National Vegetarian Week is fast approaching (Monday 19th-25th May 2008) and what better way to mark the occasion than by trying some innovative new recipes using Macsween’s award winning vegetarian Haggis.



Think of Haggis and it is easy to conjure up images of misty glens, the smell of peat fires and the taste of pure malt whiskey. One family that know a great deal about this finest of Scottish delicacies are the Macsween family of Edinburgh. They have been lovingly crafting this culinary gem for three generations using their unique recipe. No wonder they are the world’s leading producer, operating from the first purpose built Haggis factory that opened in the 1990s.



First produced in 1984, the vegetarian haggis is an enticing combination of kidney beans, lentils, peanuts, walnuts, almonds, carrots, turnip and mushrooms; together with the traditional ingredients of oatmeal, onions and a special blend of spices and seasoning. These are all cooked together and filled into a plastic casing to complete the unique vegetarian version of Scotland’s national dish.



This distinctive taste sensation has a subtle, nutty texture and is much loved by vegetarians and meat eaters alike. The product has gained numerous accolades including a Gold Medal at the Great Taste Awards in 2005 and Category Winner of the Food from Scotland Grocery Award



Director Jo Macsween said “Our vegetarian version of this iconic dish has proved extremely popular since we created it over twenty years ago and we have been commissioning delicious new recipes using this magic ingredient ever since. Our latest tasty offerings include Haggis spring rolls in Filo pastry, tartlets with a chunky tomato sauce, Haggis and Portobello mushrooms and vegetarian Haggis Pakora. We hope people have as much fun cooking and sampling these delicacies as we did when we created them in our kitchen”.