Colcannon With Kale Food

YUKON GOLD COLCANNON WITH SAUTEED KALE AND CABBAGE AND BACON BUTTER

Steps:

• For the colcannon: Put the potatoes in a large saucepan, cover with cold water by 2 inches and add 2 tablespoons salt. Bring to a boil over high heat and cook until the potatoes are fork-tender, about 20 minutes. Drain well, then return to the pan.
• While the potatoes are cooking, combine the butter and milk in a small saucepan and bring to a simmer over low heat. Add to the potatoes and mash until smooth, adding more milk as needed. Season well with salt and pepper. Cover and keep warm.
• Place a large saute pan over medium heat. Add the bacon and cook, stirring occasionally, until rendered and crisp, about 8 minutes. With a slotted spoon, remove the bacon to a paper towel-lined plate and set aside for the bacon butter. Remove 1 tablespoon of the bacon fat from the pan; reserve this separately for the bacon butter.
• Add a tablespoon or two of canola oil to the pan, depending on how much bacon fat remains. Heat until the oil begins to shimmer. Add the garlic, mustard seeds if using, and chile flakes; cook for 1 minute. Increase the heat to high, add the kale and cabbage, in batches if needed, a splash of water and some salt and pepper. Cook until the greens begin to wilt, tossing constantly at first, about 5 minutes. Continue cooking, stirring occasionally, until crisp-tender, about 5 minutes longer. Add the sugar and vinegar; cook for another 2 minutes.
• For the bacon butter: While the greens are cooking, combine the butter, reserved bacon fat, mustard and 1/4 teaspoon each salt and pepper in a bowl. Mix until smooth. Fold in the reserved bacon and the green onions. (See Cook's Note.)
• Finish the colcannon: Combine the mashed potatoes and the sauteed greens in a bowl. Transfer to a casserole dish and top with a few dollops of bacon butter. Place in a warm oven (200 degrees F) until the butter begins to melt, about 5 minutes.

SWEET POTATO & KALE COLCANNON

Steps:

• Cook bacon in a large skillet over low heat until crispy. Transfer to paper towels to drain. Drain all but 1 tablespoon bacon grease from the skillet.
• Place sweet potatoes in a large pot of water with 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to low, cover and simmer until potatoes are very tender, about 15 minutes.
• While potatoes are cooking, add garlic and kale to remaining bacon grease in skillet. Saute on medium-low heat, working in batches if needed, until kale is crisp-tender and reduced to about half of its volume. This will take 5 to 10 minutes. Remove skillet from heat.
• Drain sweet potatoes and return to them to their pan. Add butter or vegan butter and mash with a potato masher or fork. Crumble the bacon and stir into potatoes. Stir in sauteed kale and season with remaining 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper (or to taste). Serve.

CHEF JOHN'S COLCANNON

Steps:

• Boil potatoes in a large pot of salted water until tender, about 10 minutes. Drain and transfer potatoes to a large bowl. Add 2 tablespoons butter and lightly mash the potatoes.
• Boil kale and leeks in a large pot of water until tender, 5 to 7 minutes. Drain and transfer kale and leeks to a blender. Add white parts of the green onions and 2 more tablespoons butter; blend until smooth, scraping down sides as needed, 1 to 3 minutes.
• Stir pureed kale mixture into the bowl of potatoes and continue to mash. Season with salt and black pepper to taste. Add cream and stir until desired texture. Top with 2 tablespoons butter and green parts of the green onions.

COLCANNON WITH KALE

Steps:

• In 2-quart saucepan, boil whole milk, 2 tablespoons of butter, carrot, and bay leaf. Remove from heat; steep 20 minutes. Strain.
• In 6-quart pot of boiling salted water, cook russet potatoes, peeled and cut into 1-inch pieces, until fork-tender, 25 minutes. Drain; return to pot. Add milk mixture; mash until smooth. Season with salt and pepper.
• Meanwhile, in Dutch oven over medium heat, melt 1 tablespoon of butter. Cook onion until browned, 6 to 8 minutes. Reduce heat to medium-low; add kale. Cover; cook, stirring occasionally, until tender, 15 to 25 minutes. Add to potatoes. Mound into serving bowl. Make well in center; drop in 2 tablespoons butter.

MASHED POTATOES WITH KALE (COLCANNON)

Steps:

• Cover the potatoes with water in a saucepan, add about 1/2 teaspoon of salt and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium, cover partially and cook until tender all the way through when pierced with a knife, about 30 to 45 minutes. Drain off the water, return the potatoes to the pan, cover tightly and let steam over very low heat for another 2 to 3 minutes. Remove from the heat and mash with a potato masher or a fork, through a food mill or in a standing mixer fitted with the paddle, while still hot.
• While the potatoes are cooking bring a large pot of generously salted water to a boil and add the kale. Fill a bowl with ice and water. Cook the kale for 4 to 6 minutes (after the water returns to the boil), until the leaves are tender but still bright green. Transfer to the ice water, allow to cool for a couple of minutes, then drain and squeeze out excess water. Chop fine (you can use a food processor).
• Towards the end of the potato cooking time, combine the milk and the scallions in a saucepan and bring to a simmer. Remove from the heat and let steep for a few minutes. Stir the chopped kale into the hot mashed potatoes and beat in the milk and butter or olive oil. The mixture should be fluffy (you can do this in an electric mixer fitted with the paddle). Add salt to taste and freshly ground pepper. Serve hot, right away. (Or to keep warm in a double boiler: set the bowl in a saucepan filled one third of the way with water. Make sure the water doesn't touch the bottom of the bowl. Bring the water to a simmer. Stir the potato and kale mixture from time to time. ).

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.