Colcannon mashed potatoes are an Irish dish traditionally made with cabbage or kale (“colcannon” is the Gaelic word for “cabbage”), but I prefer to think of them as mashers with something Kelly green in them.
My version of Colcannon mashers is made with Yukon Gold potatoes, a firm-fleshed, sweet-tasting potato perfect for a purée, sour cream and Irish butter, which is higher in butterfat than most American butters and makes for a more luxuriant, less watery mash.
I like to add, at the last minute, a combination of thinly sliced scallions and finely chopped parsley which makes the mashers pop and adds a lively green hue to the potatoes.
At Argyll, we serve this puréee with our housemade sausages and a Guinness jus, but it works just as well as an accompaniment to a grilled pork chop or a steak.
Note: Drying the potatoes on the stovetop after they’re drained makes for a denser, more flavorful mashed potato.
Colcannon mashed potatoes
Ingredients
6 medium Yukon Gold Potatoes, peeled and cut into 1-inch chunks
¼ pound Irish butter, softened
¼ cup sour cream
½ cup thinly sliced green onions
3 tablespoons finely chopped parsley
Salt and freshly ground pepper
Directions
Place the potatoes in a medium-size pot and add water just to cover. Add a large pinch of salt and bring to a simmer over medium heat. Cook until potatoes are very tender, about 25-30 minutes.
Drain the potatoes well and return to the pot for about 5 minutes, stirring often.
Place the potatoes through a potato ricer and stir in the butter, followed by the sour cream. Fold in the green onions and chopped parsley and season with additional salt and a dash of pepper. Serve immediately.
