I made traditional Cullen skink and neeps and tatties for Burns Night

The first time I came across Burns Night was just over ten years ago, when a newly appointed teacher from Oxford tried to drum up support for its celebration at school.

I must admit, she didn't get very far. Now, it's just a part of everyday life on the fringes.

To mark the occasion, I sought advice from the Scottish members of our team to understand what people typically eat on Burns Night.

Although I initially suggested Rumbledethumps - a dish no one had heard of, despite its mention in Good Food magazine - I eventually opted for a traditional Scottish meal of Cullen skink and Neeps and Tatties, thanks to the guidance of our resident Scots. Cheers, team, reports the Express.

None of the dishes were unfamiliar, but it's always intriguing to explore another country's cuisine, especially when you wouldn't find it on a menu within 50 miles of London.

The neeps and tatties are self-explanatory; potatoes and swede mashed together with a few dollops of butter, the perfect comfort food for a winter's day.

As for Cullen skink, I'd only ever heard the name, not its reputation. However, I was reassured that it was a popular choice for Burns Night. I must say, I was pleasantly surprised.

It's not too different from a chowder; smoky, warm and comforting. It's incredibly straightforward.

My Scottish feast was down-to-earth, hearty and surprisingly easy to prepare, making it ideal for anyone new to Scottish cuisine, like myself.

All the Burns Night recipes are courtesy of the culinary experts at BBC Good Food, and can be found below.

I reduced the size of the neeps and tatties to make the portion slightly more manageable.

Neeps and Tatties

Ingredients

• 8 large baking potatoes (washed, peel left on and cut into 2cm x 4cm chunks)
• 6 tbsp light olive oil or sunflower
• 1 swede (weighing about 675g, peeled and roughly chopped)
• 50g butter, plus extra for serving

The day before you plan to serve, preheat the oven to fan oven 200C/conventional 220C/gas 7. Place the potatoes in a pan of lightly salted water, bring back to the boil and cook for five minutes.

Drain the potatoes, return them to the pan and put it back on the heat for a couple of minutes to dry out.

In the meantime, pour the oil into a large roasting tin (you may need two) and heat it in the oven until it's smoking hot. Now mix the potatoes into the hot oil and return to the oven to roast, turning occasionally, for 55 minutes.

Boil the swede in salted water for 50-55 minutes, or until very soft. Drain and add to the roasted potatoes.

Roughly mash everything together, keeping it quite chunky, then cool, cover and store in a cool place.

To serve, preheat the oven to fan 180C/conventional 200C/gas 6. Uncover the potatoes and swede, dot with the butter and put in the oven to reheat for 25 to 30 minutes, stirring occasionally until piping hot.

Serve with plenty of butter.

Cullen Skink

Ingredients

• 1 tbsp unsalted butter
• 1 medium onion
• 400g medium potatoes, peeled and cut into 1cm cubes
• 250g smoked haddock
• 250ml whole milk
• ½ small bunch of parsley or chives, finely chopped

Melt the butter in a saucepan over a medium heat, then add the onion and fry for five to eight minutes until translucent but not browned. Add the potatoes and 300ml water and bring to the boil.

Reduce the heat slightly and simmer for ten to 15 minutes.

Meanwhile, place the haddock in another pan and cover with the milk. Cook gently for five minutes, or until just tender.

Using a slotted spoon, take the haddock out of the milk (keeping the milk aside), move it to a plate and let it cool down a bit. Once it's cool enough to handle, flake it into large chunks, making sure to remove any bones.

Add the saved milk and flaked haddock to the pan with the potato mixture and cook for an additional five minutes. Season to taste and garnish with parsley before serving.