Colcannon (Irish potatoes and cabbage)

Colcannon is a simple side dish of mashed potatoes and cabbage (or kale) that's wonderfully comforting, easy and great alongside so many dishes.

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Some dishes are very much associated with particular festivals/occasions, like turkey for Thanksgiving in the US, haggis for Burn's Night in Scotland, and galette des rois in France for Epiphany.

St Patrick's Day in in the US typically means corned beef, though that's not so true in Ireland itself. Instead, you are more likely to have typical everyday food, though that may include Guinness beef stew, Irish fish chowder and/or soda bread. Raising a toast is, however, common in both, and this tasty side may also grace the tables, too.

Colcannon is a popular side in Ireland that's become more popular State-side as well. And it's easy to understand why since it's easy to make, comforting and versatile in what you pair it with.

Origins of colcannon, and variations

Colcannon is a dish that has been around since the 18th century, which is when potatoes became a staple for the rural poor. It's a dish made with affordable, readily available ingredients that didn't require a lot of effort to make. The name comes from Gaelic "cál ceannann" which means "white-headed cabbage".

It's essentially a combination of creamy mashed potatoes with some kind of shredded green vegetable. There are a number of ways to vary this, however. Some make it with kale, others cabbage, and this can white, green or savoy. Then you can add a few other things to give a bit more depth of flavor like leeks, onion or a little garlic.

While most use butter and milk for the mash and either boil the cabbage or saute in butter, some cook the vegetables in bacon fat or add some cream for an even richer dish. To me, neither are needed, as this is more of a simple, rustic dish. And it's tasty enough without. However, I do like to make this with added leek to give a nice mix of flavors, without being too heavy.

Similar regional dishes

Colcannon itself is an Irish dish, but it is very similar to a Scottish dish called rumbledethumps and the English bubble and squeak. You'll also find other dishes that are not too dissimilar in the region, like Dutch stamppot and it's many variations, champ which is a similar Irish dish made with scallions/green onions and claphot, a Scottish potato and rutabaga mash.

The core ingredients of potatoes and greens and/or onions were crops that grew easily in the Northern European climate, where some other crops were harder to grow. As a result, they were highly affordable.

While all dishes are traditionally peasant fare, these days they are beloved as both a taste of tradition and simply tasty comfort food.

Tips for making this dish

While this colcannon recipe is easy to make, a couple things worth noting to make sure it comes out it's best:

• Use a floury/starchy potato for a nice fluffy mash - russets and Maris Piper work well.
• Make sure the potatoes are cooked through but not over-cooked. You want them tender but not water-logged.
• Drain the potatoes then leave to stem in the warm pot/pan - this helps extra moisture escape before mashing or ricing (do as you have/prefer).
• Cook the leek over a relatively low heat - it cooks pretty quickly and has a tendency to burn more easily than onions, so watch closely.
• Different greens take different amounts of time to cook - savoy cabbage is pretty quick while white/green cabbage can take a little longer to become tender. If you feel the cabbage is particularly thick-stemmed, you can boil it instead, or first, to soften it more.

What do you eat colcannon with?

Colcannon works well with a range of mains, in particular comfort foods. It's particularly good to soak up gravy and sauces, so pairs well with stews like Irish stew/Guinness beef stew, as well as stews from other regions. You could also serve it with corned beef, roast meats, ham or sausages. It would also pair well with various vegetable dishes like roasted roots or vegetable stews.

If you have leftovers, you can store them in the fridge in an airtight container then re-heat either just gently warming through, with a splash of milk if needed to bring back the smooth texture, in a pot or the microwave. Alternatively, form into cakes, either just as it is or with a little flour, and fry in some butter in a skillet/frying pan with some butter. You can get the edges a little crisp, too, if you like. This way is particularly good as a breakfast dish, maybe with bacon and/or egg.

Colcannon is an easy and tasty Irish side dish, that works well with so many mains. It's comforting, and needs just a few ingredients but has lovely flavor and texture. So make your mash that bit more interesting and give it a try.

Try these other potato dishes:

• Dauphinoise potatoes
• Speck, potato and cheese souffle
• Parsnip and potato farl (potato scones)
• Plus get more Irish and British recipes in the archives.

See some of my favorite cooking tools and ingredients in the Caroline's Cooking Amazon store. 

Try these other Irish recipes (and Irish-inspired):

• Beef and Smoked Sausage Cabbage Rolls from Food Lust People Love
• Dublin Coddle - Irish Bacon, Sausage, and Potato Stew from Karen's Kitchen Stories
• Irish Coffee from Tara's Multicultural Table
• Mushy Peas from Pandemonium Noshery
• Traditional Shepherd's Pie from Cookaholic Wife

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