Great Chieftain O' the Puddin Race

A  veggie haggis for your Burns Supper on 25 January. Serve with plenty of whisky. Clapshot and Clootie dumpling optional.

I've used this recipe for years (no idea where I found it originally) and have made it successfully by omitting the nuts. If you have them, crushed pretzels make a good substitute for nuts in savoury recipes, but if not you can simply leave the nuts out. If you have leftovers, it ain't half bad sliced and fried in butter (or a substitute) the next day. I'm told it can be battered and deep fried, but I haven't personally tried that (nor do I intend to).

I've had something viral coming in for a few days now, and it finally hit this morning. I suspect I will be sitting out most of the festivities tomorrow (or staying in bed to drink whisky for the er...medicinal value) but this recipe is so easy even Danny can make it. Strangely, the only thing I've felt like eating are Good & Plenty liqourice which are similar to the oblong shaped pieces in Allsorts. Danny insists they look like pill capsules...so perhaps they are therapeutic😀. Before I leap into the recipe, I thought I would run some potential new blog titles past you. After nearly 15 years at this I am looking for a change. Here's what I've come up with thus far:

Abnormal Sensations
Violating Plague Laws Brings a Stiff Penalty
A Goth in Each Hand
Bad Relationship With Stairs
I've Had Better Coffee At Jiffy Lube
Stupid Methusila
Pube Mange
Diplomat From Interzone

Yeah, it probably is the fever speaking. Anyhoo, I'm off to try and find a position to sleep in that isn't excruciating. Wishing you a very Happy Burns Night for tomorrow.

You Will Need:
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 medium onion, finely chopped
1 small carrot, finely chopped
5 fresh mushrooms finely chopped
1 cup veggie broth
1/3 cup dry red lentils
2 tablespoons tinned kidney beans-mashed
3 tablespoons ground peanuts (can be omitted with no harm done)
2 tablespoons ground hazelnuts (omit if you like)
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 1.2 teaspoons dried thyme
1 teaspoon dried rosemary
pinch cayenne pepper
1 1/2 teaspoons mixed spice
1 large egg, beaten
1 1/3 cup steel cut oats
1 tablespoon black pepper

Heat the oil in a large saucepan over medium heat and saute the onion 5 minutes. Mix in carrot and mushrooms and cook another 5 minutes. Stir in broth, lentils, kidney beans, peanuts, hazelnuts, soy sauce and lemon juice. Season with spices. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to low and simmer 10 minutes. Stir in oats. cover and simmer 20 minutes.

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 C) Grease a 5x9 in. baking dish. Stir the egg into the saucepan. Pack mixture into prepared pan and bake 30 minutes until firm.