#14 - Haggis parcels

These were made with the last of the leftovers from the Burns' Supper.

Take 2 sheets of filo pastry and cut in half. Lay each of the four squares on top of each other, each at a slight angle to the rest so you end up with a kind of star shape. Then place a little haggis, neeps and tatties on to the bottom of the pastry (don't put in too much or your parcel won't close!). Using beaten egg, brush a little round the edges of each sheet of pastry and then bring together at the top. Then brush the outside of the parcels with the egg wash and put on a baking sheet lined with some greaseproof paper.

Bake at 140°C for 25 minutes, then at 180°C for 15 minutes until the pastry is brown and crispy.

To serve, make a whisky sauce. Start with a basic white sauce base with equal amounts of butter and flour. Melt the butter over a medium heat then stir in the flour. Leave to cook for 1 minute, then add milk little by little, bringing to the boil and stirring until the milk is incorporated into the flour and butter mixture each time milk is added. Continue until you have a thin sauce which coats the back of a spoon. Then add some whisky and cream, salt and pepper to taste.

#13 - Cranachan

Another Burns' Supper recipe was the traditional Scottish dessert of Cranachan. It's essentially whipped cream mixed with raspberries, whisky, honey and toasted oats, and is absolutely delicious!

Lightly toast 75-100g of porridge oats in a hot non-stick frying pan (keep them moving so they don't burn and remove from the heat when golden brown). Meanwhile whip around 1 pint of cream until it's at the "soft peak" stage (don't overwhip it) then mix in about 1lb of Scottish raspberries. Add the toasted oats and some whisky and honey to taste (I use 2-3 tablespoons of whisky and 1-2 tablespoons of honey) and mix well. Spoon into a large dish, or into several smaller dishes, and put in the fridge to set.

Really easy to make, and really delicious!

#12 - Smoked Salmon Parcels

This was made for the starter of our Burns' Supper this weekend. While salmon mousse is delicious, it has a tendency to be associated with 1980's style dinner parties. However, this version brings salmon mousse right up to date and makes a nice starter for a special meal.

Line 6 ramekins with smoked salmon. Make sure the bottom of the ramekin and the sides are well covered and leave some smoked salmon strips hanging over the side of the dish.

Mix 8oz (225g) salmon with 3 tablespoons of mayonnaise. Whip ¼ pint of cream and fold into the salmon mixture. Dissolve 4 teaspoons of gelatine in 3 tablespoons of hot water and stir into the salmon mixture along with 1 tablespoon of lemon juice. Mix well.

Spoon the salmon mousse mixture into the ramekins and ensure the mousse is level (the easiest way to do this is to gently tap the ramekins on a chopping board to "settle" the mousse in the dishes). Carefully fold the smoked salmon strips over-hanging the ramekin over the mousse to seal into a parcel. Put the ramekins in the fridge for 2-4 hours - or as long as possible before serving.

To serve, run a knife round the edge of the ramekin and turn the parcel out on to a plate. Top with a king prawn and serve with a green salad and fresh brown bread.