Vegetarian Haggis Cottage Pies

Yes – that is right – this is a meat-free post. During the winter months, we want more comfort food. Cottage pie must be one of the ultimate comfort foods. I have made several vegetarian and vegan versions recently, but this was a recipe that was very popular in our household, so I wanted to share it as it featured something I have not tried before – vegetarian haggis.With a few tweaks this could also be a vegan dish, I just found it easier on this occasion to go vegetarian.

INGREDIENTS

• 500g vegetarian haggis
• 1tbsp olive oil
• 1 onion, finely chopped
• 1 large carrot, finely chopped
• 1 celery stick, finely chopped
• 2 large cloves garlic, finely chopped
• 2 tsps of capers
• 350g Quorn mince (or another vegetarian/vegan mince)
• 1tbsp tomato purée
• 300ml red wine
• 400g tin chopped tomatoes
• 200mil vegetable stock
• 2 rosemary sprigs
• 1kg maris piper potatoes, peeled and cut into 3cm pieces
• 3 tbsp semi-skimmed milk
• 100g creamy cheddar cheese, grated

METHOD

Cook the vegetarian haggis according to the pack instructions (I think it took eighty minutes to cook in the oven, but there are other method of cooking). Then remove the casing and clips and carefully cut into chunks.

Heat the oil in a large deep pan and add the finely chopped onion, carrot and celery. Cook, stirring regularly, for ten minutes, until soft. Add the garlic and capers and cook for another minute. Add the Quorn mince and cook for another five minutes. Stir in the vegetarian haggis and the tomato purée and cook for another two minutes.

Pour the red wine into the pan along with the chopped tomatoes, vegetable stock and rosemary and then season. Cover the pan and gently simmer for twenty minutes.

Meanwhile pre-heat the oven to 200°c/Gas mark 6.

Put the potatoes into a pan of salted boiling water and cook for about fifteen minutes, until tender. Drain and mash with milk and half of the grated creamy cheddar.

You can either divide the mince mixture into individual pie dishes, or use larger dishes. (I was able to divide it between two dishes – one which I froze, and one I covered with the potato topping.) Spoon over the mash and then sprinkle with the remaining cheddar.

Bake for twenty-five minutes, until golden and bubbling. Serve with your choice of green vegetables.

The vegetarian haggis and mince layer was truly delicious. My husband Robert was particularly enthusiastic over this dish. I think it will become a go-to recipe for a comforting vegetarian pie.

I don’t know how easy it is to find vegetarian haggis in your locality, but in the winter months, I see MacSween Vegetarian Haggis in lots of supermarkets. This is the first time I have used it in a dish. I bought two, and we intend to use the other to serve alongside traditional neeps and tatties.

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