Real Recipes From Real Home Cooks ®

colcannon

Recipe by
Chacha McGrael
Dallas, TX

This is a very comforting dish and very flavorful even if it isn't St Patrick's Day. It's really easy to make it. I make colcanon pancakes with the leftovers and serve them topped with sour cream.

yield 6 to 8
prep time 20 Min
cook time 50 Min
method Bake

Ingredients For colcannon

  • 4 lg
    russet potatoes, peeled and cut into 1-inch pieces
  • 2 clove
    garlic, peeled and smashed
  • kosher salt
  • 1 stick
    unsalted butter, cubed, plus 4 more tablespoons, at room temperature
  • 1 c
    hot half-and-half
  • freshly ground black pepper
  • 1 sm
    cabbage head, baked, recipe follows
  • 1/2 lb
    bacon, cut into 1-inch pieces
  • 1 lg
    onion, finely sliced
  • chopped flat-leaf parsley (leaves only), for garnish, optional
  • FOR THE CABBAGE
  • 1 sm
    small head of cabbage, cored and thinly shredded (as for coleslaw)
  • good-quality sweet paprika (preferably hungarian or spanish)
  • kosher salt
  • freshly ground black pepper
  • 1 stick
    unsalted butter, cubed, plus extra for greasing casserole, at room temperature
  • 1 c
    good-quality stock (preferably homemade)

How To Make colcannon

  • 1
    Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
  • 2
    For the cabbage:
  • 3
    Grease a two-and-one-half-quart covered casserole and set aside.
  • 4
    Season cabbage well with paprika, salt, and black pepper.
  • 5
    Add cabbage and butter to the casserole.
  • 6
    Cover casserole and bake for 50 minutes, stirring occasionally.
  • 7
    For the Potatoes:
  • 8
    Place potatoes, garlic and 2 tablespoons of butter and in a pot of well-salted water (Note: The water should be salty. Taste it. If the water is under seasoned at this point it will be hard to have a well seasoned end product.)
  • 9
    Bring the water to a boil over medium heat. Cover and cook for 20 to 25 minutes, or until very tender.
  • 10
    Meanwhile, Cook bacon in a 10 inch skillet until it is brown and crispy.
  • 11
    Using slotted spoon remove bacon to a bowl, leaving fat in pan.
  • 12
    Add the sliced onions to the hot bacon fat. Season well with salt and black pepper. Cook for 10 minutes or until brown spots appear, stirring frequently.
  • 13
    When the potatoes are done, drain well in a colander. Return to the pot and steam over low heat until any remaining water evaporates.
  • 14
    Mash the potatoes until smooth using a potato masher.
  • 15
    Gradually add 1/3 of the stick of butter and hot half-and-half and stir vigorously into the potatoes. Repeat this process 2 more times until all of the half-and-half and butter has incorporated.
  • 16
    Season well with black pepper.
  • 17
    To assemble:
  • 18
    Melt the remaining 2 tablespoons butter and set aside.
  • 19
    Add the baked cabbage, onions and bacon to the mashed potatoes.
  • 20
    Taste and add extra salt and black pepper only if required.
  • 21
    Transfer to a serving bowl. Make an indentation on the top by swirling a wooden spoon. Pour the melted butter over. Sprinkle with parsley and serve.
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