Irish Colcannon Food

EASY IRISH COLCANNON

Steps:

• Place the potatoes, cabbage, and green onions into a large sauce pan, fill with water, and bring to a boil. Reduce heat, cover, and simmer until the potatoes are tender, about 20 minutes.
• Drain the vegetables and place into a large bowl. Mash the potatoes and vegetables with the butter using a fork until the mixture is chunky, pouring in half-and-half gradually as you mash. Season with salt and pepper, and serve.

IRISH COLCANNON

Steps:

• Scrub and cut the potatoes into quarters, and place in a large pot of water. Bring to a boil, and cook until potatoes are tender.
• Place the cabbage, onion and water in a large pot and turn heat on to high. When the water starts to boil and sizzle (about a minute), cover the pot with a lid and reduce heat to low, and cook for about 8 minutes until they are tender, not mushy.
• Using a potato ricer, press the potato into the pot of cabbage and onion until all of the potato pieces have been pressed (remove the skins between pressings). Add the butter, cream, salt and pepper and gently mix until it is thoroughly combined. Taste to see if any more seasoning is necessary.
• Serve warm. If desired, wrap the "coin, ring, and button" in some paper to tuck under the colcannon (you don't want your guests to choke)!

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:

• 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.