How to make…Haggis shepherd’s pie

This hearty, rustic meal is great for a potluck or a quick week night meal and it’s great to practice the art of multi-tasking since you can prep the haggis and veggie mixture while your potatoes are cooking, and mix up the gravy using the potato water. The meal comes together in just over an hour, depending on how fast you are at peeling and chopping your veg. And, while we’ve provided you with a recipe that makes a fairly large amount, feel free to reduce the quantities if you don’t want a lot of leftovers.

This is a recipe that has become a surprise favourite. At one point I would never have dreamed of eating haggis, but my rule is that you have to try everything once. You cannot say you don’t or won’t like something until you have tried. So please try this dish, it really is worth it.

Early in our marriage, in December 2002, Sandy went on a business trip up to Scotland. She had haggis as part of the hotel’s breakfast and came home raving about it because it was just like her Dad’s Winderwurst, but with oats instead of barley. She was thrilled to have discovered this unexpected taste of home. We got some to try again shortly after that and over the course of time, it evolved into this shepherd’s pie.

Ingredients

1.3	Kg	Haggis	About 3 pounds
6-8	Large	Potatoes
2-3	Large	Carrots	Adjust veggies based on preference.
12		Mushrooms
2	Medum	Onions
3	Cups	Frozen peas	You could also use a frozen mixed veggies, corn or green beans.
2	Cups	Gravy	We use chicken gravy granules.
	Dash	Smoked paprika

For the mashed potatoes:

2	Tbsp	Butter
2	Tbsp	Plain yogurt	Or sour cream
1-2	Tbsp	Milk	To get the desired consistency.
½	Tsp	Garlic salt
½	Tsp	Ground black pepper
½	Tsp	Mixed herbs

Preparation

1. Peel and chop the vegetables and grate the cheese.
2. Put the potatoes on to boil to make the mash.
3. If you’re making this for an immediate meal, pre-heat your oven to 160C / 325F.
4. Wash your hands so you can use them to combine the ingredients.
5. Open the Haggis and crumble it into a large mixing bowl, then add the veggies and mix to combine. Set this aside.
6. Finish making your mashed potatoes.
   • When they have boiled enough that a fork goes through easily, drain the water (you can use this water to make your gravy).
   • Then use a potato ricer or hand mixer to mash them to your desired consistency, adding butter, a bit of plain yogurt (sour cream) and milk, garlic salt, pepper and mixed herbs, to your taste.
7. Prepare 1-2 cups of gravy (we use granules) and pour this into the haggis and vegetable mix. Use a spoon to combine this with the rest of the ingredients.
8. Prep your baking pans. We make a large, 9×13″ pan for potluck, and a smaller baking dish that we put into the freezer for us to cook up later.
9. Layer the pie, starting with the haggis and vegetable mix, then a layer of mashed potatoes. Top with the shredded cheese and a sprinkling of smoked paprika.
10. Bake for 30-40 minutes until the cheese is fully melted and golden brown and the gravy is bubbling around the edges.
11. Serve with steamed broccoli and cauliflower or a green lettuce side salad.
12. Can be frozen, pre-baked. When ready to use, simply defrost and bake as above.

Watch us make it

Check out my YouTube video by clicking the image below to see how I made my haggis shepherd’s pie this past weekend. It is always a hit for our church potluck fellowship meals. And don’t forget to like, and subscribe to our channel while you’re there.

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