Dish of Colcannon
(click to enlarge)

Colcannon - Kale & Potatoes


Ireland   -   Colcannon
Serves:
Effort:
Sched:
DoAhead:  		 6 side
**
1-1/4 hr
Yes		 A very popular traditional Irish dish that makes a fine, easy to make side dish in place of plain mashed potatoes. It is also made with head cabbage, but I prefer kale (a loose leaf cabbage) for color and flavor.




1
1/2
6
1
1/2
1/2
1/4
4
-----
#
#
oz
T
c
t
t
T
---
Potatoes (1)  
Kale
Leeks
Butter
Milk
Salt
Pepper
Butter
-- Garnish
Butter bits
Prep   -   (40 min 30 min work)
  1. Peel POTATOES and cut into 1-1/2 inch cubes. Put in a pot with water to cover, bring to a boil and simmer for about 15 minutes or until tender. Drain and mash.
  2. Cut large stems from KALE and put leaves in a pot separate from the potatoes, bring to a boil and simmer for about 20 minutes until tender. Drain, chop fairly small and squeeze out excess water.
  3. Trim LEEKS down to the white, yellow and light green (see Gallery). Starting at the green end slice them thin crosswise right down to the root end.
Run   -   (30 min)
  1. Heat 1 T Butter in a heavy bottomed sauce pan and fry Leeks over moderate heat, stirring often until soft but not at all browned. Stir in Milk, cover and simmer slowly for about 8 minutes.
  2. Stir in mashed Potatoes, Salt and Pepper, then stir in the Kale and 4 T Butter. Stir over moderate heat until hot.
  3. Serve hot garnished with bits of butter. This dish can be reheated in the oven if made ahead.
NOTES:

  1. Potatoes:

      Originally, this would be made using Irish Lumpers, which were somewhat waxy, but today a higher starch potato would be used. I use White Rose or Red Potatoes, a little closer to Lumpers except with much better flavor. For details see our Potatoes page.

  2. Tradition:

      Colcannon was served on Halloween, and at that time was used in various ways for marriage divination, generally by imbedding various items in it to be found by those eating it. Halloween being a pagan holiday (Celtic Samhain) there must have been an ancient predecessor from before potatoes, but I have not yet been able to identify it. This dish may be made with either cabbage or kale, but kale (a loose leaf cabbage) gives better color and flavor. Traditional Irish kale is flat leaf and more tender than the curly leaf kale we have in North America, but either will work. For details see our Kale page.
  3. U.S. measure: t=teaspoon, T=Tablespoon, c=cup, qt=quart, oz=ounce, #=pound, cl=clove in=inch, ar=as required tt=to taste
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