Tag: dinner

Burns Night Pie

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Traditionally in Scotland on Rabbie Burn’s day, we have haggis, neeps and tatties. It wasn’t something we would have every year growing up but I do remember having it occasionally. My mum is vegetarian, so making a meaty haggis dish meant she couldn’t enjoy any.

With this pie, I wanted to make something that the whole family could enjoy, even the meat eaters. A layered haggis, neeps and tattie pie is the ultimate comfort cooking. The haggis mixture is rich and “meaty” despite having no meat. I used the Macsween veggie haggis, however this can be substituted easily for regular haggis. I also used Mash Direct’s mashed turnip, because would you believe my local supermarket had no neeps! This was a quick substitute if you are short on time, especially with how long turnip can take to boil. See the tips section at the bottom for even more tips on how to personalise this pie. 

Beware, this pie is extremely filling! 

Recipe serves 4 people 

Ingredients 

  • 454g veggie haggis  
  • 4 large potatoes 
  • Rapeseed oil 
  • 1 onion 
  • 1 carrot 
  • 500g tomato passata 
  • 125ml red wine 
  • ½ beef stock cube (approx. 5.5g) 
  • Mash Direct mashed turnip pack (400g) 
  • Knob of butter 
  • Milk 
  • Cheddar cheese, grated 
  • Flat leaf parsley, chopped 

Method 

  1. Heat oven to 200°C Conv / 180°C Fan. 
  1. Chop the haggis into bite-sized pieces and cook oven on a non-stick baking tray for 10 minutes. 
  1. Peel and chop the potatoes into even sized chunks. Boil for 25 minutes until a knife easily pushes through each piece. Mash with the butter and a drop of milk. Add more milk if the mash is too thick. 
  1. Dice the onion and grate the carrot. Fry in a drizzle of rapeseed oil until soft and the carrot starts to change colour slightly. 
  1. Add the haggis cubes and stir well. Add the tomato passata, red wine and beef stock cube. Simmer for 15-20 minutes on a low heat until sauce is thick. Stir occasionally to avoid sticking. Taste and season with salt and pepper. 
  1. Add the haggis mixture to a suitable deep oven-dish. Top with the mashed turnip and then with the mashed potato. Top with grated cheese. 
  1. Bake in the oven for 20-25 minutes, until the cheese is golden and bubbling.  
  1. Once cooked, serve and top with fresh parsley. 

Tips 

  • Substitute the veggie haggis for regular haggis for an even meatier flavour. 
  • Vegetarians – substitute the beef stock cube for a veggie stock cube. 
  • Vegans – this can be made vegan by using plant-based milk and butter in the mash, a veggie stock cube and dairy free cheese on top. 
  • This can be made a day in advance, just cook for longer and ensure the centre of the pie is 72°C prior to consuming. 

*This post does not contain any ads or affiliates. All products have been paid for and I am not being asked to promote.* 

Green Pesto Gnocchi

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We LOVE this recipe in our house! Is there anything better than getting all your weekly iron intake in one meal, but also it being super yummy? And the best bit, you can serve garlic bread on the side. 

One colleague at work even referred to me as the Gnocchi Queen recently as I regularly take the leftovers to work the following day and load it with cheese.  

The best thing about this recipe is how flexible it can be. You can do it with any veg, my favourite is green veg. I just throw in whatever we have in the fridge. You could also roast some squash or pumpkin to put through it for a more wintery meal too. And of course, the green pesto can be switched for red pesto if you prefer.  

I will also often serve this with chicken sausages, Heck or Aldi’s Italian Chicken Sausages would be my recommendation.  

