🇮🇪 Irish Cuisine

Colcannon

Mashed Potato with Cabbage

Prep Time 25 min
Servings 4
Difficulty Easy
Calories 324 kcal

Creamy mashed potatoes folded with buttered cabbage or kale, enriched with milk and butter. Ireland's most beloved side dish.

Ingredients

  • 1kg floury potatoes (such as Russet or Maris Piper), peeled and quartered
  • 300g savoy cabbage or curly kale, tough ribs removed and finely shredded
  • 100g unsalted butter
  • 200ml whole milk, warmed
  • 4 scallions (spring onions), trimmed and thinly sliced
  • Salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

  1. 1 Place the quartered potatoes in a large pot of cold salted water, bring to a boil over high heat, then reduce to a steady simmer and cook for eighteen to twenty minutes until the potatoes are completely tender when pierced with a knife.
  2. 2 While the potatoes cook, melt two tablespoons of the butter in a wide skillet over medium heat. Add the shredded cabbage or kale and sauté for five to seven minutes until the leaves are tender and bright green but not mushy.
  3. 3 Drain the potatoes thoroughly and return them to the warm pot. Allow them to steam dry for two minutes, which removes excess moisture and ensures a fluffy, non-watery mash when you add the dairy.
  4. 4 Add the warm milk and half of the remaining butter to the potatoes, then mash with a potato masher until smooth and creamy. Avoid using a food processor or blender, as this makes the potatoes gluey and unpleasant.
  5. 5 Fold the sautéed cabbage and sliced scallions into the mashed potatoes using a large spoon, mixing gently until the greens are evenly distributed throughout. Season generously with salt and freshly ground black pepper.
  6. 6 Mound the colcannon into a warm serving bowl, create a well in the centre, and place the remaining butter in the well to melt into a golden pool. Serve immediately alongside roasted meats, stews, or sausages.

Did You Know?

Traditionally, a ring was hidden in colcannon at Halloween — whoever found it would be next to marry.

From The Culinary Codex — http://theculinarycodex.com/dish/irish/colcannon/