
Season and bring to simmering point.
Partially cover and poach in oven for about 8 minutes.
Leave to rest for 5 minutes in warm place before serving on bed of mash.
Alternatives
Sea trout – salmon (preferably wild)
Fish stock – good quality fish stock tablets or granules
Kale – broccoli
Mash
Ingredients
- Potatoes: 500g
- Celeriac: 450g
- Cream: 60ml
- Garlic: 2 cloves
- Butter: 50g
- Salt and pepper
Method
Peel potatoes and celeriac and cut into chunks.
Peel garlic cloves but leave whole.
Simmer in salted water until tender.
Mash, check seasoning and beat in cream and butter.
Form into mounds on which to serve the fish.
Alternatives
Celeriac – celery or bulb fennel
Julienne – fine strips the width of matchsticks
Clarinda's Cream
Ingredients
- Raspberries: 150g
- Créme fraiche (low fat): 150ml
- Heather honey: 60g
- Toasted oatmeal (medium): 120g
- Longmorn whisky: 75ml
Method
Soak raspberries in whisky.
Toast oatmeal in oven until golden brown and allow to cool. Retain about 20g.
Beat the créme fraiche until stiff.
Fold in the honey, then the other ingredients and whisky.
Spoon into glass goblets and garnish with the remaining oatmeal.
Alternatives
Raspberries – any other red soft fruit
Honey – any good flavoured clear honey
Whisky – any well-flavoured malt
Menu 2: Auld Mahoun
- A Slice of Scotland: Red Deer Venison Carpaccio
- Collops of Galloway Beef in Talisker Gravy
- Clapshot Cakes in Oatmeal
- Crispy leeks, steamed kale, steamed julienne of neeps and carrots tossed in butter and chopped fresh basil
- Exciseman's Cheese Board: Bonnet Goat Cheese from Ayrshire, Mull Cheddar, Lanark Blue (Ewe's milk) with Galloway Oatcakes.
The following recipes are for the Alternative Burns' Night menu. All recipes are for 6 portions. If you have higher numbers, please remember to adjust amounts of seasonings and flavourings accordingly.
Venison Carpaccio
Ingredients
- Venison carpaccio (cured like Parma Ham)
- Olive oil
- Black pepper: freshly ground
- Parmesan cheese: fresh shavings
Method
Slice the venison very thinly, plate and dribble over a little olive oil.
Grind pepper and sprinkle with parmesan cheese
Alternatives
Venison carpaccio – Parma ham
Collops of Galloway Beef
Ingredients
- Beef, topside or braising: 1.5kg
- Onion: 750g
- Pickled walnut: 180g & juice: 90ml
- Butter: 60g
- Olive oil: 60ml
- Pepper
Method
Pre-heat oven to 160 °C.
Slice beef, 1cm thick, and cut into pieces approx. half a postcard.
Heat butter and oil and brown meat on both sides in sauté pan.
Cover with sliced onions, season with pepper.
Seal lid firmly and cook for 1 hour.
Add sliced walnuts and juice.
Cook for further hour or until tender.
Check seasoning before seasoning.
Gravy
Using a draining spoon lift meat, onions and walnuts onto a serving dish and keep warm.
Add 10ml (or more if you wish!) of Talisker Malt Whisky to the cooking liquor and boil rapidly for a few minutes.
Pour over Collops and serve.
Clapshot Cakes
Ingredients
- Potatoes: 500g
- Turnip (swedes): 500g
- Chives: 25g
- Butter: 25g
- Eggs: 2
- Flour: 60g
- Oatmeal flakes: 120g
- Salt and pepper
- Vegetable oil
Method
Boil potatoes (dry, floury best) and turnips in separate pans.
Mash together, add butter, half of flour, 1 egg, seasoning.
Form into cakes, dust in remaining flour, dip in beaten egg and coat in oatflakes.
Firm up in fridge and shallow fry in vegetable oil.
Cheeses
Mull cheddar and Lanark Blue are exported. Substitute any mature cheddar for the Mull cheddar. Substitute Roquefort for the Lanark Blue. Bonnet is hard goats' cheese and though not much is exported, most countries produce their own locally.
For some more Traditional Recipes please refer to the links below: