Colcannon Potato Food

COLCANNON

Steps:

• Tip the potatoes into a large saucepan of water. Bring to the boil, then simmer for 15-20 mins, or until the flesh is tender when pierced.
• Meanwhile, heat quarter of the butter in a saucepan, then fry the bacon and half the cabbage for 5 mins (see Kevin's tip, below, for how to use remaining cabbage). Turn off the heat and set aside. Drain potatoes in a colander and peel while still hot.
• Mash potato until smooth. Heat cream with remaining butter and, when almost boiling, beat into the potato. Add bacon and cabbage to potato and mix. Season if you want.

COLCANNON MASHED POTATOES

Steps:

• Place the potatoes and 2 tablespoons salt in a large pot. Add enough water to cover the potatoes by at least 1 inch and bring to a boil over high heat, then reduce to a simmer until the potatoes are cooked through and fork tender, 20 to 30 minutes.
• Meanwhile, heat the half-and-half, butter, garlic, 1 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon black pepper in a small saucepan over medium heat. Bring to a simmer, then turn off then heat and set aside.
• Drain the potatoes and pass through a ricer into a large bowl. Remove the garlic from the half-and-half mixture. Stir the half-and-half mixture, cabbage, three-quarters of the green onions and salt and pepper to taste into the potatoes until combined. Top with the remaining green onions and extra pepper.

COLCANNON

Steps:

• In a large saucepan, boil cabbage until tender; remove and chop or blend well. Set aside and keep warm. Boil potatoes until tender. Remove from heat and drain.
• Chop leeks, green parts as well as white, and simmer them in just enough milk to cover, until they are soft.
• Season and mash potatoes well. Stir in cooked leeks and milk. Blend in the kale or cabbage and heat until the whole is a pale green fluff. Make a well in the center and pour in the melted butter. Mix well.

CLASSIC COLCANNON

Steps:

• Cook potatoes in boiling water till tender; drain, reserving water.
• Place in a large bowl.
• Mash with hand masher till well-mashed.
• (I find the electric mixer makes it too gooey).
• Add milk, salt and pepper and beat till fluffy.
• In the same saucepan as potatoes were cooked in, cook cabbage in reserved potato water for 6 to 8 minutes, until tender.
• Drain.
• Meanwhile, melt 2 tablespoons butter in frying pan and saute onion until tender.
• Add mashed potato and cooked cabbage to the onion.
• Heat throughly, stirring constantly.
• Place in a heated serving dish.
• Serve hot, topped with butter.

COLCANNON

Steps:

• Sieve or mash the potatoes and mix with the cabbage and cream. Season well with salt and pepper.
• Fry the onion in the fat over a moderate heat until it is soft and beginning to brown.
• Using a spatula, press half the potato and cabbage mixture in an even layer on to the onion and fry for 4-5 minutes until it is well browned and crispy underneath.
• Cut the mixture into 4 quarters with the spatula or palette knife and turn them over carefully so that the crispy bit is uppermost. Press the remaining potato and cabbage mixture on to the first layer and after a few more minutes, cut and turn again.
• When the bottom is again browned, you will have a crispy top too, a crispy bottom, and a crispy layer in the middle.

COLCANNON

Steps:

• Steam the potatoes in their skins for 30 minutes. Peel them using a knife and fork. Chop with a knife before mashing. Mash thoroughly to remove all the lumps. Add 1 stick of butter in pieces. Gradually add hot milk, stirring all the time. Season with a few grinds of black pepper.
• Boil the cabbage in unsalted water until it turns a darker color. Add 2 tablespoons butter to tenderize it. Cover with lid for 2 minutes. Drain thoroughly before returning it to the pan. Chop into small pieces.
• Put the ham in a large saucepan and cover with water. Bring to the boil and simmer for 45 minutes until tender. Drain. Remove any fat and chop into small pieces.
• Add cabbage, scallions, and ham to mashed potatoes, stirring them in gently.
• Serve in individual soup plates. Make an indentation on the top by swirling a wooden spoon. Put 1 tablespoon of butter into each indentation. Sprinkle with parsley.

COLCANNON AND POTATO PANCAKES

Steps:

• Peel and cube potatoes and place in boiling water.
• Cook until tender, as for mashed potatoes.
• In a large skillet, saute the garlic, onion and cabbage until the cabbage is limp, but not brown.
• When potatoes are done, mash with seasonings, butter and milk per your taste.
• Add the sauteed onions, garlic and cabbage and mash until well mixed, there will be pieces of cabbage, but that's okay.
• Serve as you would mashed potatoes.
• For the potato pancakes, use the leftover Colcannon and add beaten eggs, flour and baking powder to them.
• In a skillet with oil place hand shaped potato pancakes and cook until brown on one side and then carefully flip and brown on the other.
• Serve with applesauce and sour cream.

COLCANNON IRISH POTATOES

Steps:

• Place potatoes in a 6-qt. stockpot; add water to cover. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium; cook, covered, until potatoes are almost tender, 8-10 minutes., Add cabbage and onion; cook, covered, until cabbage is tender, 5-7 minutes. Drain; return to pot. Add salt and pepper; mash to desired consistency, gradually adding butter and milk.

COLCANNON

Steps:

• Place potatoes in a large pot, add enough cold water to cover, and bring to a boil. Add 1½ teaspoons salt, reduce heat and simmer until just tender, 15 to 18 minutes. Drain potatoes and return to the pot.
• Meanwhile, melt 1 tablespoon butter in a large skillet on medium-low. Add leek and cook, covered, stirring occasionally, for 5 minutes. Stir in garlic and cook 1 minute. Add cabbage and cook, partially covered, stirring occasionally, until just tender, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat and toss with kale (it will begin to wilt).
• Add half-and-half, remaining 2 tablespoons butter and ½ teaspoon salt to potatoes and gently mash. Fold in cabbage-kale mixture. Serve sprinkled with scallions, cracked pepper and additional butter, if desired.

COLCANNON POTATOES

Steps:

• Place cabbage and 2 cups water in a large saucepan; bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer, covered, until cabbage is tender, about 10 minutes. Drain, reserving cooking liquid; keep cabbage warm in separate dish., In same pan, combine potatoes and reserved cooking liquid. Add additional water to cover potatoes; bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cook, uncovered, until potatoes are tender, 15-20 minutes. Meanwhile, place milk, green onions, salt and pepper in a small saucepan; bring just to a boil and remove from heat., Drain potatoes; place in a large bowl and mash. Add milk mixture; beat just until blended. Stir in cabbage. To serve, drizzle with butter; top with parsley and bacon.

TRADITIONAL IRISH COLCANNON

Steps:

• Gather the ingredients.
• Lightly salt a pot of hot water and simmer the potatoes until soft in the middle when pierced with a sharp knife.
• In a different pot, blanch the curly kale in boiling water for 1 minute.
• Drain the kale and reserve.
• Place the 1/2 cup of roughly chopped spring onions and the blanched kale into a blender and pulse for 10 seconds until roughly mixed. (You want the vegetables to have some texture.)
• Drain the potatoes and add 4 ounces of butter.
• Mash the potatoes and butter until smooth and creamy.
• Add the kale and spring onion mixture and stir well.
• Add the 1/4 cup of finely chopped spring onions and season with salt and pepper to taste.
• Top the mash with the optional 2 ounces of butter, if desired. Serve and enjoy.