Colcannon Stuffed Brussels Sprouts Food

BRUSSELS SPROUTS-BACON STUFFING

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 375˚. Butter a 3-quart baking dish. Cook the bacon in a large pot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally, until crisp and browned, 7 to 8 minutes. Stir in the Brussels sprouts and a pinch of salt and cook, stirring, until wilted, about 2 minutes. Remove to a bowl.
• Melt 6 tablespoons butter in the pot. Add the onion, celery, chestnuts, garlic, thyme, sage, 1 teaspoon salt and a few grinds of pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are softened, about 6 minutes. Add the chicken broth and bring to a simmer, then remove from the heat. Let cool slightly, about 5 minutes.
• Whisk the eggs in a large bowl. Add the bread cubes, Brussels sprouts mixture, vegetable-broth mixture and parsley; stir until well combined. Transfer to the prepared baking dish, dot with the remaining 2 tablespoons butter and cover with foil.
• Bake the stuffing until hot, about 30 minutes. Uncover and bake until golden brown, 25 to 30 minutes. Let cool at least 15 minutes before serving.

COLCANNON-STUFFED BRUSSELS SPROUTS

Steps:

• Peel potatoes. In a saucepan cover potatoes with cold water by 2 inches and simmer, covered, until very tender but not falling apart, about 20 minutes.
• Preheat oven to 350°F.
• While potatoes are cooking, trim Brussels sprouts. With a paring knife cut 4 firm cup-shaped leaves from stem end of each sprout and reserve. Quarter rest of each sprout and slice thin.
• With a slotted spoon transfer potatoes to a colander and drain, reserving cooking water in pan, and transfer potatoes to a bowl. Add butter, salt, and pepper and with an electric mixer beat mixture until smooth.
• Have ready a bowl of ice and cold water and bring reserved cooking water to boil. Gently stir in reserved sprout leaves and blanch 5 seconds. Working quickly, with a skimmer or slotted spoon transfer leaves to bowl of ice and cold water. Blanch shredded sprouts 30 seconds and drain in a sieve. Beat shredded sprouts into potato purée.
• Transfer leaves to paper towels to drain upside down. Transfer purée to a pastry bag fitted with a 1/2-inch plain tip and pipe into upturned leave cups. Arrange filled leaf cups in a buttered shallow baking dish. Hors d'oeuvres may be prepared 3 hours ahead and chilled, covered. Sprinkle tops of hors d'oeuvres with bacon and heat in middle of oven 3 minutes, or until heated through.

COLCANNON

Steps:

• Tip the potatoes into a large saucepan of water, bring to the boil and simmer for 15-20 minutes, or until they are tender when pierced.
• Meanwhile, heat quarter of the butter in a pan, then fry the bacon and half the cabbage for 5 minutes. Turn off the heat and set aside.
• Drain the potatoes in a colander and peel while still hot.
• Mash the potato until smooth, heat the cream with the remaining butter and, when almost boiling, beat into the potato.
• Add the bacon and cabbage to the potato and mix.
• Season, to taste and serve.
• MY NOTES: If you can't find sliced back bacon, I'd suggest using middle rasher bacon, with the rinds and fat removed. The rest of Kevin Dundon's St Patrick's Day menu includes 'Smoked wild Irish salmon with chive pancake and 'Guiness & honey glazed pork loin'. I'll post the other two recipes soon. Both sound scrumptious, and also far too good to hold off making until March 2006. And I'm confident that local salmon will serve the recipe admirably! When in Rome -- When in Ireland -- When -- wherever -- .

MASHED PARSNIP & SPROUT COLCANNON

Steps:

• Chop the parsnips into large chunks. Boil for 15 mins or until really soft, then use a slotted spoon to drain into a colander. Blanch the sprouts in the same pan.
• In a bowl, mash the parsnips with the butter and milk, then stir through the sprouts and spring onions. Serve with a knob more butter. Can be chilled for up to a day, or frozen. Simply defrost, then cover and reheat in a microwave, stirring often, until piping hot.