Tatties and Neeps

Joined
Mar 20, 2010
Location
Ohio
Tatties and neeps, or the Scottish way of saying potatoes and turnips, is a classic side dish eaten with haggis on Robbie Burns Night (January 25th). It's very basic, and very simple and apparently was something that was eaten frequently by poor crofters up in the Scottish Highlands.

Tatties and Neeps
serves 4

1 lb potatoes
1 tablespoon chopped chives
1 lb. neeps (depends where you come from whether you call them turnips or swedes)
1 heated tablespoon of butter or dripping
salt and pepper to taste

tatties and neeps.jpg
Peel the potatoes and cut into chunks. Place in a pan of lightly salted water and bring to the boil. Cook for 15 minutes or so until tender. Drain well.

Peel the swede and cut into small chunks. Place in a pan of lightly salted water and bring to the boil. Cook for 15 to 20 minutes until quite tender. Drain well.

(Cook the two things at the same time so that they are hot at the same time, starting the swede a bit before the potatoes)

Place the cooked potato and the swede into the same pan and mash them very well together, adding salt, pepper and butter. Stir in the chopped chives. Serve hot.
 
Haggis is not so yummy! I intended to post the recipe for haggis but didn't want anyone to lose their breakfast. But, since you asked ... :dance:

You can't offend an elderly Native stomach, but you can a young one! Why, they won't even eat eepaws and acorns. :cry: The neeps and tatties sounds really good. I've done it with parsnips and potatoes - the parsnips are sweeter than turnips.
 
Robert Burns was from Alloway, as were some of my Scottish ancestors. For a number of generations one daughter was given the name Alloway to remember the homeland. My favorite Aunt is the last of them and sadly she is in her very last hours. I do hope the tradition continues with her great grandchildren.
 
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