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Halloween dinner fills kids up before trick-or-treating or parties
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Irish Colcannon is a hearty dish to start Halloween night off right.
Before the kids go out to Halloween parties or trick-or-treating, serve up some buttery good veggies. A good dinner before the festivities keeps blood sugars where they should be and may balance out a candy-filled night. A traditional dish perfect for this night originated in Ireland. Colcannon is the combination of green cabbage, onions and mashed potatoes. It's a sharp contrast to the sweets to come.
In Celtic days, Oct. 31 was the eve of Samhain, which brought the first day of cold and barren winter. In ancient times, the transition from autumn to winter included the return of the souls of the departed to the warmth and light they remembered from living days. In Ireland, it was thought that on that night fairies ventured forth. According to Food Timeline, the word colcannon is from the Gaelic "cal ceannann," which literally means white-headed cabbage. However, the "cannon" part of the name might be a derivative of the old Irish "cainnenn," translated variously as garlic or onion.
COLCANNON
1 lb green cabbage, chopped
1 clove garlic, minced (optional)
Cooking spray, butter or oil to saute in
1 1/2 lb hot mashed potatoes (can be made ahead and re-heated in a Dutch oven)
2T onion, chopped
Milk, as needed
Salt
2T butter
Cook the cabbage and garlic (if using) in a non-stick skillet sprayed with cooking oil or butter until tender but still crisp. Mix it with the mashed potatoes in a Dutch oven. Add onion and as much milk as necessary to make the mixture smooth and firm. Add salt and pepper as desired.
In a large skillet, melt the butter. Add the cabbage-potato mixture and "fry," turning when edges get crispy.
You can also add extra butter on top and place under the broiler for an even crispier dish.
Colcannon is delicious as a side to sausage, roast, pork chops or pork loin.
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