Colcannon

Colcannon

Classic Irish colcannon: buttery mashed potatoes folded with tender kale and scallions, served with a well of melting butter in the center. A humble staple especially associated with Halloween in Ireland, traditionally made with cabbage or kale.

Prep

15 min

Cook

25 min

Total

40 min

Serves

4

Difficulty

Easy

Recipe ingredients

• •900 g (2 lb) potatoes, floury, e.g. Russet or Maris Piper
• •200 g (7 oz) kale, curly or cavolo nero, stems removed
• •120 ml (½ cup) whole milk
• •75 g (⅓ cup) unsalted butter, divided: 50 g for mash, 25 g for serving
• •4 scallions scallions, spring onions, finely sliced, white and green parts
• •5 g (1 tsp) salt, for boiling water, plus to taste
• •1 g (¼ tsp) black pepper, freshly ground

Steps

1. 1 Peel the potatoes and cut into roughly 2.5 cm (1 in) chunks so they cook evenly.
2. 2 Place potatoes in a large pot, cover with cold water, add 1 tsp salt, and bring to a boil. Simmer 15–18 minutes until a knife slides into a chunk with no resistance; do not undercook or the mash will be lumpy.
3. 3 While potatoes cook, bring a separate pot of salted water to a boil. Add the kale and blanch for 3 minutes until wilted and tender but still bright green. Drain, squeeze out excess water, and finely chop.
4. 4 Warm the milk and 50 g butter together in a small saucepan over low heat until the butter melts; keep warm.
5. 5 Drain the potatoes thoroughly and return them to the hot pot. Place over low heat for 30 seconds to dry off any remaining moisture, then mash until smooth.
6. 6 Pour the warm milk and butter mixture over the potatoes and beat in with a wooden spoon until creamy and fluffy. Season with salt and black pepper to taste.
7. 7 Stir the chopped kale and sliced scallions through the mash until evenly distributed; cook together for 1–2 minutes so the greens warm through.
8. 8 Transfer to a warm serving bowl. Use the back of a spoon to make a deep well in the center and fill it with the remaining 25 g butter so it slowly melts into a golden pool. Serve immediately.