Colcannon

recipes

Colcannon: A Loaded Mashed Potato

St. Patrick's Day is 'round the corner, therefore we're giving Irish cuisine a gander.

St. Patrick's Day is 'round the corner, therefore we're giving Irish cuisine a gander. While I can only claim to be Irish-ish, I do know a thing or two about marrying potatoes and butter.

Colcannon is a traditional Irish dish that is basically mashed potatoes mixed with kale or cabbage, green onion, and Irish bacon, which is similar to Canadian bacon. Colcannon is a revered dish in Ireland; there are even songs written about it! While I'm not likely to write a song about my colcannon rendition, I will sing its praises. In addition to kale and green onions, this dish contains pancetta, because I like thin, crispy, bacon-like bits in my mashed potatoes. Who knew kale could taste so good, enveloped in fluffy mashed potatoes and salty pieces of pancetta?

Keep reading for the recipe.

recipes

Colcannon Two Ways — Beginner and Expert

Even if you don't have plans to throw a St. Patrick's Day bash, you can still celebrate in your own low-key way.

Even if you don't have plans to throw a St. Patrick's Day bash, you can still celebrate in your own low-key way. As part of dinner, serve colcannon, an Irish peasant dish of potatoes mashed with leeks, cabbage, and kale. It's a basic, comforting, and traditional staple of Ireland that's easy to prepare with a festive, verdant hue. For a rustic variation, mash potatoes together with sautéed vegetables and aromatics. To step it up, run potatoes through a ricer for a weightless, soufflélike texture. Then, foil that with bits of bacon that have been cooked until crisp. Get your green spirit on with either recipe and read more.

recipes

St. Patrick's Day Side: Colcannon

When I think of St. Patrick's Day dishes, potatoes immediately come to mind.

When I think of St. Patrick's Day dishes, potatoes immediately come to mind. Not just any kind of potatoes, mashed potatoes. The Irish love their mashed potatoes so much that they have specific names for different variations. Champ is mashed potatoes with green onions stirred in and Colcannon is mashed potatoes with onions and greens. Both are traditional Irish side dishes that are commonly served along side a meaty steak, sausage or bacon. I love Champ so much that I've used it on Thanksgiving, but I have yet to try colcannon. Thus I will take the opportunity to make it the next time I'm craving smooth potato puree. To do the same, read more