Brilliant Burns Night inspired suppers from celeb chef for you to enjoy

Haggis is usually a main dish enjoyed at a Burns Night celebration, being served alongside tatties and neeps. If you like the idea of a Burns Night supper with a difference, why not give these recipes a go?

These two tasty recipes give a nod to Robert Burns’ Scottish heritage by using ingredients famous in Scotland.

First up is James Martin’s Blackface Lamb Steaks with Ratatouille and Salsa Verde. Scottish Blackface is one of the oldest breeds of sheep in Scotland. Cuts are flavoursome and succulent making it a popular cut with chefs and home cooks alike. Don’t worry if you don’t have a barbecue. You can easily cook the lamb in a grill on high for around 5-8 minutes on each side then follow the rest of the recipe (from Step 4).

If you really want to go rogue this Burn's Night - Tuesday January 25 - why not try Skye Lobster with Haggis Butter? This is another one of James’ recipes with a tasty twist that sees seafood from Skye as the star of the show.

Blackface Lamb Steaks with Ratatouille and Salsa Verde

Serves 4

Ingredients

4 x 200g lamb steaks

Small bunch of heather

Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

For the ratatouille

50ml olive oil

1 onion, diced

2 garlic cloves, crushed

1 courgette, diced

1 aubergine, diced

1 red pepper diced

4 tomatoes, diced

Small bunch of basil, torn

For the salsa verde

Small bunch of mint, leaves picked and chopped

1 garlic clove, crushed

2 tablespoons capers

Small bunch of flat-leaf parsley, chopped

4 anchovies, chopped

Zest and juice of 1 lemon

50ml olive oil

Method

1. Light your BBQ. When the coals are silvery in colour, it’s ready to cook on.
2. Scatter the heather over the coals, then place the rack onto the BBQ.
3. Place the lamb onto the rack and cook for 2–3 minutes on each side, seasoning as you go. Lift onto a board and let rest.
4. To make the ratatouille, heat a flameproof pan on the BBQ until hot then add the oil and stir in the onions and garlic.
5. After 1 minute add the diced courgette and aubergine.
6. Cook for a further 1 minute then stir in the pepper, tomatoes and basil. Season, then gently simmer for a further 2 minutes.
7. To make the salsa verde, mix all the ingredients together in a bowl and season well.
8. To serve, spoon the ratatouille into a bowl. Place the lamb onto 4 dinner plates and spoon over the salsa verde.
9. Drizzle over a little more olive oil if prefer, and let everyone help themselves to the ratatouille.

Skye Lobster and Steak with Haggis Butter

This is exciting lobster and fillet steak recipe is a posh take on the traditional surf 'n' turf with a Burns Night inspired twist of haggis butter (James Martin’s Islands to Highlands, Photography © Peter Cassidy)

Serves 6

Ingredients

2 x 200-g fillet steaks

Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

1–2 tablespoons olive oil

Beef Oxo stock cube, crumbled

Large bunch of fresh seaweed, well washed

3 lobsters, cut in half lengthways

6 langoustines

1 lemon, cut into 4 wedges

For the haggis butter

500g softened salted butter

400g haggis, crumbled

1 shallot, diced

Small bunch of flat-leaf parsley, chopped, plus extra sprigs to garnish

Method

1. Place a griddle pan over a medium heat and heat until hot.
2. Alternatively, light your BBQ. When the coals are silvery in colour, it’s ready to cook on.
3. Season the steaks and drizzle a little oil over each side.
4. Place on the griddle pan or BBQ rack and cook for 2–3 minutes.
5. Sprinkle the crumbled stock cube over the uncooked side, then flip over and cook for a further 2 minutes.
6. While the steaks are cooking, mix the butter, haggis, shallot and chopped parsley together in a bowl, seasoning as you go until combined.
7. Transfer the steaks to a board, dot a tablespoon of the haggis butter onto each one and set aside to rest.
8. Place a large, shallow paella-style pan over a medium heat or onto the BBQ.
9. Pile in the seaweed, then pour in 500ml water.
10. Place the lobster halves on top, cut-side up, smother in the haggis butter and scatter over the parsley sprigs.
11. Cover the pan tightly with foil. Let it steam bake for 7 minutes, then peel back the foil and add the langoustines to the pan. Replace the foil and cook for a further 3 minutes.
12. To serve, remove the foil, slice the steak and add to the lobster pan.
13. Garnish with the lemon wedges to squeeze over.

Find both recipes in James Martin’s Islands to Highlands (Quadrille, £25) Photography © Peter Cassidy

The world’s first haggis spiced beer has been launched for Burns Night (Flavourly | Macsween | Cold Town Brew)

We also have two tasty and wonderfully versatile tipples that are the perfect drinks to sip on a chilly evening.

Cold Macsween Beer is the world’s first haggis spiced pale ale. It is a smooth drink that you can enjoy with a meal and is perfect with lamb or seafood.

Glenfiddich Fire & Cane is the ideal wee dram that is packed with peaty notes and lingering soft spice that you can sip as a post-dinner apéritif to keep Burns Night celebrations going.

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