Anna Haugh’s favourite Irish ingredients

Ireland’s strong farming roots have continued to make the country a destination for food. From butter and beef to oats and flour, Anna Haugh talks us through the Irish ingredients she can’t be without

Growing up in Ireland, food played a central role in the Haugh household. Her mum was a keen cook who focussed on buying ingredients of the highest quality and her dad was always keen to try different dishes. Given her parents’ passion for food, it’s unsurprising Haugh grew up to become a top chef.

In the TV series Anna Haugh’s Big Irish Food Tour, which you can watch on BBC Two, weeknights from 5 May, or catch up on BBC iPlayer, Haugh travels across both the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland, meeting food producers, celebrities and chefs along the way. Filming the programme was a dream come true for Haugh, reminding her why her heritage is integral to her love of cooking.

The programme is a celebration of Irish food, so we asked Haugh to talk us through her favourite Irish ingredients…

Black pudding

“Black pudding isn’t regarded as a top tier ingredient in the UK, but when I was a kid we would have it every weekend. I was such a fan that when it was served up for breakfast, I’d barter with my sister to get hers – I’d swap my rashers, egg, or mushrooms for it.

“Now, we live in a time when we're trying to be sustainable. One of the huge by-products of having a steak is the blood of the animal and that can go into making black pudding.

“You can create delicious and beautiful black puddings, but some people are nervous to use it.

“What I would say is we use chorizo in the UK in a way that we're very comfortable with – we’ll put it on a pizza, in pasta and even in a sandwich. So, if you don't know what to do with black pudding, think of it like chorizo, because you can use it in the same way.

“There are many varieties too. Breakfast black pudding is usually quite firm. Then you have artisan black puddings and they tend to be more spreadable. You could have it on toast, it’s delicious.”

Irish butter

“When it comes to the most useful, vital ingredient in both my home kitchen and in my professional kitchen, it’s Irish butter.

“Growing up, even if my mother was on a diet or a regime, we only ever had real butter. And when I’m in the supermarket while I can choose between a homogenized margarine or a real butter from anywhere, I’ll go for the butter. And if I can choose where it’s from, I will always opt for Irish.

“There’s a cross-over because in Ireland there’s a high quality of beef farming and the same applies to dairy cows. They have good, healthy diets and you know they’re taken care of.

“I think it's one of those ingredients we take for granted. Because Ireland has such beautiful pastures for our animals and so we have high-quality dairy, it’s easy to forget what’s right under our nose. I love the colour of the butter and I love the salt content. Everything in life is about balance. So, I don't use copious amounts of it in my food, but I notice the small amounts I put in.”

Porridge oats

“Scotland and Ireland have the climate that allows porridge oats to grow really well. So, when you're looking for very high-quality porridge oats, you'll usually find them in the two countries. Traditionally called jumbo oats, you wouldn’t necessarily make porridge from them. You’d use them in granola and flap jacks.

“You could even use them like breadcrumbs to create a beautiful crust to go on vegetables or fish. It's just an interesting ingredient that can make your food more textured and interesting. They allow you to steer away from always leaning on wheat and flour.”

Beef

“I feel like I'm biased because I'm Irish, but when I’m having a steak, the first thing I look for is if it’s Irish, if so, that’s the one I’ll choose. Beef is a big thing in Ireland. And with all meat, I’m looking for farmers that take care of their animals and love their job.

“When people love their job, magic is created. A farmer that comes from a history of farming, where generation after generation passes on their knowledge, usually results in wonderful meat. Nuances are passed on, but it’s enhanced as modern technology and information develops.

“Ireland has just kicked into another gear when it comes to beef farming. They nurture the cows and when you look at the reasons why the marbling is good it comes down to what is in the grass and soil. The cows have this delicious nutritional diet, and you can taste that in the meat.”

Irish flour

“I‘m talking about the coarse, brown wholemeal flour you get in Ireland. It creates a far superior bread for me.

“I think anybody who's making brown scones, or you're doing a brown soda bread or wheaten bread, that's the flour that will make your bakes brilliant. It's just really good. I think it’s how the flour absorbs your buttermilk or liquid that results in the bread being so much nicer.”

Irish stout

“Irish stout is a fantastic ingredient for cooking, you can get both alcoholic and non-alcoholic versions and when you heat it up and reduce it, you create a delicious glaze for dishes – similar in a way to barbecue glazes.

“It’s also amazing in desserts – especially when paired with white chocolate because while the chocolate is sweet, it doesn’t have much depth of flavour, but the stout gives it that.

“There’s also stout chocolate cake which is great. When you eat it, you won’t think it tastes like the stout, it just adds to it. A big part of cooking is about adding those underlying flavours that support the main flavour, it’s those little tips and tricks that makes something special – that’s what happens when you use Irish stout.”

Irish charcuterie

“This is something that I learnt about during the filming of the series. I visited a charcuterie company and it was a game changer. I don’t know why it was a surprise because Ireland has a big history of pig farming.”

“They produced such beautiful meat, the kind that when you have it on a Friday night with wine that it’s delicious, it changes flavour as it comes up to room temperature, it’s incredible.

“Again, it’s about understanding the importance of where our meat comes from. When you travel on a train and look out of the window you will see lambs, deer and cows in fields. What you don't see are chickens and pigs. They’re mass produced and I think if we try to eat the best for us it usually means getting the best for the animal as well.

Originally published December 2024

Watch Anna Haugh’s Big Irish Food Tour on BBC Two, weeknights from 5 May, or catch up on BBC iPlayer from January 6, 2025.

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