The BEST Present! ~ COLCANNON

Whats the best present you can give an Irish Virgo?  One who celebrates Saint Patrick's Day all month!

56 pounds of locally grown, BIG potatoes.  EARLY.  Of course! 

These were harvested on my birthday last September by my favorite farmers and their recently purchased 100 year old vintage Maine potato picker. (considered a newer piece of equipment by Vermont standards..) 

We will be making Colcannon by the bucket every day during my favorite month of the year!

Don't know what Colcannon is ?

You are really missing out!!!

Please try making it to celebrate spring!  Its so simple, even I can do it!

Colcannon is a favorite Irish recipe and a particular St Patrick's Day favorite. As you can see from this Colcannon recipe, it is quick, easy and simple to make.

Colcannon was traditionally used for predicting marriage on Halloween. Charms were hidden in the Colcannon and any unmarried girl who found one would place socks with spoonfuls of Colcannon and the charms on their front door handle. The first man to enter the house was their intended.

We make ours with turnip and carrots in the winter and parsnips in the spring (right out of my Irish garden).
When my kale comes up in May, we will be using that as well.  Sometimes I sprinkle some cheddar cheese or sour cream in too. Best to use local or Irish Butter. I also use raw milk from the local Jersey herd too.  Big difference in taste when its all fresh and local!

Some families like to bake their Colcannon.   So many ways to make the same delicious dish.

There are lots of recipes for Colcannon online, but here are a few of the more popular ones:

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 25 minutes

Total Time: 35 minutes

Ingredients:

• 1lb 6oz/675g potatoes, peeled and quartered
• 4oz/100g curly kale, chopped (or Spring cabbage if kale not available))
• 1/2 cup scallions/spring onions, roughly chopped
• 1/4 cup scallions/spring onions, finely chopped
• 1 stick of Irish butter
• salt and pepper

Preparation:

• Simmer the potatoes in lightly salted water until cooked - when pierced with a sharp knife the potato is soft in the middle.
• Blanch the curly kale in boiling water for one minute. Drain and reserve.
• Chop half of the spring onions roughly and the other half finely. Add the roughly chopped scallions/spring onions to the drained kale and pulse in a blender for 10 seconds.
• Drain the potatoes and add the butter. When the butter has melted, mash the potatoes until smooth and creamy. Add the kale mixture and mix.
• Finally, add the finely chopped scallions/spring onions and season to taste.

"While this recipe is good, with an Irish family, we ALWAYS have to have Corned Beeef and Cabbage along with true Irish colcannon which is potatoes, onions and parsnips boiled together (and occasionally carrots) then mashed together with butter.....good anytime."

Baked Colcannon Prep Time: 20 Minutes Cook Time: 1 Hour 10 Minutes Ready In: 1 Hour 30 Minutes Servings: 8

"A tasty cabbage and potato colcannon is enriched with sour cream and butter, then baked until hot and topped with melted Cheddar cheese. Make it as a side or a meal."

Ingredients:

3 potatoes, peeled and quartered 1 pinch salt 6 tablespoons butter, cut into small chunks 1/2 cup sour cream 1 egg 1 tablespoon milk, or as needed

1 teaspoon butter, or as needed 3 cups shredded cabbage 2 leeks, chopped 1 small onion, chopped 2 cubes chicken bouillon 1/2 cup shredded Cheddar cheese

Directions:

1.	Place the potatoes into a large pot and cover with salted water. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer until tender, about 20 minutes. Drain and allow to steam dry for a minute or two. Season the potatoes with salt, and mash with 6 tablespoons of butter, sour cream, egg, and milk.
2.	Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease a 2-quart casserole.
3.	Heat 1 teaspoon butter in a skillet over medium heat, and cook and stir the cabbage, leeks, and onion until the cabbage is tender and the onion is translucent, about 10 minutes. Crush 2 bouillon cubes into the cabbage mixture, and stir to blend and dissolve the cubes. Stir the cabbage mixture into the potato mixture until thoroughly mixed, and spoon into the prepared casserole.
4.	Bake in the preheated oven for 40 minutes; top with Cheddar cheese, and return to oven until the cheese melts, about 10 minutes.

Here is another recipe on a bag of potatoes

The song "Colcannon", also called "The Skillet Pot", is a traditional Irish song that has been recorded by many artists, including Mary Black.   It begins:

"Did you ever eat Colcannon, made from lovely pickled cream?
With the greens and scallions mingled like a picture in a dream.
Did you ever make a hole on top to hold the melting flake
Of the creamy, flavoured butter that your mother used to make?"

The chorus:

"Yes you did, so you did, so did he and so did I.
And the more I think about it sure the nearer I'm to cry.
Oh, wasn't it the happy days when troubles we had not,
And our mothers made Colcannon in the little skillet pot."

Now you all know more about Colcannon than you ever thought possible.

So what do you think ?  Gonna try it ?