What in the world is haggis?!
What in the world is haggis?
And where do I get a sample?
Answers:
Haggis is a traditional Scottish dish.
There are many recipes, but it is normally made with the following ingredients: sheep's 'pluck' (heart, liver and lungs), minced with onion, oatmeal, suet, spices, and salt, mixed with stock, and traditionally boiled in the animal's stomach for approximately an hour.
Haggis somewhat resembles stuffed intestines (pig intestines otherwise known as chitterlings or the kokoretsi of traditional Greek cuisine.), sausages and savoury puddings of which it is among the largest types. As the 2001 English edition of the Larousse Gastronomique puts it, "[a]lthough its description is not immediately appealing, haggis has an excellent nutty texture and delicious savoury flavour." (p592)
Most modern commercial haggis outside Scotland is prepared in a casing rather than an actual stomach. There are also meat-free recipes for vegetarians: these are designed to taste like the meat-based recipes.
You should see if your community sponsers the Highland games there you will be able to taste this unique sausage.