Though Burns Night has become synonymous with haggis as the main dish, those who aren't big fans of Scotland's national dish still have plenty of options.
In fact, there are a load of great mains for a Burns Supper menu that are just as tasty.
From delicious veggie and vegan options to meaty dishes that will satisfy even the fussiest of eaters, here are some alternative recipes for those who don't love haggis.
Steak Pie (Recipe by Carina Contini)
The ideal replacement for your main, you can keep the neeps and tatties as your sides too. This fun recipe serves four.
What you'll need:
- 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- 1 large onion, finely chopped
- 1kg best-quality stewing steak, diced
- 2 tbsp plain flour, plus extra for dusting
- 100ml Caledonian Brewery IPA or similar pale ale
- 300ml home-made beef stock or 2 tsp Bovril dissolved in 300ml boiling water
- 3 sprigs of thyme salt and freshly ground white pepper
- 500g ready-made all-butter puff pastry
- Full-fat milk for brushing egg wash made from 1 egg, beaten (optional)
How to make it:
1. Heat the oil in a pan over a medium heat. When it is hot, add the onion and fry gently until soft but not brown.
2. Meanwhile, lightly coat the diced steak with the flour. This will help to thicken the gravy in the pie. Increase the heat under the pan and add the meat.
3. Fry, stirring continuously so the meat doesn’t stick. Cook until the meat is browned all over. You may have to do this in batches.
4. Add the ale and cook to reduce, then add just enough stock to cover the meat without drowning it. Season with the thyme, salt and pepper.
5. Preheat the oven to 160ºC/325ºF/Gas 3, then add the meat to a casserole dish with a tight-fitting lid and bake in the preheated oven for about 2 hours.
6. Remove from the oven and check that the steak is tender. If it is not, cook for 30 minutes more. Add a little more water if the stew is looking dry.
7. Meanwhile, remove the pastry from the fridge so it can sit for 1 hour before use. Remove the casserole dish from the oven and leave to cool.
8. Increase the oven temperature to 200ºC/400ºF/Gas 6. Choose a 1kg deep pie dish with a rim.
9. Roll the pastry out on a floured surface until it is about 2.5cm bigger all round than the pie dish. Place the pie dish upside-down on top of the pastry and cut around the dish to make a dish-shaped piece of pastry. Fill the pie dish to the rim with stew. Do not over-fill it or the stew will leak out.
10. Dip a pastry brush in a little milk and use to wet the rim of the dish. Use the leftover pastry to make a strip and press it onto the wetted rim.
11. Brush the pastry strip with a little milk. Gently place the cut-out pastry on top of the stew and press its edge firmly with your thumb and fingers to the pastry strip.
12. Trim off any untidy bits of pastry. Use the flat edge of a knife to press the edges of the pastry strip and the pastry lid together. This will make a nice pattern and help to seal the pie. Then, with the edge of your knife, use a cutting action vertically around the edge of the pastry. This will help to make the pastry light and to rise. Score the top of the pastry and make one slit in the top to let the air escape.
13. Brush with milk or an egg wash and bake in the preheated oven for 10 minutes until the pastry is golden brown and has risen. Reduce the oven temperature to160ºC/325ºF/Gas 3 for 15–20 minutes until the filling is piping hot.
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Veggie Stovies (Recipe by Simon Howie)
What you'll need:
- 4 slices of Simon Howie Vegetarian Square Sausage, chopped
- 1 tablespoon vegetable oil (Or coconut oil)
- 2 medium white onions (Or 1 large onion, diced)
- 1 1/2 lbs potatoes (Washed and peeled)
- 500 ml vegetable stock
- Salt (if needed)
- Pepper (to taste)
How to make it:
1. Heat the vegetable oil in a large pan and add the chopped onion, cooking on a low heat until soft.
2. While the onions are cooking, peel and chop the potatoes. Check back on the onions occasionally until they brown.
3. Add the potatoes, followed by the vegetable stock. The stock should cover approximately three quarters of the potatoes, so add more if necessary!
4. Bring to the boil, then reduce the heat, cover with a lid and simmer. Meanwhile, roughly chop the sausage slices.
5. After around 15-20 minutes, add the chopped square sausage to the pot and continue to simmer for another 10-15 minutes (depending on how thick-cut the potatoes are) until they are cooked through. Test if ready by inserting a knife into the centre of a potato until it starts to go through. The stovies should be thick, with no liquid left in the pan. Give a good stir and season to taste.
6. Serve immediately, or if you like a bit of bite to your stovies, transfer to an oven-proof dish and grill at 200°C for 5 minutes to form a crispy layer on top.
Slow cooker beef stew with dumplings (Recipe by Love Food Hate Waste Scotland )
Another great meaty that's comforting, warming and perfect for sharing. This recipe from Love Food Hate Waste Scotland is ideal for leftovers too.
Stewing steak will work just as well as diced beef, just cut it yourself beforehand.
What you'll need:
- Pack of diced beef 600-900 grams
- 1 onion - diced
- 2 sticks of celery - diced
- 3 carrots - diced
- 1 tablespoon of oil
- Mushrooms, courgettes, or any other vegetable you have that needs using up in the
fridge - 1 stock cube (vegetable or beef)
- Worcestershire sauce or left over red wine (optional)
- Bouquet de garni or bay leaves
- Parsley or thyme (optional)
- Salt and pepper to taste
- 3 cloves of garlic, chopped
- 100g Atora suet (vegetable or beef)
- 50g self - raising flour
How to make it:
1. Heat your oil of choice in a large frying pan before lightly frying the garlic cloves
2. Take the diced beef and coat with a handful of flour in a separate bowl along with a
pinch of salt and pepper.
3. Once the meat is fully coated place in the frying pan with the garlic and fry on high for
a few minutes until the meat is brown.
4. Empty the meat into your slow cooker and reduce the heat.
5. Fry off your onions and chopped vegetables of choice for 5 minutes before again adding to the slow cooker.
6. Mix the stock cube in 600ml of warm water.
7. Add red wine or some of your stock and turn up the heat for a few minutes to clean, or ‘deglaze’, your pan.
8. Tip the contents into the slow cooker. Add the rest of your stock, red wine, a glug of Worcestershire sauce, or herbs like bay leaves of bouquet de garni that you might have in the cupboard.
9. Put the slow cooker on high for 5 hours or low for 8.
10. To make the dumplings mix 100 grams of suet with 50 grams of self-raising flour and
roughly 5 tablespoons of water. You can add salt, parsley or thyme at this stage depending on your preference.
11. Knead the dough with your hands until it is firm but pliable and shape into 8 balls of
dough.
12. Half an hour before you plan to eat your stew
pop your dumpling balls on top and let
them brown.
13. Serve the stew hot, we love it with neeps and tatties.
