Colcannon

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Colcannon is a traditional Irish dish, of which the principal ingredient is creamy, mashed potatoes. There are many, many recipes and variations, but the other most common additional ingredients are either kale or cabbage and lashings of butter.

Make it your own!

For this St Patrick’s Day favourite, I have kept the recipe fairly classic using mashed potatoes, kale, spring onions and butter. However you can make it your own, try including:

• other green vegetables and onions.
• some grated cheese.
• use cream not milk.
• chopped crispy bacon.

How to serve Colcannon

When we ate this, we had it with some pan fried haddock, but it can be served in so many different ways – such as with meat pies, lamb chops, sausages, bacon chops, roast chicken, serve with a poached or fried egg – just use your imagination.

Great way to use leftover mashed potatoes

Most recipes start with making your mashed potatoes but, quite frankly, this is a recipe I make when I have left over mashed potatoes that I want to use up. I don’t know why, but whenever I make mashed potatoes, I invariably make far too much. You would think I should have learnt by now, but I haven’t, so instead I have a wonderful raft of recipes and ideas for using up leftovers! This is undoubtedly, one of the best!

Microwave or oven bake?

You can use the microwave or the oven to cook this. The microwave has the benefit of being incredibly quick, whilst if you cook it in the oven, you will have a delicious crispy top. Both ways are delicious and instructions are provided for both options.

How to make Colcannon

I have used quite a high proportion of kale to potatoes – adjust this to your own taste preference and also the quantities you have available. The only right way is the way you like it best.

Collect all the ingredients together:

• mashed potato
• fresh, uncooked kale, stalks removed and leaves roughly chopped
• unsalted butter
• spring onions, trimmed and chopped
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
• Additional milk or cream, if necessary

Now simply, throw it all together:

How to make in the microwave –

1. Heat the potatoes in the microwave, with half the butter, removing to give a good mix every minute, until hot. This could take a few minutes depending on the original temperature of the potatoes.
2. Meanwhile, remove the stalks from the kale. Roughly chop the leaves and cook in salted, boiling water for 2 minutes. Drain immediately.
3. Chop when cool enough.
4. Mix the potatoes, kale and chopped spring onions. Taste and adjust seasoning if necessary.
5. Add milk or cream if the mixture is a little stiff.
6. Quickly re-heat in the microwave, give it a good stir and ensure it is piping hot. Serve with the remaining butter and some freshly ground black pepper.

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How to cook in the oven –

1. Remove the stalks from the kale. Roughly chop the leaves and cook in salted, boiling water for 2 minutes. Drain immediately.
2. Chop when cool enough.
3. Melt the butter and mix ¾ with the potatoes, kale and chopped spring onions. Taste and adjust seasoning if necessary.
4. Add milk or cream if the mixture is a little stiff but remember that it will soften further as it cooks.
5. Transfer to a buttered baking dish, roughly level the surface and use a knife to make some swirls in the potato or use a fork instead.
6. Brush with the remaining melted butter and add some freshly ground black pepper
7. Cook in a pre-heated oven until piping hot, around 30 – 45 minutes, depending on the size of the dish and how cold the mixture was when it went into the oven.

Made this recipe?

If you make this recipe, do please tag me on instagram @daffodil_kitchen. You could also leave a comment in the box directly below the recipe.