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Seasonal Food

Most everyone thinks of haggis as a Scottish invention, but it’s not necessarily the case. National treasure Clarissa Dickson Wright repudiates the idea and reckons that it most likely arrived with the Vikings – and she should know, having written a book on the subject.

Wherever it came from, haggis is a remarkably thrifty way of making the sheep’s pluck – the liver, heart and lungs – edible. The meat is minced with oatmeal and suet for bulk and onions, herbs and spices for flavour. Rather like a sausage, traditionally the whole lot was stuffed, then cooked in the sheep’s stomach. Nowadays skins from part of the intestine are used.

The interior of a good haggis should be moist and firm rather than dry and crumbly and can be fine- or coarse-textured. Although on Burns Night you should go the traditional route with ‘neeps and tatties’ and a dram or two, it’s also good as a rich stuffing or as part of a mixed grill similar to a black pudding.

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How to cook Haggis
Champit Tatties
Fillet of Venison with Bashed Neeps

Mackerel is a stunning-looking fish. With its blue-black-green tiger stripes and shimmering silver belly, it’s hard to see why it’s still so criminally underrated. A prolific and northern member of the tuna family, mackerel is in season all year round, although it’s best in winter when not spawning.

The most important point to remember when buying mackerel – as with any fish – is freshness, it doesn’t last long on the fishmonger’s slab even if it’s well bled and well iced. Mackerel tastes best when fresh out of the sea. If you’ve ever been lucky enough to go mackerel fishing, you’ll know what I mean. Nothing beats a just-caught fish grilled on a beach over a driftwood fire.

You can tell at once just how fresh it is by the tautness of its flesh, the pertness of its eye and the lustre of its flesh. Once it’s more than a couple of days old, the eyes start to sink, the skin becomes slimy and lacklustre and the flesh sours.

Mackerel makes for a surprisingly robust, meaty mouthful. Its oily flesh is rich in Vitamin A so serve it with a sharply flavoured accompaniment – poached gooseberries or a cream of horseradish sauce - to cut the oiliness.

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Mackerel Rolls with Watercress Ketchup
Butterflied Mackerel with Smoked Paprika & Garlic
Mackerel with Mushrooms, Lemon & Parsley

Although farmed all year round, watercress is at its peak in winter. Its peppery flavour is far more pronounced in the cold months, no doubt due to the fact the water in which it grows is far colder.  In the summer, if it’s too hot, it can turn to seed and taste a little bitter.

You’ll often find watercress growing wild in streams and rivers throughout Britain but take care, you shouldn’t pick it unless you know the water runs clear, clean and fast. Otherwise there’s a danger of catching liver fluke or some such infection. The majority of watercress farms are in the south of England; Alresford near Winchester with its chalk streams is considered the watercress capital of Britain. Watercress beds can also be a twitcher’s paradise where you may see kingfishers, snipe, and meadow pipits.

When buying it, look for dark green, generously-sized leaves – avoid it like the plague if there’s even a hint of yellowing. And don’t forget the stalk has as much flavour as the leaf, so don’t be too ruthless when trimming and use it up in soups, stews or stocks. Wilt watercress down to make a sauce with crème frâiche, chop it finely to make a flavoured butter or eat it raw and lightly dressed with an extra-virgin olive oil and a squeeze of lemon juice. And remember, it’s a great source of vitamin A, B, C and iron. 

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Mackerel Rolls with Watercress Ketchup
Watercress Butter