Champ

Champ (Irish Mashed Potatoes with Spring Onions)

A classic Irish comfort dish of creamy mashed potatoes blended with chopped spring onions and enriched with plenty of butter and warm milk, traditionally served with a melting well of butter in the center.

Prep

15 min

Cook

25 min

Total

40 min

Serves

4

Difficulty

Easy

Recipe ingredients

• •900 g (2 lb) floury potatoes, Golden Wonder or Maris Piper work best; russets are a close substitute
• •200 g (7 oz) spring onions, use the white and most of the green tops, finely sliced
• •150 ml (5 fl oz) whole milk, or use a mix of milk and cream for extra richness
• •80 g (⅓ cup) salted butter, divided; plus extra to serve
• •1 tsp fine sea salt, plus more for the cooking water

Steps

1. 1 Peel the potatoes and cut into roughly 3 cm (1¼ in) chunks so they cook evenly. Place in a large pot, cover with cold water, add a generous tablespoon of salt, and bring to a boil.
2. 2 Reduce the heat and simmer for 15–20 minutes, until the potatoes are very tender and a knife slides through without resistance (internal temperature about 95 °C / 203 °F). Drain well and return to the hot pot for 30 seconds to dry off.
3. 3 While the potatoes cook, gently warm the milk with 50 g (3 tbsp) of the butter in a small saucepan over low heat. Add the sliced spring onions and simmer very gently for 3–4 minutes until just softened but still bright green. Keep warm.
4. 4 Mash the potatoes using a ricer or potato masher until smooth. Pour in the warm milk, butter, and spring onion mixture and beat vigorously with a wooden spoon for 1–2 minutes until light and fluffy. Taste and adjust salt.
5. 5 Pile the champ into 4 warmed bowls. Use the back of a spoon to make a well in the center of each and place a generous knob (about 1 tbsp) of the remaining butter into each well. Serve immediately so the butter melts into the potatoes.