Colcannon

Colcannon is a traditional Irish dish.  Traditionally, it was served around Halloween, with coin prizes hidden within the dish.  Obviously for sanitary reasons, it hasn't been kept up!  It's an easy dish to make, albeit time consuming, especially when you have a highly energetic toddler running around!  It is, in it's simplest fashion, literally mashed potatoes, cabbage (or kale), salt and pepper.  However, you can add pretty much ANYTHING to this dish.  Scallions, leeks, chives, garlic, onions, parsnips, carrots, bacon, ham, rashers just to name a few!  I made mine with onions and carrots.  That way I can get ANOTHER serving of vegetables out to my family, and if the baby is not fond of one thing (ie:  the cabbage)  he can pick out the carrots instead.  You can eat this as a main course, or you can use it as a side, like mashed potatoes.  This will be served on the side of Pork Chops with Apple Slices, which I will post a recipe for later.

Yields 6 Servings

Ingredients:

• 2 lbs potatoes
• 1 small head of cabbage, chopped with white core removed
• 1 cup baby carrots, sliced in quarters length-wise
• 1 medium-sized onion, chopped
• 1 -- 1 1/2 cups of milk (approximate measurement)
• salt and pepper, to taste
• approximately 6 Tbsp butter

Directions:

1.  Scrub and boil the potatoes in a pot of salted water for 30 minutes, until done.
2. Cook cabbage in a small amount of boiling water for 6 minutes.  You want the cabbage tender,  but not limp and soggy.
3. In another small pot, boil the carrots until just tender.
4. Melt 1-2 Tbsp in a small pan, and add onions, sweat until just tender.
5. Drain potatoes, peel outer skin and mash.  (I used a hand-masher, so you still have SOME lumps)
6.  Add warmed milk and continue to mash, until desired consistency.  
7. Add cabbage, carrots and onions and mix well.  Season with salt and pepper and serve hot with a well of butter in the middle!