Traditional Irish Colcannon is a delectable combination of creamy mashed potatoes and pan-fried cabbage lightly seasoned with salt and black pepper. It is truly a match made in heaven and a must-try for those who have not experienced this tasty dish.
It is one of my personal favorites, and I love to serve it with Pan Fried Chicken, Corned Beef, and Turkey Meatloaf. This tasty side dish comes together quickly and easily with no complicated techniques or ingredients.
INGREDIENTS
- 3 large russet potatoes peeled and cut in to large chunks
- 3 large Yukon Gold potatoes peeled and chunked
- 7 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1/2 cup heavy cream
- 1 medium onion chopped
- 1/2 head green cabbage chopped
- 6 slices crispy cooked bacon coarsely chopped
- kosher salt and fresh ground black pepper
INSTRUCTIONS
- Place potatoes in a large saucepan with enough lightly salted water to cover. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce the heat and simmer for 15 to 20 minutes or until fork tender. Drain well, making sure to remove excess water. Add 4 tablespoons butter and cream. Cover the pot and let the butter melt.
- Meanwhile, melt 2 tablespoons of butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the onion and cook until tender. Add cabbage and cook until tender and lightly browned on the edges: approximately 7-8 minutes.
- Mash potatoes with a potato masher and gently stir in the cabbage mixture and half of the chopped bacon. Season with kosher salt and fresh ground black pepper to taste. Top with the remaining chopped bacon. Transfer to a serving bowl. Cut the remaining tablespoon of butter into pats. Make a small well on top and add the remaining butter.
An Irish Halloween tradition
In the past, charms were mixed in with the colcannon to celebrate Halloween. Depending on what charm you found it was seen as a portent for the future. A button meant you would remain a bachelor and a thimble meant you would remain a spinster for the coming year. A ring meant you would get married and a coin meant you would come into wealth.
Others filled their socks with colcannon and hung them from the handle of the front door in the belief that the first man through the door would be their future husband.
NOTES
- I use a mixture of Russet and Yukon Gold potatoes for this recipe, but you can use one or the other if desired.
- For aesthetic purposes and for the tradition of the recipe, stick with green cabbage.
- Are you always pushed for time? Then cook the bacon up to 3 days in advance and store it in a sealed zipper bag in the fridge. The potatoes can be peeled and soaked in cold water up to 4 hours in advance of boiling them.
- If cooking the bacon at the same time, whether it be in the oven or in the skillet. Reserve 2 tablespoons of the bacon fat and use it in place of 2 tablespoons of butter for pan-frying the cabbage and onion.
- This delectable dish reheats very well in the microwave at reduced power.
- Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to three days.
- You can freeze these potatoes in a heavy-duty freezer bag for up to 3 months. Defrost overnight in the refrigerator. Because of the high moisture content in both potatoes and cabbage, you may need to rework the mash with some butter, sour cream, or cream cheese to get it back to its original texture and consistency.
