Colcannon

I decided to make a traditional Irish meal for St. Patrick's Day.  I have a Irish Soda Bread recipe elsewhere on this blog. All I needed was a recipe with cabbage and potatoes.  This recipe started with the one on Bon Appetit, but I made some changes.  

You can add ham or bacon with this recipe, but we chose to go meatless.

Colcannon

5 Yukon Gold potatoes, about 2 pounds

6 Tablespoons butter

2 leeks

2 teaspoons minced garlic

2 cups shredded Savoy cabbage

1 1/4 cups milk

1/2 cup heavy cream 

pepper

salt

1 green onion, thinly sliced

Peel and cut the potatoes into a rough dice. place them in a medium saucepan and cover them with salted water.  

Bring to a boil and then reduce to a simmer until you can piece the potatoes with a sharp knife, about 15 or 20 minutes. Drain and set aside.

While the potatoes are cooking, trim off the roots and the dark green leaves of the leeks.  

Cut them in half lengthwise and rinse them under running water.  This is important as dirt gets in there and you need to get it out!

Thinly slice the leeks.  Melt the butter in a large sauce pan over medium heat.  Add the leeks, stirring frequently. Thinly slice the cabbage.  Avoid the tough core. 

After the leeks are very soft add the garlic. Cook for about three minutes, stirring and then add the cabbage.  Continue stirring frequently until they are wilted. Add the milk and cream and bring to a simmer.

Add the potatoes and mash with a potato masher. Season with salt and pepper.

Transfer to a serving dish and top with the remaining butter and the thinly sliced green onions. 

Serve with Irish soda bread dotted with currants for the full experience.