Colcannon

Colcannon

I am not sure you can find a more comforting comfort food than colcannon. This traditional Irish dish is a combination of potatoes, cabbage, onions, parsley and butter. I was inspired to make it when my friend, Jill, mentioned she was making it for St. Patrick’s Day. It certainly doesn’t have to be St. Patrick’s Day to enjoy this traditional Irish dish, though. This dish is always a crowd pleaser.

I changed it up a bit by using Brussels sprouts, in place of the cabbage. It was for a dinner with a friend of mine, and since she doesn’t eat bacon, I left it out. But a lot of people do add some bacon to colcannon.

The recipe is pretty simple. I used a combination of chicken stock and half and half to cook the potatoes, but you  could use all milk, if you prefer.

Colcannon 

4 T. butter

1 onion, peeled and chopped

2 lbs. of potatoes, peeled and sliced

1 c. chicken stock

1 c. milk or half and half- I used half and half

1 lb. Brussels sprouts, ends trimmed and quartered

1/2 c. chopped green onions

1/2 c. chopped fresh parsley

salt and pepper to taste

extra butter for adding when serving

I large sauce pan or skillet, heat the butter and cook the onion until tender. Add the potatoes and cook a few minutes. Add the stock and milk or half and half and cook, uncovered over medium low heat, for about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. The potatoes should be pretty tender. Add the Brussels sprouts, cover, and continue cooking until the sprouts are tender. This will take 10-15 minutes. If the mixture is soupy, remove the lid. Most of the liquid should cook off. You should mash the potatoes a bit before serving, so use a potato masher or a large fork to smash them up a bit. This will also thicken the dish up a bit more.  Add the green onions and parsley and cook a few more minutes, over low heat, stirring to keep mixture from burning.  Adjust seasonings and serve with extra butter on top. Serves 4-6.