Burns Night is on Wednesday and many readers will be planning to celebrate with a tasty Burns supper.
The 5pm Dining blog would never say no to haggis, neeps and tatties. Especially when accompanied by a tiny tot or two of whisky.
However, we can also appreciate any attempt to modernise the menu.
Over the next three days, we’re going to give you three innovative recipes for a complete Burns supper menu.
Top Scottish chefs
They are all from top Scottish chefs with restaurants on 5pm Dining.
Today, we have a silky creamed carrot and parsnip soup from Carina Contini.
Along with husband Victor, Carina runs Contini Ristorante, The Scottish Cafe and Restaurant and Contini Cannonball.
Tomorrow, we’ll post a lamb recipe from Jak O’Donnell, TV chef and the driving force at The Sisters restaurants.
Clootie samosas
Finally, on Burns Night, we have a recipe for a clootie samosa from Tony Singh, a regular face on the telly and the man responsible for the menus at Glasgow’s Tasty and Apex Grassmarket.
They are easy to do although Tony’s clootie samosas will need some prep.
For more great Burns Supper recipes, details of events and celebrations taking place across Scotland, and other Burns-related fun including facts, games and videos, visit www.scotland.org/burns
Creamed Carrot and Parsnip Soup by Carina Contini
Serves 4
Brought up in a Scots-Italian family on the outskirts of Edinburgh, Carina Contini is extremely passionate about food. Carina was the first female chef to be appointed to the Slow Food Chef Alliance and is a Land of Food and Drink ambassador chef for industry leadership organisation Scotland Food & Drink.
Ingredients
100g unsalted butter
2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
400g onions, coarsely chopped
600g carrots, coarsely chopped
400g parsnips, coarsely chopped
Salt
1 litre homemade stock or 1 litre boiling water
Freshly ground black pepper, to serve
Method
You can cook this soup on the hob or in the oven. If cooking it in the oven, preheat your oven to 200°C/400°F/Gas 6.
Melt the butter and the oil in a large casserole dish over a low heat. Add the onions and sweat slowly until they are soft and look as if they can’t absorb any more butter. Don’t let them caramelise or brown.
Add the carrots and parsnips, season with a good teaspoonful of salt, then add the stock or water.
Either simmer for 45 minutes with the casserole dish half-covered with a lid or cover completely, transfer to the preheated oven and bake for 40 minutes.
When the vegetables are tender, transfer the soup to a blender or food processor and blend until smooth.
Add salt to taste, if necessary, and sprinkle with freshly ground black pepper.
Look in tomorrow for more Burns Night recipes.