Colcannon (in Irish pronounced “cál ceannann”, meaning “white-headed cabbage”) is a traditional, popular Irish dish mainly consisting of mashed potatoes with kale or cabbage, milk (or cream), butter, salt and pepper added. Colcannon it’s a quick, easy and simple to make recipe and it can contain other ingredients such as scallions, leeks, onions and chives, but the original recipe does not include them. There are many regional variations of this dish: usually it is eaten with boiled ham or Irish bacon. In the past it was a cheap, year-round staple food, though nowadays it is usually eaten in autumn/winter, when kale comes into season. An old Irish Halloween tradition is to serve colcannon with a ring and a thimble hidden in the fluffy green-flecked dish. Prizes of small coins such as threepenny or sixpenny bits were also concealed in it. Colcannon is a St Patrick’s Day and Halloween favorite.
INGREDIENTS
675g /1lb 6oz floury potatoes, peeled and quartered 110g 4 oz curly kale, chopped (or Spring cabbage if kale not available)) 225g / 1/2 cup spring onions, roughly chopped 110g / 1/4 cup spring onions, finely chopped 110g / 4 oz butter
Salt and pepper, to taste
DIRECTIONS
Simmer the potatoes in lightly salted water until cooked – when pierced with a sharp knife the potato is soft in the middle. Blanch the curly kale in boiling water for one minute. Drain and reserve. Chop half of the spring onions roughly and the other half finely. Add the roughly chopped scallions/spring onions to the drained kale and pulse in a blender for 10 seconds.
Drain the potatoes and add the butter. When the butter has melted, mash the potatoes until smooth and creamy. Add the kale mixture and mix. Finally, add the finely chopped scallions/spring onions, season to taste and serve the colcannon.