If You Like Creamy Mashed Potatoes, You’ll Love This Irish Potato and Cabbage Recipe

An Irish favourite, colcannon combines potatoes and greens right into a hearty mash. Whereas within the US it’s develop into a mainstay for St. Patrick’s day celebrations, in Eire it’s a dish deeply linked to and historically served on Halloween (though additionally loved year-round). It’s the right companion for sausages and a pint of beer, but in addition simply pretty much as good on the household dinner desk as a aspect for corned beef or baked ham; topped with a fried egg or some smoked salmon; and even alongside a easy inexperienced salad to finish a filling meal.

Colcannon emerged as a staple meals in Eire by the mid-18th century, in accordance with Smithsonian Journal. The identify colcannon doubtless originated from the Gaelic phrase cal ceannann, which implies “white-headed cabbage.” Like many different Irish potato dishes, colcannon was created as a resourceful option to remodel humble potatoes right into a filling aspect dish utilizing varied out there substances. On this vein, it was usually made with no matter greens had been readily available to complement the potatoes—cabbage, broccoli leaves, kale, sorrel, watercress, or extra. It’s a recipe that’s as adaptable and frugal as it’s scrumptious. 

On this recipe under, our Birmingham-based check kitchen colleague Jasmine Smith has created the richest, most hearty model potential. The important thing to creating nice colcannon is to begin with completely boiled potatoes—all the higher to take in extra butter and milk.

For the creamiest mash, Jasmine discovered that medium-starch yellow potatoes (comparable to Yukon Golds) labored finest. Yellow potatoes have simply the correct quantity of starch (lower than starchy russets, however greater than small waxy new potatoes) to make sure the right thick but silky mashed texture. When cooked, the starch granules inside the potato cells take up water and swell, and a few cells inevitably burst, releasing a gluey gel that helps give the mashed potatoes simply the correct quantity of cohesiveness. Hold the potato chunks in massive items in order that they don’t develop into water-logged when boiled. 

Whereas the potatoes might look like the star of the present, colcannon’s taste comes from the added butter, milk, and greens. We selected garlic and scallions to construct an fragrant allium base earlier than sautéing the cabbage. Whereas we love cabbage for its impartial taste and accessibility on this recipe, actually you can substitute any most well-liked inexperienced, like kale or Swiss chard; simply remember to nonetheless absolutely wilt no matter inexperienced you select earlier than folding them into the potatoes.

On prime of the basic alliums and cabbage, although, we sneak in one other (elective) ingredient: seaweed. Whereas seaweed isn’t conventional in colcannon, we prefer it for the refined vegetal umami depth it provides to the mash. Plus, seaweed has been utilized in Irish cooking for hundreds of years. In her cookbook From Forgotten Expertise of Cooking, Darina Allen factors out what number of styles of seaweed “have been a part of the weight loss plan of coastal peoples since time immemorial.” In recent times it’s regained recognition with younger Irish cooks.

Whereas the seaweed is elective, we imagine it’s what units this model other than so many others. Laver seaweed, offered in dried darkish inexperienced sheets labeled as nori, is crisp, comparatively delicate, barely saline, with roasted, smoky, almost nutty notes. It pairs nicely with the hearty potatoes on this mash. So as to add it to the mash, we finely chop it after which steep it within the milk combination till the seaweed is softened and the milk is infused with a briny, umami-rich taste. 

Whether or not you add the seaweed or not, be sure that to not overlook to stud the highest of the recent mash with pads of butter to soften and pool throughout. It is the ultimate step that ensures these are potatoes you’re positive to like.

Prepare dinner Mode
(Hold display screen awake)