haggis

Celebrating Burn’s Night With Children

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Burn’s Night this year falls on Wednesday, 25th January 2023

Burn’s Night is a pretty big celebration in any Scots calendar, and for good reason. The annual festivities are a welcome excuse for fine food, music, dancing, and boasting about Scotland’s cultural contribution to the world.

What Is Burn’s Night?

Burn’s Night is celebrated on or around January 25th. It commemorates the life of poet Robert Burns, who was born on January 25th, 1759 in Alloway, Ayrshire, Scotland.

The centrepiece of any Burn’s Night celebration is the traditional supper, where Burns’ famous verses are matched with Scotland’s most famed food and drink.

Celebrating Burn’s Night

Below, I’m sharing the recipes for the food we’ll be eating on Burn’s Night.

Starter or Canapés

Haggis Bon Bons with Irn Bru Dip

Full recipe can be found here https://northeasteats.home.blog/2021/01/14/haggis-bons-bons-with-irn-bru-dip

Main Course

Chicken Balmoral with Whiskey Sauce

Full recipe can be found here https://northeasteats.home.blog/2021/01/14/chicken-balmoral-recipe/

Dessert

Cranachan

Full recipe can be found here https://northeasteats.home.blog/2021/01/14/cranachan/

If you are celebrating Burn’s Night at home, there is a brilliant downloadable pack by Visit Scotland that can be found here: http://static.visitscotland.com/pdf/burns-supper-toolkit.pdf

And if you don’t fancy cooking, the following North East places are offering Burn’s Night events

Arthurs, Newcastle, https://www.fenwick.co.uk/events/food-and-gifts/burns-night-celebration-at-arthurs/6833d7c9-79dd-44ea-94b7-e3de9e78230d

Blackfriars, Newcastle, https://www.blackfriarsrestaurant.co.uk/events/1751/burns-night-supper

Caboose, Blyth, https://www.facebook.com/cabooseblyth

The Cumberland Arms, Newcastle, https://www.thecumberlandarms.co.uk/events/

Holiday Inn, Gosforth Park, https://www.facebook.com/HolidayInnNewcastleGosforthPark/

Keel Row, Seaton Delaval, https://www.facebook.com/keelrow.seatondelaval/

Spanish City, Whitley Bay, https://spanishcity.co.uk/burns-night-2/

If you are celebrating Burn’s Night this year, Sláinte Mhath!

Chicken Balmoral Recipe

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This chicken dish is stuffed with haggis and served with lashings of creamy whisky sauce. It’s a perfect main for a Burns Night supper alongside a dram of your favourite scotch.

INGREDIENTS (serves 2)

– 2 Chicken Breasts

– 80g Haggis

– 6-8 Rashers of Back Bacon

– 100ml Chicken Stock

– 100ml Double Cream

– Splash of Whiskey

– Drizzle of Oil

METHOD

Heat the oven to Gas 4 or equivalent.

Cut each chicken breast horizontally to form a pocket.

Lightly break up the haggis with a fork, divide it in to two then stuff the breasts with the haggis.

Wrap each stuffed breast with the bacon.

Heat a drizzle of oil in a frying pan on a medium-high heat. Sear the chicken, about 5 mins on each side or until golden brown.

Transfer the chicken breasts in to an oven dish and roast for 35-40 mins until cooked through.

Remove the chicken from the oven and let rest on a plate. Cover with foil to keep warm.

Using the pan you seared the chicken in, pop it on a low-medium heat, add the chicken stock and whiskey and allow to thicken.

Once reduced, add the double cream and season with salt and black pepper.

Serve the Chicken Balmoral with neeps and tatties and a drizzle of the whiskey sauce.

Check out this blog post for tips on how to cook swede easily and how to achieve lump free mash https://northeasteats.home.blog/2021/01/12/the-best-kitchen-hacks-i-ever-learnt/

Haggis Bons Bons with Irn Bru Dip

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You can’t get more Scottish than this – a delicious haggis canape or starter dish served with a sweet and spicy Irn Bru dip.

INGREDIENTS

For The Bon Bons

– 450g Haggis

– 3 tbsp Flour

– 3 Eggs (whisked)

– 200g Bread Crumbs

For The Irn Bru Dip

– 350ml Irn Bru

– 2 tbsp Sweet Chilli Dipping Sauce

– 1 tbsp Cornflour

METHOD

For The Bon Bons

Blitz the haggis in a food processor to lightly break it up.

Divide the mixed haggis equally in to 12 and roll in to balls.

Dip the haggis balls in to the flour, then the egg, then the breadcrumbs. For an extra crispy coating, dip again in to the egg then the breadcrumbs.

Deep fry at 160° for 3-4 mins until golden brown.

For The Irn Bru Dip

Mix the Irn Bru and Sweet Chilli Dipping Sauce together. Add to a sauce pan and boil until the mixture has reduced by a half.

Take 3-4 tbsp of the reduced mixture and place in a bowl with the cornflour. Mix until lump free.

Add the corn flour liquid back in to the pan and stir until totally combined.

Remove from the heat and allow to cool. If the dip is too thick, loosen it with a little Irn Bru (or water) to get it to preferred consistency.

Serve the Haggis Bon Bons with the Irn Bru Dip and enjoy!