To mark this year’s Burns Night, we’ve cooked up some bite-sized Haggis Sausage Rolls, paired with a warming glug of Death or Glory ale.
The first Burns supper was held in 1801 to mark the death of one of Scotland’s finest sons, Robert Burns. Each year on January 25th, haggis is eaten, and glasses raised to celebrate the Scottish poet.
Although whisky may be the obvious choice, beer makes for an amazing lower-strength alternative when pairing traditional Scottish foods. The sweet, malty notes of a Strong Ale bring warmth and sustenance, just as a haggis would over the long winter months.
For our pairing we’ve matched haggis sausage rolls with Death or Glory, our legendary barley wine – an ale robust enough for the bard himself!
Death or Glory is brewed by appointment to the Queen’s Royal Lancers, a strong beer with flavours of treacle and fruitcake.
Burns himself was partial to a pint of beer, writing in O, Guide Ale Comes:
“O gude ale comes and gude ale goes,
Gude ale gars me sell my hose,
Sell my hose, and pawn my shoon,
Gude ale keeps my heart aboon.”
INGREDIENTS
Along with a bottle of gude ale, ensure you have the following ingredients in preparation for the cook:
- Filling: 300g crumbled haggis
- 400g pork sausagemeat
- 2 tbs chopped parsley
- 2 tbs whisky
- ¼ tsp freshly ground pepper
- Pastry: 320g ready rolled all-butter puff pastry
- 2 tbsp Dijon mustard
- 1 free-range egg, beaten
- Presentation: Poppy seeds to scatter
Dijon mustard for dipping
METHOD
To begin your Burns Night feast, open a chilled bottle of Death or Glory, for sipping as you do the thirsty work of food prep. As the ale warms, it will reveal more character and depth, just as a fine single malt whisky might.
Mix the haggis, sausage meat, parsley and pepper in large bowl, splash with whisky and set aside.
Open the pastry out (sheet kept on downside), cut lengthways in half then lightly brush each length with mustard.
Separate your haggis mix and roll into two sausage shapes, equal in length to the pastry. Lay each sausage to one side of a pastry length and roll. Press to seal and brush with beaten egg, with the seam left underneath. Leave to chill for 20 minutes.
Heat the oven to 200°C fan or 180°C gas and prepare a large tray with baking paper. Take the rolls from the fridge and slice into 3cm chunks. Brush with egg once more and scatter with poppy seeds.
Place in the oven for 20 minutes, or until golden brown and cooked through. Serve with mustard for garnish and a fresh bottle (or two!!) of Death or Glory.
Eat, drink and enjoy, raising a glass to Robert Burns!
“Fair fa’ your honest, sonsie face,
Great chieftain o the puddin’-race!
…But mark the Rustic, haggis-fed,
The trembling earth resounds his tread”
– ‘Address to a Haggis’ by Robert Burns, 1786