How We Survived ... Colcannon
fiveandspice
Photo by James Ransom
- Serves
- 3 or so as a main dish
- Prep Time
- 15 Minutes
- Cook Time
- 30 Minutes
When I think of a dirt cheap meal, many things come to mind (including things that make me want to get up on a high horse about how so many "cheap" foods have hidden costs and that we overvalue low cost in our society when it comes to food and blahblahblah). But one of the main thoughts that pops into my head is about the foods that poor people, you know, the "commoners," have used to survive for centuries through dry seasons or long cold winters. In much of the world, this survival food is rice and legumes, or cornmeal porridge. But for those of us from far far north, it was storage vegetables and protein sources you caught. Two of the most basic survival meals in Norway through the years were lamb and cabbage stew (actually they used to use mutton, now they use lamb), or codfish and potatoes. It's actually a little funny because these days, lamb and codfish aren't necessarily cheap. But cabbage and potatoes still are. And I nearly always have some hanging around. So I decided to combine them for a dirt cheap dinner, augmenting them with the warm flavors of garlic and peppercorns. And then as I went to serve it, I realized, Oh, I've just recreated colcannon. Ha. But a super-delicious, personalized version of colcannon. And of course, as soon as I realized this, I had to run and get some butter to add the butter eye (is that what it's called in English?). The trick to making this wonderful is to treat both the potato mashing and the cabbage cooking with great respect. I rice the potatoes instead of smashing them to keep them light. And I definitely think sautéing the cabbage is preferable to boiling (although boiling would correspond more with a lot of the food of my childhood!). It's filling enough to be a whole meal by itself and is easily doubled or even tripled. And it makes for a pretty balanced meal too. If you have any leftovers, you can make them into potato-cabbage cakes the next day. Just stir in 1 beaten egg per 1 cup leftovers. Mix just until combined, then gently form the mixture into patties. Fry in butter until golden brown on each side. Yum.
Ingredients
- 2 large Russet potatoes, peeled and cut into 2-inch pieces
- 1/2 cup whole milk or heavy cream
- 2 garlic cloves, peeled and smashed
- 1 teaspoon whole black peppercorns
- 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt, plus more
- 1/4 teaspoon sugar
- 6 tablespoon unsalted butter, divided
- 1/2 head green cabbage, thinly sliced and cut into 2½-inch strips
- 3 tablespoon chopped chives or scallions
Featured Video
"Fiveandspice's version of a classic Irish colcannon is truly a great recipe that keeps you coming back for more. The sautéed cabbage caramelized and added a nice texture and color to the mashed potatoes. I loved the garlic- and peppercorn-infused milk that mixed in with the potatoes. Filling enough to be served on its own, I paired the colcannon with a piece of grilled salmon for a delicious meal." - jvcooks
Directions
- Step 1
In a medium pot, cover the potatoes with cold water. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to medium-low; cover and simmer for 15 to 20 minutes, until the potatoes are just fork-tender. Drain.
- Step 2
Meanwhile, in a small saucepan, bring the milk, garlic, and peppercorns just to a simmer. Remove from the heat, stir in the salt and sugar, and let infuse while the potatoes cook.
- Step 3
In a large skillet over medium-high heat, melt 1 tablespoon of the butter until foaming. Cook the cabbage, stirring occasionally, until softened and starting to get nicely browned in places. Remove from the heat.
- Step 4
Cut 3 tablespoons of the butter into chunks and transfer to a large bowl. Strain the infused milk into the bowl. Using a potato ricer, rice the potatoes into the bowl and gently fold to combine with a wooden spoon. Gently stir in the cabbage and chives; season with salt.
- Step 5
Divide the colcannon among bowls. Make a little divot in the colcannon and add a pat of the remaining butter to each.