Colcannon 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

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:

• Begin by boiling the potatoes in salted water (1/4 tablespoon) until fork tender. Drain in a colander.
• Saute the sliced cabbage in the olive oil on medium heat with the thyme. Cover and cook until soft, stirring occasionally.
• In a small saucepan, warm the broth. Return the cooked potatoes to the pot they were boiled in and mash. When the cabbage is cooked, fold into the potatoes. Add the Organic Chicken Broth, 1/2 cup at a time, using only what's needed to make them creamy. Add salt and pepper to taste.
• Put all the ingredients into a large soup pot and fill the entire pot with cold water, covering the chicken and vegetables as much as possible. Stir. Bring to a boil, and then reduce to a simmer. Cook uncovered for a couple of hours to extract the vegetable flavors. Strain over another soup pot or large bowl, separating the scraps from the broth. Divide among containers and freeze.

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.

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

Steps:

• Boil the potaotes, drain and mash them with the cream and 4 T. of butter.
• Meanwhile, while potatoes are boiling, saute the shredded cabbage in 3 T. of butter until soft. Add scallions and cook for 2 more minutes.
• Combine the cabbage mixture with the potatoes and season to taste.