Colcannon

Circle B Kitchen

This makes a delicious side dish for your corned beef on St. Patrick’s Day, but it’s also great with roast chicken, meatloaf, salmon or pot roast. I’ve given you some directions for making mashed potatoes, but use your own favorite recipe if you prefer. I used an Instant Pot pressure cooker to cook my potatoes and have given you instructions for that at the bottom of the recipe.

Serves 4 as a side dish

2 pounds potatoes (any combination of red, yukon gold and russets), peeled and cut into 2-inch wedges

1 tablespoon kosher salt, divided (more or less to taste)

6 tablespoons butter

1 pound cabbage, cored and shredded (or chopped)

1/4 cup chicken broth

4 medium scallions, white and green parts thinly sliced and separated

1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

3/4 cup whole milk, warmed

Place the potatoes and a teaspoon of the salt in a medium pot and cover with cool water. Bring to a simmer over high heat; this will take about 10 minutes. Reduce the heat to a simmer and cook until the potatoes are tender, 12 to 15 minutes.

While the potatoes are cooking, melt 2 tablespoons of butter in a 12-inch skillet over medium-high heat. Add the 1/4 cup chicken broth, the shredded cabbage and a couple more teaspoons of salt. Stir with tongs to mix the cabbage in the butter and broth, cover the skillet and reduce the heat to medium-low. Cook the cabbage for 6-8 minutes or until tender and then remove from the heat. Stir in most of the scallions, reserving some for serving. Cover the pan and let it sit until the potatoes are done.

Drain the potatoes and return them to the cooking pot. Add the warm milk, 2 tablespoons of butter, 2 teaspoons of salt and a little pepper. Mash with a potato masher, retaining a few small lumps for texture. Taste for salt and pepper.

Stir the mashed potatoes into the warm cabbage and fold to combine. Adjust the seasonings, if needed and then heat through.

When ready to serve, spoon the colcannon into a large serving bowl and make a little well in the middle of the potatoes. Place a little pat of butter in the well and then sprinkle with the remaining scallions and black pepper. Serve immediately.

Note: I used an Instant Pot to cook the potatoes. Just place 1 cup of water in the bottom of the instant pot and place the rack in the water. Place your peeled potato wedges on the rack, secure the lid and make sure the valve is set to “sealing”. Cook on high pressure for 8 minutes with a quick release. The potatoes will be perfectly ready to mash.