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Irish Colcannon
If you have never heard of colcannon and champ, you'd be hard pressed to figure out what these are.
Colcannon is a much beloved Irish mashed potato dish. It is a heavenly concoction, traditionally served on All Hallows' Eve, with either charms or coins hidden inside it.
Colcannon (along with champ), is one of the 1,000 foods to eat listed in the book 1,000 Foods To Eat Before You Die, by Mimi Sheraton. If you've never tried colcannon, I beg you to make this and indulge in a huge bowl of it soon!
I can describe it as creamy and buttery mashed potatoes mixed with softened and boiled cabbage. Green onions are added last, along with a generous amount of pepper. A significant amount of butter should then be placed in the middle of a mound of the colcannon, to melt into it.
You should go about eating the colcannon by spooning up a heap of the potatoes, along with some of the melted butter. This is heaven. 🙂
Irish Colcannon
Ingredients
- 2 large Russet potatoes
- ¼ cabbage cored and chopped
- 6 green onions sliced
- 6 tablespoon butter split
- ½ cup milk
- salt to taste
- pepper to taste
Instructions
- Peel and cut your potatoes into small pieces and place in a pot. Add water to just cover the potatoes. Add a pinch of salt, and then bring the potatoes to the boil. Once boiling, lower the heat to medium and then simmer for approximately 10 minutes until the potatoes are fork tender.
- Meanwhile bring another pot of water (filled about ¾ full) to the boil. Add your chopped cabbage along with a pinch of salt, and boil for about 2 minutes. Lower your heat to medium and simmer for another 8 minutes or so.
- Once your potatoes and cabbage are tender drain. Add the potatoes back to the pot, along with 5 tablespoons of butter, and your milk. Mash the potatoes until creamy and smooth. Then add your drained cabbage, and salt and pepper to taste.
- Last but not least, add your sliced green onions and stir. Place the potatoes in a bowl, and make a shallow well in the middle. Add the remaining tablespoon of butter to the well, and add a generous amount of pepper.
Notes
Nutrition
Irish Champ
Champ is also absolutely delicious! This creamy mashed potato dish calls for tangy buttermilk to be stirred in, along with butter and green onions. The mixture is seasoned to taste with salt and pepper, and believe me this is MOREISH!
What to Serve With Colcannon and Champ
For a traditional Irish meal, serve corned beef with colcannon or champ. You may enjoy this Corned Beef and Cabbage Recipe, which is great not only for St. Patrick's Day!
I was able to find Guinness Meatballs with Aged Cheddar at my local grocery store, so we enjoyed our champ with these meatballs.
If you are a beer lover, then try the classic Irish beer, Guinness, to wash everything down.
Enjoy a taste of Ireland!
Colcannon and champ are #10 on my 1,000 Foods to Eat project. Join me on trying out all these amazing foods!!
Irish Champ
Ingredients
- 2 large Russet potatoes
- 6 tablespoon butter split
- 6 green onions sliced
- salt to taste
- pepper to taste
- ½ cup buttermilk
Instructions
- Peel and cut your potatoes into small pieces and place in a pot. Add water to just cover the potatoes. Add a pinch of salt, and then bring the potatoes to the boil. Once boiling, lower the heat to medium and then simmer for approximately 10 minutes until the potatoes are fork tender.
- Once your potatoes are tender drain. Add the potatoes back to the pot, along with the butter, and your buttermilk. Mash the potatoes until creamy and smooth. Then add salt and pepper to taste.
- Last but not least add in your green onions and mix.
Roy Peabody
I was pretty thrilled to find your website as I have been working my way through Mimi Sheraton's book as well, starting in 2015. Oddly enough, I also have a dog named Toby, a rescue originally from Puerto Rico.
As I'm sure you've noticed, getting through Mimi's list is quite a project, even a little maddening at times, since her descriptions of the dish don't always match the recipes she refers you to. Plus, spoiler alert, there are actually more than 1,000, since, for example, Ms. Sheraton will have a single entry for cheese from Spain and then list at least 4 cheeses.
I stumbled across your website because none of the recipes listed under the Soupe Gumbo matched the description, and your seems very close. Did you make up this recipe yourself or was it based on an authentic African recipe somewhere?
Thanks, good luck with the project!
Grace
Roy! You don't know how excited I am to read your comments! You are the first person who is also on this project who has contacted me so I am pretty thrilled as well! May I ask how many foods into this are you? And yes...this is quite the undertaking for anyone getting through the 1,000+ foods! Regarding the Soupe Gumbo...I searched for a recipe to match Ms. Sheraton's description and when I couldn't find one I made this one up. It has been awhile since I published that recipe, and in the meantime I have made some connections with some people in Africa and my intention is to get their help with providing an authentic recipe. So for now, my hope is that I can amend this recipe as needed to make it more authentic. 🙂
I really wish you well with this project too! As you know some of the "foods" are actually "experiences"...such as Nishiki Market, which I actually got to experience in Japan earlier this year! Missed out on the Tokyo Fish Market though!!
Hope to hear back from you as I really am curious how many foods into this you are!
Thanks again for taking the time to comment!!
Hi to Toby 🙂
Grace
Faye Lamoree
I love mash potatoes . Mixing it with cabbage and green onions is a most try.I will fix it tomorrow for St Patty’s Day.Love trying something new.
Grace
Hi Faye! Thanks so very much for your comments! I do hope you will enjoy the recipe...would love to hear how it turns out for you! Thanks again and Happy St. Patty's Day!! :-). Grace