Colcannon

This is another version of cabbage and mashed potato. As Rumbledethumps is Scottish, I must pay homage to the Irish side of my heritage and share with you a Colcannon recipe.

COLCANNON

1.8kg/4 lbs potatoes, or about 8 large potatoes, floury type, baking potatoes are best

1 green cabbage, Savoy works well, but just use a half (or Kale), shredded
7 fl oz/ 240 ml/ 1 cup milk (or cream if you're feeling too thin that day)
4-5 spring onions (scallions or green onions), finely chopped
Salt and Pepper
Fresh Parsley or chives to garnish
4oz, 120g butter, divided into three parts

Peel and boil the potatoes.

Remove the core from the cabbage, slice it thinly, and plunge into enough boiling water to cover. Keep at a slow rolling boil until the cabbage is just wilted and has turned a darker green. 3-5 minutes. As with all cabbage recipes, DO NO OVERCOOK! If anything, it should be slightly undercooked.

When the cabbage is cooked, drain it well, squeeze to get any excess moisture out, then return to the saucepan. Add one third of the butter and cover. Leave it covered and in a warm place, with the butter melting into it while you continue.

When the potatoes are soft, drain and return them to the saucepan, to a low heat, leaving the lid off to dry the potatoes. When they are quite dry, add the milk to the saucepan along with a third of the butter and the chopped spring onions.

Allow the milk to warm through. Mash the potatoes thoroughly into the butter/milk mixture. That's mash, not cream or whip. (Yuck!)

Mix the cabbage thoroughly through the mashed potato. Season with a little salt and freshly ground pepper (cabbage seems to cry out for freshley ground black pepper, in my opinion!) and sprinkle with fresh parsley or chives. But here's the best bit: make a well in the centre of the mound of potato and put the last third of the butter in there to melt. Serve immediately. Put on 2 pounds. It goes beautifully with vegie sausages. I can imagine it going well with bacon or lamb chops.

Now, some people like to crisp this mixture up in the oven. I don't. I like this recipe to be creamy and melt-in-the-mouth. But it's entirely up to you!

Oh dear, I am going to HAVE to cook this for dinner tonight!