A beautifully modern take on haggis, wrapped in seasonal ramson or beet leaves, this recipe comes from award-winning author and Dame Ghillie Basan’s book, Food, Whisky, Life, and celebrates flavour, place, and the pleasure of sharing food.
Haggis is wonderful for any kind of ‘dolma‘– a Turkish word for a vegetable or leaf that is stuffed, although the word ‘sarma’ is often used for the wrapped leaves. I also use haggis in my recipe for Traditional Baked Manti . When in
season, I use ramson (wild garlic) leaves for these dolma, otherwise I use the leaves of our homegrown beetroot. If you don’t have beet leaves, you could use kale, cabbage or spinach leaves. When fresh out of the oven, ready to pop whole
into your mouth, these dolma are a delicious surprise as the soft haggis filling melts in your mouth. A garnishing of scattered Pickled Ramson Buds or Beetroot Stems cuts through the haggis and an oaky or peppery whisky
with citrus notes completes the pleasure.
Serves 4
1 haggis, roughly 450g
50-60 ramson or beet leaves, lightly steamed or blanched, and refreshed
under running cold water
1 tablespoon brown or yellow mustard seeds
60g butter, or ghee
1 teaspoon pul biber, Aleppo pepper
sea salt
pickled buds or stems, for garnishing
wedges of lemon, for serving
Put the haggis into a pot, fill it with water and bring it to the boil. Reduce the
heat and simmer for 40 minutes.
Heat the oven to 180C (fan 160C) 350F Gas 4
Place the steamed leaves in a pile on a board. Take 2 of them and place one across the other – like a cross. Slit open the haggis, take out a heaped teaspoonful and place it in the middle of the cross. Lift one leaf edge over it, then the next edge, until all four edges have sealed in the haggis like a parcel. Place it seam-side down in an oven dish and carry on with the rest of the leaves and haggis. You should end up with 24-30 little dolma.
Tip the mustard seeds into a small pan and roast them until they begin to pop.
Add the butter, or ghee, and let it melt around the seeds, then stir in pul biber.
Spoon the butter over the dolmas and sprinkle a little crunchy salt over the top.
Pop the dish in the oven and bake for 25 minutes. Serve hot, while the haggis is soft, garnish with the pickled buds or stems and with lemon wedges to squeeze over them.