Avoid the crowds: Cook up a St. Patty's Day colcannon (Video)

Have you ever had colcannon?

A St. Patrick’s Day favorite, it’s a mixture of creamy mashed potatoes with kale or cabbage. It would be fun to make this for your family, where you can have your own St. Patrick's Day celebration at dinner time. This is a delicious side dish and a traditional St. Patty's Day favorite. It only takes about 10 minutes to prepare, and the cooking time is 25 minutes for this side dish.

You can make colcannon while your pot of Irish stew cooks. Check out the video for the ingredients and directions for the Irish stew. If you want to make the Irish stew vegetarian, just use vegetarian meat substitutes and vegetable broth.

Colcannon is so popular that there is a traditional Irish song that has been recorded by many artists.

The colcannon song:

"Did you ever eat Colcannon, made from lovely pickled cream?

St. Patty's Day colcannon

Photo credit: 

www.simplyrecipes.com

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, flavored 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."

St. Patrick's Day colcannon (4 servings)

Ingredients:

4 large russet potatoes, peeled and cut into large chunks

• 6 tablespoons of unsalted butter plus extra for serving
• 3 cups of chopped kale or cabbage
• 3 green onions, minced
• 1 cup of cream or milk
• 2 tablespoons of salt plus extra for taste

Method;

1. Put the potatoes in a large pot and cover with cold water an inch above the potatoes.
2. Add 2 tablespoons of salt and bring to a boil.
3. Boil for 15 minutes, until the potatoes are tender, and drain in a colander.
4. Put the butter into the same pot, and melt on the stove at medium high heat.
5. When the butter is melted, add the chopped kale and cook for 3 minutes, or until the kale wilts and some of the water has evaporated.
6. Add the green onions and cook 1 more minute.
7. Pour in the cream, mix well, and add the potatoes.
8. Reduce the heat to medium, and mash the potatoes mixing them with the kale.
9. Add salt to taste and serve hot, with a dollop of butter in the center.