Burns supper toolkitRecipes, poems and songs: bring on Burns Night!

Burns Supper for BloodwiseScots around the world celebrate Burns Night on or around 25 January – the birthday of famous Scottish poet and lyricist Robert Burns – with a traditional supper of haggis and a wee dram of Scotch whisky.

Embrace the Scottish tradition of Burns Night by hosting your very own Burns Supper for Bloodwise! It’s a great excuse to get together with family and friends for a night of fun, food and Scottish culture.

Taking part is simple: in this toolkit you’ll find all the info and tips you need for a brilliant Burns Supper, including recipes, poems and songs! By charging your friends a small amount to attend, together you’ll be having fun and embracing a centuries-old Scottish tradition, all while helping to fund vital blood cancer research.

How to host a brilliant Burns SupperCook up the Scottish spirit wherever you are in the world with these easy steps!

1 Choose a date near to 25 January (Scottish poet Robert Burns’ birthday) to host your event.

2 Decide on an intimate dinner or a wild Scottish party. You could even get your guests to try Ceilidh dancing – more about this fun tradition in the Entertainment section!

3 Decide on how much you’ll be charging your guests, then invite them over for a night that will brighten up their January.

4 Use the recipes in this kit to help plan your authentic Burns Supper. A traditional supper starts with cock-a-leekie soup, followed by the famous haggis*, neeps (turnip) and tatties (potatoes), and is rounded off with sweet cranachan.

5 Print off the poems and lyrics in this kit for a truly authentic evening of poetry, music and embracing the Scottish spirit!

6 Pay in the money you’ve raised for Bloodwise via the Burns Supper JustGiving page.

*People often order their haggis from the local butcher, and if you’re UK-based you can order online from our friends at Crombies – an award-winning butchers in Edinburgh: www.sausages.co.uk. If you’re taking part in America, Sandy Crombie of Crombies has created an exclusive haggis recipe – HaggUS – for Bloodwise based on the ingredients you’ll be able to find.

Order of the evening

Piping in the haggisTraditionally, the haggis is brought to the table as a piper plays the bagpipes – it’s a truly ceremonious moment in the evening! (If you don’t know happen to know any pipers, we recommend finding a piper on YouTube.)

Address to the haggisWith a knife at the ready, the host pays respect to the haggis by reciting Burns’ Address to a Haggis. A cut is made to the haggis during the third verse on reading the line “An’ cut you up wi’ ready sleight.”

Toast to the HaggisThe host raises a glass and declares “To the Haggis!” before serving the prized dish to the guests.

EntertainmentRobert Burns is famous for his poetry, and a Burns Night wouldn’t be complete without some lively recitals of Burns’ most-loved poems. You’ll find a selection of Burns’ classics in this toolkit and even more can be found at Visit Scotland. Fill up on food, then fill up on culture!

You could also embrace another Scottish tradition – ceilidh dancing. A ceilidh is a traditional Scottish social gathering, consisting of a live band and most importantly – a dance floor! There are many popular ceilidh dances each with set moves, which are called out by a ‘caller’ on stage. You can experience a Ceilidh wherever you are in the world with Visit Scotland’s amazing interactive Ceilidh experience, which brings a dance hall, band and caller to your living room via your computer or tablet – it’s definitely worth some furniture rearranging! Head to the link (once your dinner’s digested…) for a party on a seriously Scottish scale.

Finale song: Auld Lang SyneMost people know Auld Lang Syne as the song that rings in the New Year, but this was originally a poem written by Robert Burns, which was later set to a folk tune. It’s the only way to end a traditional Burns supper with friends. You’ll find the lyrics in this kit – sing it loud!

Recipe: Cock-a-Leekie soupThe only possible starter for an authentic Burns Supper.

1 tbsp vegetable oil1 medium chicken, jointed into pieces180g smoked bacon lardon2 carrots, chopped2 celery stalks, chopped2 leeks, chopped Splash of white wine1/2 bunch thyme15 stoned prunes

Method

1 Heat the oil in a large heavy-based saucepan until hot. Fry the chicken pieces in batches until golden brown, then remove and set aside. Add the bacon, carrots, celery and leeks, and fry for 5 minutes until it all starts to brown. Pour off any excess fat.

2 Splash in the wine and boil rapidly, scraping the bottom of the pan. Return the chicken pieces with the herbs and add enough cold water to cover. Slowly bring to the boil, then simmer for 40 minutes until the chicken is tender.

