Sluttishly Vegetarian: Veggie Haggis

Wee brother o’ the puddin’ king
Whase praises Rabbie Burns did sing,
Relief an’ joy tae us ye bring,
That eat nae meat!
For us ye are the verra thing,
A rich rare treat!

- from Fergus McInnes's Address to a Vegetarian Haggis

When Siany suggested I might like to create a veggie haggis for Burns Night, I presumed I'd have to cancel all my weekend plans and spend my Saturday gipping over traditional haggis recipes ("take one sheep's stomach or ox secum") and pondering what I could substitute for "the heart and lungs of one lamb". That's one thing you can't replace with tofu or Quorn.

Haggis is the centrepiece of a traditional Burns Night supper, so it needs to be pretty special. Haggis recipes are essentially "take some meat, mix it with more meat, and wrap it in meat. ENJOY!". Veggie versions take an entirely different approach - obviously - and combine oats, pulses, vegetables and spices to create a filling and hearty meal.

This version is simple and fairly mild, so goes well with a red wine sauce and the obligatory neeps and tatties. Remember to propose a Scotch whisky toast to your haggis, and get a bagpiper to pipe it to your table (or put on a Proclaimers album, whichever you fancy).

Vegetarian haggis (serves 4)

You will need:

• 2 tbsp oil
• 150g oatmeal 
• 50g chopped mixed nuts
• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 1 medium carrot, grated
• 50g mushrooms, finely chopped
• 200g kidney beans (half a tin), mashed
• 50g red lentils
• 200ml vegetable stock
• 1 tbsp soy sauce
• 1/2 a lemon
• 1 tsp dried thyme
• 1 tsp cayenne pepper
• 1 tsp ground nutmeg

Make it!

1. Preheat the oven to 190C/375F/Gas Mark 5. Lightly oil a loaf tin.
2. In a large pan (preferably non-stick), heat the oil over a low heat and lightly toast the oatmeal and nuts until they smell delicious.
3. Increase the heat to medium and add the onion and carrot. Add more oil if necessary, and get ready to stir it a lot to stop the oats from sticking. Fry until the onions are soft, then add the mushrooms and cook for another 2 minutes.
4. Add the kidney beans, lentils, stock, soy sauce, a squeeze of lemon juice and all the herbs and spices. Simmer gently for 15 to 20 minutes, adding extra water if necessary.
5. Taste and season, then tip the mixture into your loaf tin and bake for 30 minutes.