I love using Irish ingredients in my cooking, and when I am back in Ireland I am always on the hunt for new interesting products.
I first tasted Cáis na Tire cheese in Sheridans cheesemongers in Dublin. Its nutty, earthy, complex sweetness stood out. At Myrtle restaurant we use two ages of Cáis na Tire, one for the carrot salad and one to use in cooking, instead of Parmesan.
Salads have moved on from unseasoned iceberg and tomato salad and really can be a main event, not just a side dish, as this dish shows. This is something I would eat at home. I love this salad; the hazelnuts bring all the flavours together.
The carrot puree goes wonderfully with lamb or even roast cod, so if you make a larger amount you can freeze it for another day. You can also play around with different vegetables and adapt to your liking.
Anna Haugh is chef-owner at Myrtle Restaurant in London
CARROT AND CÁIS NA TIRE SALAD
Serves four
Ingredients
400g raw carrot, mixed colours if possible
200g raisins
200g crushed hazelnuts
160g Cáis na Tire cheese (or a nice pecorino works too)
For the puree
300g carrots, scrubbed and chopped
50g butter
150ml water
1 star anise
1tsp sugar
A good pinch of salt
For the dressing
30ml vinegar
70ml olive oil
Pinch of sugar
Pinch of salt
Method
1 To make the puree, boil the carrots until soft and blitz them in a blender. Taste
for extra salt.
2 Peel you carrots into ribbons, or grate them if you prefer.
3 Make the dressing by mixing the ingredients together. Dress the carrot and rasins in dressing and set them aside.
4 Soon two or three generous spoonfuls of purée onto plates.
5 Arrange the carrot and raisins on top. Sprinkle with hazelnut and shavings of cheese. If your carrots have green carrot tops sprinkle some of them in there too.
Kitchen Cabinet is a series of recipes from chefs who are members of Euro-Toques Ireland, who have come together during the coronavirus outbreak to share some of the easy, tasty things that they like to cook and eat at home #ChefsAtHome
