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 proper companion for sausages and a pint of beer, but additionally simply nearly as good on the household dinner desk as a facet 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 title colcannon seemingly originated from the Gaelic phrase cal ceannann, which suggests “white-headed cabbage.” Like many different Irish potato dishes, colcannon was created as a resourceful strategy to rework humble potatoes right into a filling facet dish utilizing varied out there elements. On this vein, it was typically made with no matter greens had been 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 beneath, our Birmingham-based take a look at kitchen colleague Jasmine Smith has created the richest, most hearty model attainable. The important thing to creating nice colcannon is to begin with completely boiled potatoes—all the higher to absorb extra butter and milk.

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

Whereas the potatoes could appear to be 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 may substitute any most popular inexperienced, like kale or Swiss chard; simply make sure to nonetheless absolutely wilt no matter inexperienced you select earlier than folding them into the potatoes.

On high of the traditional 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 types of seaweed “have been a part of the weight loss program 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, practically 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 certain to not neglect to stud the highest of the new mash with pads of butter to soften and pool throughout. It is the ultimate step that ensures these are potatoes you’re certain to like.

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