Description
Colcannon is a traditional Irish dish made with mashed potatoes, cabbage, and bacon.
Ingredients
Scale
- 5 pounds Yukon gold potatoes (peeled)
- 1 medium yellow onion
- 1 tablespoon garlic (smashed and minced, about 4 cloves)
- 1/2 cup butter (1 stick)
- 1 8-ounce package cream cheese
- 2 tablespoons Better Than Bouillon Chicken Base
- 1 teaspoon Lawry’s seasoning salt (or up to 2 teaspoons)
- 1/2 teaspoon freshly cracked black pepper
- 12 ounces bacon (save the bacon grease!)
- half head medium green cabbage
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 large leek (or 2 small)
- 1/2 cup green onions
- green onions (chopped, to garnish)
- parsley (chopped, to garnish)
Instructions
- Start with the potatoes: Peel 5 pounds Yukon gold potatoes. Chop into even 2 inch pieces. Add the potatoes to a 6 quart soup pot.
- Cover with water.
- Chop 1 medium yellow onion. Add the onion to the pot of potatoes.
- Smash and mince about 4 garlic cloves. You need about 1 tablespoon. Add the garlic to the potatoes.
- Cover with a lid and set over high heat. Stick around to make sure it doesn’t boil over.
- When the potatoes, onions, and garlic come to a boil, turn the heat down to medium. Continue to simmer over medium heat for about 15-20 minutes, until you can fork through a potato with almost no effort.
- Meanwhile, make the bacon: In a 12 inch skillet, lay out 12 ounces of bacon in a single layer. Heat over medium heat for about 4 minutes, then flip each piece to cook the other side. Continue cooking for another 3-5 minutes, until the bacon is crisp and cooked through. Remove the bacon to a paper-towel lined plate. Leave the bacon grease in the pan, and remove the pan from the heat if your cabbage isn’t chopped yet.
- While the bacon cooks, prep the veggies. Chop your green cabbage in half. Slice the half in half, and remove the core. Slice the cabbage into long strips, then chop the other way, into bite size pieces.
- Heat the bacon grease in the pan over medium heat. When it is hot, add all the chopped cabbage. It’s a lot! Pile it on!
- Add 1 teaspoon kosher salt to the cabbage. Saute the cabbage for about 5 minutes.
- Meanwhile, cut the green parts off of one large leek, or two small ones. Chop off the roots. Slice the leek in half lengthwise. Run the split leek under the faucet, moving the layers around to get all the dirt out.
- Chop the clean leeks. Add leeks to the cabbage in the pan after the cabbage has cooked about 5 minutes.
- Chop 1/2 cup green onions. Add to the pan when there is about 1 minute of time left to cook the cabbage. The cabbage is done when it is soft and wilted.
- Remove the pan from the heat when the cabbage is as cooked as you like it. Set aside.
- When the potatoes are fork tender, drain the potatoes. Make sure most of the water is drained from the potatoes.
- Add 1 stick of butter and an 8 ounce package of cream cheese to the pot with the potatoes and onions.
- Add 2 tablespoons Better Than Bouillon Chicken Base, 1 teaspoon Lawry’s seasoning salt, and 1/2 teaspoon black pepper to the potatoes.
- Use a hand mixer to beat the potatoes for a minute or two, until they are not-quite smooth.
- Fold the cabbage and leek mixture into the potatoes. Taste it and adjust seasoning.
- Chop the bacon.
- Sprinkle the bacon over the top of the Colcannon and fold in slightly, or reserve it for individual servings to keep it crispy.
- Serve Colcannon with Irish Beef Stew, Corned Beef, or Smothered Pork Chops.
Notes
- Colcannon pairs well with grilled sausages and a side of green beans or asparagus.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Category: Side Dish
- Method: Boiling and Sautéing
- Cuisine: Irish
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cup
- Calories: 411
- Sugar: 2 g
- Sodium: 800 mg
- Fat: 23 g
- Saturated Fat: 10 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 11 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 43 g
- Fiber: 4 g
- Protein: 9 g
- Cholesterol: 40 mg
Keywords: Colcannon, Irish, Potatoes, Cabbage, Bacon