Crappit Heid and Ceann Cropaig; Krappit Muggie and Krappin

Some years ago, Lewis-born Rhoda MacLeod told me all about Crappit Heid, which she knew by the Gaelic name, Ceann Cropaig. (E Marian McNeill called it ‘piscatorial haggis’.)

In her soft Hebridean lilt she explained that first you need a very fresh fish. You must clean the liver thoroughly, then mash it with the oatmeal, using your hands, before stuffing into the head and boiling. She also used to steam the liver mixture in a bowl and discard the head. Rhoda made ‘Marag iasg’ (fish pudding) from the mashed-up liver (no oatmeal) too, and packed this into the cleaned fish gullet and boiled it, rather like a black or white pudding.