3 Remove the chicken and place on a plate, cover with foil and leave to cool slightly. Strain the soup into a clean saucepan and discard all the other ingredients. Leave to stand for a few minutes and skim off any fat that rises to the top. Pull the meat from the chicken bones and tear into large chunks.

4 Simmer the soup with the chicken, leeks and prunes for another 20–30 minutes. Season to taste.

Serves 6

Recipe: Haggis, Neeps & Tatties* If you’ve bought your haggis ready-made, here’s how to cook it along with its classic accompaniments; neeps and tatties. (See the next page for HaggUS – how to make your own haggis if you’re in the US.)

*Neeps = turnip; tatties = potatoes

1.5 kg / 3lb 5oz haggis 375g turnips 300g / 10oz unsalted butter 675g / 1½ lb potatoes 1½ tbsp double cream 9 tbsp milk Seasoning

Method

1 Bring a large pan of water to the boil and carefully add your prized haggis, complete with its natural ‘casing’.

2 Reduce heat to a low setting and simmer for 75–90 minutes. Keep an eye on it and top up with water if necessary. Make sure you keep your haggis at a low heat otherwise it may burst.

3 Bring two separate pans of salted water to the boil.

4 Meanwhile cube the neeps (turnip) and tatties (potatoes).

5 Add the neeps (turnip) to one pan of boiled water and cook for 20-25 minutes or until tender.

6 Add the potatoes (tatties) to the remaining pan of boiled water. Bring to the boil and simmer for 20–25 minutes, or until tender.

7 Drain the neeps (turnip) well and return to the pan. Add half the butter and the cream. Mash until smooth. Season to taste.

8 Drain the tatties (potatoes) well and return to the pan. Add the remaining butter and a glug of milk (9 tbsp) and mash until smooth. Season to taste.

9 Keep your prepared tatties and neeps warm until you’re ready to serve.

10 Once the haggis is cooked, carefully drain and place on a plate. Make a small incision before its grand entrance, to make sure nobody is burned by a flying piece of hot haggis when the first cut is made!

Serves 6

Recipe: HaggUSHaggis isn’t readily available in the US, so Bloodwise supporter and Scottish butcher, Sandy Crombie, has designed an exclusive recipe especially for our American supporters, using ingredients that you’ll be able to get hold of at home.

Meat ingredients:750g / 27oz lamb hearts (4) or pig hearts if not available750g / 27oz lamb flank (boneless)500g / 18oz beef (ox) liver (trimmed no tubes)500g / 18oz beef fat (preferably soft fat but beef suet would work)

Other ingredients:260g / 9oz onion800g / 28oz oatmeal – if not available use oats23–25g / 5 tsp spice mixture – see below30–35g / 1oz salt to taste900g / 32oz cooking broth (stock)

Spice mixture:3g / 1/2 tsp ground white pepper12g / 2 tsp ground black pepper5g / 1 tsp ground coriander5g / 1 tsp Jamaica pepper (Allspice)

Method

1 Chop meats to size which you can mince (grind).

2 Cook meats excluding fat in boiling water for 1.5 hours.

3 Cook fat briefly in the same water for 15–30 minutes.

4 Remove meats, including fat and mince (grind) along with the onion – retain stock

5 Mix in other ingredients thoroughly including retained stock (the spices and salt can be added gradually to suit your own preference).

6 Fill mixture into casings* then cook in hot water for a further hour (this allows the meat to swell).

*Traditionally haggis is filled into natural ox bungs (beef

intestine), which are specially prepared for this purpose. It is

possible you may be able to acquire these but most likely not.

We suggest you fill the mixture into cooking/roasting bags in

the quantities you are likely to need in the future before the final

cook. These bags of haggis can be frozen for future use, when,

after defrosting, they are heated in simmering water for up to

1 hour. Haggis must always be thoroughly reheated and served

piping hot, along with mashed potato (tatties), and mashed

swede (neeps): haggis, neeps and tatties!

Serves 18

Recipe: StoviesA traditional Scottish dish that can serve as an alternative to haggis or a yummy addition to your Scottish spread. This dish is made in many different ways in homes across Scotland, and is a simple-to-make classic.

2 onions, chopped12 linked sausages (preferably with the skin removed)1.5kg / 3lbs potatoes, cut into chunksSalt and pepper to taste

Method

1 Season potatoes and onions and add to a saucepan with a little cold water (in this method, the ingredients are steamed).

