Claire's Creamy Colcannon with Cabbage and Chives
March 16th, 2022A Family Recipe for Hearty, Irish-Style Mashed Potatoes
Colcannon is an Irish dish of mashed potatoes made with butter (ideally rich, Irish butter!), milk, sauteed cabbage and a handful of allium. It’s a mainstay at Member Experience Specialist Claire Mathes’s family gatherings, served especially on St. Patrick’s Day. These simple additions to mashed potatoes recall an era when impoverished Irish Americans relied on affordable produce to keep from going hungry.
This recipe for Colcannon is Claire’s family’s own. “But take creative liberties as you see fit! I really tried to get the exact numbers of things… but we are extremely generous with the milk and butter in these recipes,” she explained.
Claire’s colcannon is the perfect side dish to accompany our recipe for rich, satisfyingly dense Irish-Style Pacific Cod Cakes. Enjoy both dishes to celebrate a special occasion, or to indulge in hearty, humble fare any time of the year.
Claire's Creamy Colcannon with Cabbage and Chives
By Wild Alaskan Company
Prep time
10 minutes
Cook Time
30 minutes
Total time
40 minutes
Yield
6 servings
Ingredients
- 3 large yukon gold potatoes, quartered
- 3 medium russet potatoes, quartered
- 7 tablespoons of Irish butter, divided
- ½ cup heavy cream or whole milk
- ½ head cabbage, thinly shredded
- Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 2 scallions, sliced or 3 tablespoons chives, finely chopped
Instructions
1. Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. While water is coming to boil, you can do your food prep. Once water is boiling, add potatoes and boil for 15 minutes, or until tender enough to be pierced with a fork.
2. Drain potatoes, then run through a potato ricer or use a masher to mash to desired consistency. Top with 6 tablespoons butter and cream/milk, then set aside to allow butter to melt.
3. Meanwhile, heat a large pan over medium heat. When hot, add remaining butter and cabbage to pan. Saute cabbage until wilted and tender, about 7 minutes, lowering heat if needed so that cabbage doesn’t brown. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
4. Stir mashed potatoes to integrate butter and cream/milk, then fold in sauteed cabbage. Adjust seasoning as needed.
5. Transfer to a serving bowl, garnishing with scallions/chives and an extra pad of butter. Enjoy immediately.
Consuming raw or undercooked meats, poultry, seafood, shellfish, or eggs may increase your risk of food-borne illness, especially if you have a certain medical condition. The FDA recommends an internal temperature of 145°F for cooked fish.