Recipe serves 2-3 people (2 hungry people, plus one leftover lunch-sized portion)  

Ingredients 

  • Knob of butter 
  • 500g gnocchi (chilled or dried aisle gnocchi both work) 
  • Olive oil 
  • 5 stems of tenderstem broccoli 
  • 1 leek, finely sliced 
  • 1 clove of garlic, finely chopped 
  • 2 handfuls of spinach 
  • 3 heaped teaspoons of green pesto 
  • Parmesan 
  • Basil, chopped 

Method 

  1. Heat the butter in a large frying pan and once melted, add the gnocchi. Fry for 15-20 minutes, tossing every few minutes to prevent burning. 
  1. For the veg, chop the tops off the broccoli and finely slice the stems. Add the stems to a separate pan with a drizzle of olive oil, I use a wok or a large frying pan.  Fry for 1-2 minutes. 
  1. Once the stems have turned bright green, add the rest of the broccoli, leeks and garlic. Fry for 10 minutes or so on a low heat until the veg is softened.  
  1. Finally add the spinach and pesto and stir. 
  1. Once the gnocchi is crisp and golden, add to the pan with your veg and combine.  
  1. Serve immediately and top with parmesan and basil, salt and pepper to taste.  

Truffled Mushroom Carbonara

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I am a big pasta lover. I put it down to having an Italian name, I am an honorary Italian! In 2015, we visited the Amalfi Coast and it is still my favourite holiday I have ever been on. The food was so fresh and the scenery was spectacular. Sitting outside in the town square having an iced espresso whilst warming our pale Scottish skin in the sun was just heaven. What I would do to go back and relive it all again!

I cook pasta at least twice a week. It is a staple for me, one of those things that you always have in your cupboard in case of a we-don’t-know-what’s-for-dinner night. My favourite pasta to order when out is carbonara – I am a sucker for cream and cheese! Not to mention the salty bacon lardons and fresh parsley.

Over the years, I have tried many a “carbonara” recipe at home and I think I have perfected it this one. Now, I’m not claiming this is a real carbonara because every Italian out there is probably screaming at me, saying I’m now not an honorary Italian after sharing this recipe! But this is my twist, and it is fairly light for a balanced mid-week meal. Super quick and easy, there isn’t really much that can go wrong with this one.

You can do any combo with this, add any veg or flavourings you like (I also like bacon and courgette), but for this recipe, I am doing my Truffle Mushroom combo. We were given some truffle oil from Truffle Hunter for Christmas and it is so versatile and flavourful. I then received black truffle salt for my birthday, which finishes off the dish perfectly! We have the pair of black and white truffle oil and I use them in different ways. The white truffle oil is light and fragrant, good for topping risottos, salads or even truffle parmesan fries. The black truffle oil is a much richer, earthier flavour, making it perfect for recipes like this.

Truffle oil should never be cooked or heated however, it destroys the flavour of the truffle. It is typically a finishing oil. This recipe involves stirring the truffle in after the pan has come off the heat.

Recipe serves 2-3 people (2 hungry people, plus one leftover lunch-sized portion)

Ingredients

  • 200g pasta (Tagliatelle or linguine is good for this)
  • Knob of butter
  • 250g mushrooms, sliced (I like chestnut mushrooms for this)
  • 2 cloves of garlic, crushed
  • Fresh parsley (I used frozen chopped parsley)
  • 3 egg yolks
  • 5 tbsp double cream
  • 1 tsp truffle oil
  • 25g parmesan plus extra for sprinkling on top

Method

  1. Cook the pasta in a pan of salted water according to the pack instructions.
  2. Add the butter to a large frying pan on a low heat until melted.
  3. Add the sliced mushrooms to the butter and fry until softened, approx. 5 minutes.
  4. Add the garlic and parsley and cook for a further two minutes.
  5. For the sauce, in a jug whisk together the egg yolks, double cream, and a pinch of salt and pepper.
  6. Drain the pasta, setting aside a cup of the starchy pasta water for later to make the sauce super silky.
  7. In the frying pan with the mushrooms on a VERY low heat, add the pasta and the eggy sauce mix. Add a small dash of starchy water and stir constantly. (By stirring all the time, you are preventing the eggs from scrambling).
  8. If the sauce looks a little dry, add a bit more water and keep stirring over the very low heat until the sauce is hugging the pasta, and looks thick and silky.
  9. Turn off the heat and add the truffle oil and parmesan. Stir the combine until parmesan has melted.
  10. Serve immediately and top with more parmesan, salt and pepper to taste.