2 Cut up the sausages and arrange them on top of the potatoes and onion mix.

3 Pop a lid on the pan and heat on a low-medium heat for around 30–40 minutes (until cooked).

4 If required you can add a stock cube to the mixture.

Serves 6

Recipe: CranachanThere’s always room for extra in the dessert stomach, so finish off your supper by impressing your guests with devilishly divine cranachan.

570ml / 1 pint double cream85g / 3oz porridge oats7 tbsp whisky3 tbsp honey450g / 1lb raspberries

Method

1 Toast the oats gently in a frying pan until golden.

2 Lightly whip the cream and then fold in the whisky, honey, oats and raspberries (saving a few to garnish).

3 Split the oats evenly between six dessert glasses, then add the cream mixture to each one and garnish with a few raspberries.

Serves 6

Address to a HaggisWith a knife at the ready, this is where the host pays respect to the haggis by reciting Burns’ famous Address to a Haggis. A cut is made to the haggis during the third verse on reading the line ‘An’ cut you up wi’ ready sleight.’

Tip: before bringing the haggis out, carefully make a small cut into it. You don’t want your guests to be hit with flying haggis in the excitement of the ceremony!

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

The groaning trencher there ye fill, Your hurdies like a distant hill, Your pin was 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 sleight*, Trenching your gushing entrails bright, Like ony 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; Then 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 make her spew Wi’ perfect sconner, Looks down wi’ sneering, scornfu’ view On sic a dinner?

Poor devil! see him owre his trash, As feckles as wither’d rash, His spindle shank, a guid whip-lash; His nieve a nit; Thro’ blody 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 mak it whissle; An’ legs an’ arms, an’ hands will sned, Like taps o’ trissle.

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!

*This is when you make a cut to the haggis!

Poem: My Luve is Like a Red, Red Rose

Poem: Ae Fond Kiss

O my Luve’s like a red, red rose, That’s newly sprung in June: O my Luve’s like the melodie, That’s sweetly play’d in tune.

As fair art thou, my bonie lass, So deep in luve am I; And I will luve thee still, my dear, Till a’ the seas gang dry.

Till a’ the seas gang dry, my dear, And the rocks melt wi’ the sun; And I will luve thee still, my dear, While the sands o’ life shall run.

And fare-thee-weel, my only Luve! And fare-thee-weel, a while! And I will come again, my Luve, Tho’ ‘twere ten thousand mile!

Ae fond kiss, and then we sever; Ae fareweel, alas, for ever! Deep in heart-wrung tears I’ll pledge thee, Warring sighs and groans I’ll wage thee. Who shall say that Fortune grieves him, While the star of hope she leaves him? Me, nae cheerful twinkle lights me; Dark despair around benights me.

I’ll ne’er blame my partial fancy, Naething could resist my Nancy: But to see her was to love her; Love but her, and love for ever. Had we never lov’d sae kindly, Had we never lov’d sae blindly, Never met-or never parted, We had ne’er been broken-hearted.

Fare-thee-weel, thou first and fairest! Fare-thee-weel, thou best and dearest! Thine be ilka joy and treasure, Peace, Enjoyment, Love and Pleasure! Ae fond kiss, and then we sever! Ae fareweel alas, for ever! Deep in heart-wrung tears I’ll pledge thee, Warring sighs and groans I’ll wage thee.

More poetry is available at visitscotland.com

Finale song: Auld Lang SyneRound off your evening in style and sing it loud!

Should auld acquaintance be forgot, And never brought to mind? Should auld acquaintance be forgot, And auld lang syne!

For auld lang syne, my jo, For auld lang syne, We’ll tak a cup o’ kindness yet, For auld lang syne.

And surely ye’ll be your pint stowp! And surely I’ll be mine! And we’ll take a cup o’ kindness yet, For auld lang syne.

We twa hae run about the braes, And pou’d the gowan fine; But we’ve wander’d mony a weary fitt, Sin’ auld lang syne.

We twa hae paidl’d in the burn, Frae morning sun till dine; But seas between us braid hae roar’d Sin’ auld lang syne.

And there’s a hand, my trusty fiere! And gie’s a hand o’ thine! And we’ll tak a right gude-willie-waught, For auld lang syne.

For auld lang syne, my jo, For auld lang syne, We’ll tak a cup o’ kindness yet, For auld lang syne.