Introduction: Colcannon (Mashed Potatoes and Cabbage or Kale)

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About: I'm 24 years old from Boise, Idaho, and love to build things. I spent 4 years in the Marine Corps as an Infantry Fireteam Leader and am now going to Boise State studying business. I see things and can't wait t…

I've been absent from the site for a while and decided what better time to make my second step-by-step than the Potato Challenge! Being 5th generation Idahoan, I couldn't pass up the opportunity to make something with potatoes. Believe it or not, not all Idahoans are potato farmers, in fact, most of it is done in the eastern part of the state, and I am from Boise, but I am growing some and do quite enjoy eating them. Colcannon is a recipe I came across which, to me, is a fancy way to make mashed potatoes. I made enough for two hearty portions, and the ingredients listed will reflect this. You will need: 

Potatoes - I used five medium sized potatoes, it is best to use non-waxy types, like Russet Burbanks.
Kale - One stick (i guess that's the correct term) OR one cabbage, but I do not care for cabbage so I went with kale.
Milk - One-half Cup. I used 2%, and cream would work too.
Butter - One-half Stick, cut into thirds (each third would be 1/6 of the stick of you prefer to measure that way. 
Scallions - Two to Three will work, hang on to the greens, we will use those too. Instead of the greens, you could use chives or parsley.




Step 1: Step One - Potatoes

Wash, peel, and rinse the potatoes, then put into a pot and boil until the become soft, all we are doing at this point is making mashed potatoes. While these cook, you can begin everything else. 

Step 2: Step Two - Kale

I only used half of one leaf because I didn't want it too overwhelming, but ideally you would use one whole stick (?) of kale. Chop it up really well and put it into a saucepan. I chose this larger pot-type-thing so I could use it when mixing everything. Boil until it begins to wilt, and remove from heat, drain, and return. Ad a third of your butter (1/6 stick) and leave off heat, but somewhere warm, allowing butter to slowly melt. If you chose to use cabbage, the steps are pretty much the same.  

Step 3: Step Three - Mash the Potatoes

By now the potatoes should be getting soft. When they are mashable, drain them and return them to the pot you boiled them in. Leave the heat on low so the water all evaporates. Add the half cup milk, and another third of the butter (1/6 of a stick) and begin to mash the potatoes, mixing in the milk and butter as you go. You will be left with a nice creamy batch of mashed potatoes. I leave mine a little chunky, but that is just personal preference. 

Step 4: Step Four - Start Mixing Things Together

Chop up some scallions and put them into your mashed potato mix. Also chop up the greens from the scallions (I used one 'green') and put them into the mix as well. If you are using chives or parsley, chop that into the mix instead of the scallion greens. Scoop this mix into the pan/pot with the kale and butter in it and begin to mix. 

Step 5: Step Five - Make It Look Pretty

Serve it however you wish. Since I was eating it myself, I just scooped it into a bowl and made a little crater in the middle, which is where the last third (1/6 of a stick) of butter goes. It should melt, making the Colcannon full of buttery goodness. This is also the most common way it seems to be served (according to google images). If you are unsure if yours looks ok (if you modified the recipe) just search google images and see the wide variety of Colcannon people have made. Lastly, ENJOY!

One final note: I hate wasting food and scraps, but we simply cannot use them up before they go bad. I HIGHLY recommend composting them.