How to Make Irish Colcannon Recipe
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Colcannon is a traditional Irish dish made with potatoes, kale (or cabbage), and generous amounts of butter. Creamy, silky, and starchy, it's an Irish holiday favorite and is especially found on feast tables during St. Patrick’s Day and Halloween. On St. Paddy’s day, this velvety, buttery Irish cousin of the mash potato, is a perfect accompaniment to spicy Guinness beef stew (What wine goes well with beef stew?) and soft, crusty soda bread. While during Halloween, it's not just as a scrumptious accompaniment, but also as a fortune teller. Chefs hide a piece of coin, rag, or stick in the colcannon and each represents either wealth, poverty, or marriage.
A hearty comfort-food that's easy to make, and fillingly nourishing, this colcannon is perfect for any day – feast or no feast. And while I’m no fortune teller, with this recipe, I can predict one delicious dish.
The Best Potatoes for Colcannon
Floury potatoes like russets and golden yukons are best for colcannon. They’re low in water content and high in starch because, by the time they’re harvested, most of their sugar is converted to starch. They have a light, fluffy texture which is perfect for colcannon or any other kind of mash potato.
Ricing the Potatoes
When potatoes are boiled, a thin starchy skin forms on its outermost layer, which when mashed turns slightly gluey. If you dislike this sticky texture, then instead of mashing the potatoes, squeeze them through a potato ricer (potato ricers are similar to garlic ricers, only bigger). The ricer strains out sticky skin-like bits and gives a smoother texture to the colcannon.
Making Colcannon
Peel and chop the potatoes into 1/2 inch cubes. In a large stockpot or dutch oven, bring well-salted water to a boil. Add diced potatoes and simmer for 12 to 15 minutes till the potatoes are soft and tender. Using a slotted spoon, remove the potatoes.
Skip the lines and order your stockpot or dutch oven, and slotted spoon online for a stress-free shopping experience!
In another pan, melt butter on low heat. Add chopped kale and saute for 5 minutes till the leaves begin to wilt. Add in chopped spring onions (What wine goes well with onions?) and saute for another 2 minutes.
Pour in milk, add potatoes and allow it to simmer for 5 minutes on low-medium heat
Using a fork or potato masher, mash the potatoes along with the greens till you get a smooth, silky mash.
I always prefer buying potato masher online because of the added convenience!
Scoop out colcannon into individual serving bowls.
Create a small cavity, pour in a knob of butter on the hot colcannon, and serve!
Picture Credits: Minerva Aldrete
Traditional Irish Colcannon
Ingredients
- 2 ½ lb. russet potatoes (4 medium), peeled and diced into ½ inch cubes
- 8 tbsp unsalted butter, 6 tbsp for mash + 2tbsp for serving
- 3 cups kale, chopped into bite-sized bits
- 3 green onions, finely chopped
- 1 cup milk
- 1 tsp salt or to taste
Instructions
- Boil the potatoes. In a large stock pot of well-salted cold water add potatoes. Bring it to a boil and simmer for 12 to 15 minutes, till potatoes are tender. When done, remove potatoes using a slotted spoon and drain out the water.
- Sauteing kale and onions. Melt butter in the same pot on low heat and add kale. Cook till the leaves are wilted and then stir in the green onions. Cook for another 2 minutes.
- Mashing in the potatoes. Mix in milk and simmer for a few minutes. When the milk starts bubbling, add potatoes, and using a potato masher, mash the potatoes into the mixture. Scoop out the mash into individual serving bowls. Create a small cavity in the middle, fill it with a puddle of butter and serve!
Nutrition Facts
Calories
484.66Fat
25.99Sat. Fat
15.88Carbs
56.98Fiber
5.99Net carbs
51Sugar
5.33Protein
9.95Sodium
649.92Cholesterol
68.38
