Why Irish eyes are smiling: Colcannon

Potatoes, cabbage, leeks and plenty of butter cook into a humble-sounding, but luxuriously creamy traditional Irish favorite, colcannon. Recipe below.

WE LOVE POTATOES. WE LOVE CABBAGE. So how have we never heard of colcannon? Now, just in time for St. Patrick’s Day (a coincidence?), we have. The humble beginnings of colcannon, a traditional Irish dish of mashed potatoes and cabbage, belie its heavenly flavor.

According to the Farmer’s Almanac, during the 17th and 18th centuries in Ireland, “potatoes, cabbage and leeks were considered foods of the common man. So it makes perfect sense that one of the country’s most popular dishes would combine these ingredients.” It’s so popular, in fact, that “it’s not uncommon to find a colcannon recipe printed on the back of a bag of potatoes in Ireland.”

As with all traditional dishes, there are countless variations. Many recipes include bacon—ours, for instance. You can skip the bacon to make your colcannon vegetarian. Some substitute onions for the leeks, but we like the milder flavor leeks add to this dish. Frankly, I was surprised to read that leeks were once considered a “food for the common man”—I always think of them as the onion’s more refined cousin.

And finally, kale is sometimes substituted for the cabbage. We like kale, but go for the cabbage. Its flavor mellows as it cooks with the leeks in butter and bacon drippings, but it still maintains its essential character and adds a savory tang to the lovely creaminess of the potatoes.

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Colcannon

Potatoes, cabbage, leeks and plenty of butter cook into a humble-sounding, but luxuriously creamy traditional Irish favorite, colcannon.

Course Appetizer, Side Dish

Cuisine Irish

Servings 6

Ingredients

• 2 pounds Yukon Gold or Russet potatoes, peeled and cubed
• salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 5 tablespoons unsalted butter, divided
• 1/2 cup half & half, or cream or milk
• 4 slices bacon, optional (see Kitchen Notes)
• 2 leeks, white and pale green parts halved lengthwise and sliced in half moons (see Kitchen Notes)
• 1/2 small head of cabbage, cored and chopped (see Kitchen Notes)
• 1 scallion, sliced

Instructions

• Cook the potatoes. Cover potatoes with cold water by an inch in a saucepan. Salt and bring to a boil over a high flame (partially covering the pan will help it come to a boil more quickly). Reduce heat to medium and cook until potatoes are easily pierced with a sharp knife, about 15 minutes.
• Drain and return potatoes to the pan. Cut up 3 tablespoons of the butter into the potatoes, season with more salt and mash with a hand masher. Add the half & half to the potatoes and mash some more—you want a nice, even mash, not lumpy.
• Meanwhile, cook the cabbage. Place bacon strips in a cold, large lidded sauté pan. Cook bacon over medium  heat until just crisp, turning frequently. Transfer bacon to a paper towel-lined plate. Slice remaining 2 tablespoons of butter into the pan and swirl to combine with the bacon drippings. Add cabbage and leeks to the pan. Season with salt and pepper and toss to coat with butter and bacon drippings. Cover pan and cook for 5 to 7 minutes, stirring occasionally, until cabbage is tender.
• Assemble the colcannon. Crumble the bacon into the cabbage pan and add the mashed potatoes. Stir everything to combine thoroughly. The potatoes may seem too stiff at first, but almost immediately, the moisture in the cooked cabbage will soften them to a nice consistency. Taste and adjust seasoning with salt, if needed. (You can make colcannon ahead to this point, keep it covered on the stove and gently reheat before serving. You can even reheat leftovers the next day, but the cabbage will lose a little of the vibrant flavor it brings to the dish.)
• Transfer colcannon to a serving dish and sprinkle with sliced scallion. Serve.

Kitchen Notes

Skipping the bacon? If you do, add 2 more tablespoons of butter to the pan before cooking the cabbage and leeks to replace the bacon drippings. The butter, the half & half and bacon drippings (if you're adding bacon) are what give this humble dish its luxurious creaminess.

Clean those leeks. They can sometimes harbor dirt or sand inside. After slicing white and pale green section lengthwise, fan it under running water to rinse.

Chopping the cabbage. Most recipes vaguely say chopped cabbage, or even more vaguely, a half a head of cabbage. I didn't want big strands or sheets of cabbage, so I chopped it fairly finely. The picture above shows you how I did it. First, core the cabbage half, then place it cut side down on the cutting board and cut crosswise into thin slices. Next, rotate your cutting board 90 degrees and slice lengthwise. The result will be a nice, even chop.