Burns Night is a little different this year — no big gatherings due to the pandemic, of course. But also, there seems to be even more of a desire among the momentary Scots to take part somehow in a tribute and a toast to the Immortal Memory. As my part I’ll share one of my family’s favourite little Scots/Slavic fusion recipes, Baked Perogies stuffed with Haggis accompanied by a Laphroaig Cream Sauce.
I’ll not bother with a recipe for the Haggis — I could never do better than that readily available year-round at Old Country Sausage House here in Edmonton. About half a pound suits this recipe nicely.
The Perogies
2 1/4 cups flour
1/4 lb lard
1 tsp salt
2 tsp instant dry yeast
1 tsp sugar
1/2 cup sour cream
2 eggs
1/2 lb haggis
Combine the flour, lard, salt, yeast and sugar with a pastry cutter.
In a separate bowl whisk together the eggs and the sour cream.
Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and stir and then knead for five or ten minutes.
Set the dough aside in a cool place for a few hours or overnight in the fridge.
With a rolling pin or pasta press roll the dough to about 1/8th of inch thickness. With a three inch diameter cookie cutter or glass, cut out rounds of the dough.
Place about a teaspoon of haggis in the centre of each round, brush the perimeter of the round with egg wash and seal the perogies into a crescent shape.
Brush the top of each perogy with egg wash and bake in a 375° oven for 12 minutes or so.
The Sauce
15 oz heavy cream
1 tbsp Dijon mustard
2 good helpings of Laphroaig
1 tbsp chopped fresh chives
salt and pepper
juice of half a lemon
Heat the cream. Add mustard and laphroaig and whisk. Turn the heat up and simmer for a few minutes, whisking. Season with salt and pepper and add the chives and lemon juice.
Ideally, serve everything warm from the oven and the range, but it all can certainly be made ahead and reheated. The cream sauce may be served poured over the perogies or as a dipping sauce if you wish.
Behind the Hedge 