Anna Haugh, originally from Tallaght, Co Dublin, is the owner-operator of the restaurant Myrtle, situated in Chelsea, London. She launched it in the year 2019, naming it in memory of the late Myrtle Allen, one of Ballymaloe House’s founding members. Aside from her role as a restaurant owner, Haugh is known for her work as a television presenter and show host. She recently released her debut cookbook.
Haugh admits that her love for culinary arts was ignited by her mother, with whom she spent hours hand in hand in their home kitchen, cooking since her early childhood. “It’s in my nature to cook and share my cooking,” Haugh reveals. Her most recent book comprises an array of simple yet enticing recipes, aimed at inspiring home cooks and boosting their culinary confidence. It includes a section featuring quick 20-minute meals, appealing to those home cooks with a packed schedule, as well as a chapter dedicated to weekend cooking ventures that require a more significant time commitment.
Her cookbook, ‘Cooking with Anna: Modern Home Cooking with Irish Heart,’ published by Bloomsbury, showcases the photographic talent of Laura Edwards.
Amongst the many recipes featured in the cookbook, the baked bean can soda bread holds a special place. Haugh recalls fond memories of her childhood, where her Aunt Sadie would bake fresh soda bread every week. Unlike what you’d expect, Aunt Sadie relied on her hands as a measuring scale instead of using the traditional weighing scales. Haugh also remembers the scent of freshly baked goods that wafted through Granny Donnelly’s kitchen every Sunday. With anticipation, young Anna would gaze at the biscuit tin on the shelf, eagerly awaiting the moment Granny would share the lovely baked goodies she’d prepared.
The recipe of traditional Irish soda bread consisted of basic ingredients: buttermilk, salt, flour and bicarbonate of soda, best devoured freshly baked. But, in her cookbook, Haugh has rejuvenated this recipe by adding butter, sugar and egg for a softer crumb, enabling it to stay fresh for up to three days, thus reducing waste. The bread can stay fresh for an even longer period if stored in the refrigerator. It is delicious toasted; however, chilling it is not recommended for sandwich preparations, as it makes the bread tough.
A genius use for your empty baked bean tins is to clean them thoroughly and use them to prepare the following recipe. Alternatively, if you have no tins, a 500g bread mould can be used. Here’s the list of the ingredients you need:
– 30g of butter (salted), plus additional for the tins or mould
– 300g of roughly ground wholemeal flour, plus extra for the tins or mould
– ½ teaspoon of bicarbonate of soda
– 1 teaspoon of baking powder
– 25g of brown demerara sugar
– 1 teaspoon of finely ground sea salt
– 1 egg, lightly whisked
– 700g of buttermilk
You should preheat your oven to a 200C fan setting and grease and flour two empty baked bean tins or a 500g bread mould. Make sure to thoroughly preheat the oven and have your moulds prepared before you start with the recipe. As soon as the dough is prepared, it should be cooked without delay.
Begin by melting 30g of butter and set it aside to allow it to cool a bit. Mix all the dry ingredients in a large bowl ensuring they spread evenly, then make a hole in the middle where you pour the melted butter, the egg, and the buttermilk. Stir it quickly with a spoon until it’s well mixed. The dough should be moist and drop easily from the spoon.
Ensure to swiftly divide the dough among the prepared tins or mould and put it in the oven for 10 minutes. Then, reduce the oven’s temperature to 160C and let it cook for an extra 35 minutes.
Once the bread is cooked, remove it from the tins or mould and let it cool. If you wrap it in cling film once it’s cool, it can stay fresh for more extended periods. This bread tastes great when served with butter and also goes excellently with smoked salmon.
The recipe below is a delicious Pea and Cheddar burger I came up with for a vegetarian guest when all I had in my pantry was a packet of frozen peas and some cheese. It seemed like an unlikely meal, but ended up being a tasty burger. Believe me, these are absolutely scrumptious – the seed texture, the horseradish’s fiery edge and the peas’ sweetness complement each other perfectly. The ingredients include:
– 150g canned butter beans (after draining)
– 200g frozen peas, thawed
– 1 egg.
Required Ingredients:
– Poppy seeds (1 tbsp)
– Sunflower seeds (1 tbsp)
– Self-raising flour (2 heaped tbsp)
– Grated mature Cheddar cheese (60g)
– Vegetable oil
– Ground sea salt and black pepper to taste
– Bread rolls for serving, along with horseradish sauce, tomato slices, and lettuce leaves
– Begin by dumping the drained butter beans in a large bowl and mash using a rolling pin. Add the thawed peas and repeat the process. Season the mixture accordingly.
– Break an egg into this mixture, whilst incorporating the poppy and sunflower seeds. Mix thoroughly.
– Mix in the flour, then season with salt and black pepper. Add in the cheese and give it a final stir.
– Put some vegetable oil in a frying pan to heat. Then spoon a large dollop of the bean mixture into the heated pan using a tablespoon. This recipe should yield about four to six patties, depending on their size.
– Prepare your bread rolls while the patties are cooking. Slice the bread rolls in half and smear a generous amount of horseradish sauce. Stack with sliced tomato and lettuce.
– Keep a watchful eye on the patties, flipping them until both sides attain a golden-brown colour. Utilise a spatula to directly place the patty from the pan to the bun, and serve.
Now, onto a wonderfully uncomplicated Chicken fricassee with pesto and semi-dried tomatoes. Although this might sound like a gourmet dish, it’s actually quite straightforward and packed with flavours. It is best enjoyed when accompanied by plain boiled baby potatoes, which compliments the acidic tomato sauce perfectly. The sauce boasts a rich blend of flavours, so the potatoes add some simplicity to the dish. Should you desire an alternative for the semi-dried tomatoes, Kalamata olives would do the trick.
For the pesto, you’ll require:
– Pine nuts (1 tbsp)
– A bunch of Basil
– 1 crushed or finely grated garlic clove
– 1 lemon.
The list below explains how to prepare a delightful chicken fricassee with pesto:
Ingredients:
– For the Pesto:
– 2½ tablespoons/40g of pure olive oil
– 4 teaspoons/20g of cooking oil, preferably vegetable oil
– A dab of sea salt
– Either premium Cheddar or 40g of Parmesan, grated finely
– For the Chicken:
– 2 tablespoons/20g of vegetable oil
– 300g of boneless chicken thighs, with skin
– 1 shallot, thinly sliced
– 1 garlic clove, finely minced
– 100g of chicken broth
– 100g of white wine
– 40g of butter, salted
– 50g of half-dried (semi-dried) tomatoes, noticeably vibrant in colour
Here’s the method to follow:
Prepare the pesto by putting the basil, garlic, and pine nuts in a blender or food processor. Add in lemon zest and pulse to maintain a chunky texture. Gradually add the two varieties of oil and a touch of salt. Lastly, fold in the Parmesan or Cheddar cheese. Test the flavour; more lemon may be added if needed.
For the chicken, heat oil in a pan on medium-high heat with a little sprinkle of salt. Begin by placing the chicken, skin side down, on the pan until it browns and caramelises. Stir in the finely sliced garlic and shallot until they soften. Pour the wine in, allowing it almost to evaporate. Add the chicken stock and bring it to a boil, stirring constantly. Finish by stirring in the butter and semi-dried tomatoes. Give it a taste; an added pinch of salt may be needed for flavour improvement.
Your fricassee is now ready to be served along with the specially prepared pesto. Enjoy your meal!