The evening I received Abel & Cole's Mixed Organic Fruit & Vegetable Box, I got to work. How can I enjoy as many fresh vegetables as possible in one sitting?
In the back of my mind my memory sparked where I saw a specific recipe that will be apt for this occasion. Slowly I made my way upstairs and pulled out Irish Traditional Cooking from my overflowing bookcase. (I have this habit of buying a traditional cookbook of every country I visit.)
Potatoes, parsnips, cabbage and onions. Colcannon. I read the recipe. There was a problem.
Never have I met one nasty Irishman. All of the ones Iāve met have been very friendly, bubbly and enthusiastic, and talk so much that I canāt get a word in edgeways.
They have one small flaw though. Never ever ask them for directions. They might not know the answer, but will still give you directions anyway, because they really, really want to help.
When Neil told me about this habit, I didnāt believe him. Then I saw Amazing Race where a lot of Americans ended up in Timbuktu in Ireland because they stopped to ask for directions.
So when it came to recipes, the same seemed to apply. After reading it five times, I gave up. Maybe a native English speaker could help me. Neil, who is also 25% Irish, put on his best Irish accent and read it out loud for me. Afterwards, he didnāt have a clue either. I just had to wing it.
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When you have been cooking for a while and have enough experience under the belt you break free from recipes. You cook with feeling.
Feeling that you need more of this or that. You use all your senses. You also prepare dishes exactly the way you want them to.
This recipe is an example where you have to trust yourself. The quantities below are simply guidelines.
More side dish recipes
Printš Recipe
Dublin Parsnip Colcannon
- Total Time: 30 minutes
- Yield: 4 1x
Ingredients
- 450g (1 lb) parsnips
- 450g (1 lb) potatoes
- 450g (1 lb) cabbage, central rib removed and finely sliced
- 1 large onion
- 250ml (8 fl oz) milk
- 55g (2 oz) butter
- salt and freshly ground pepper
Instructions
- Peel the potatoes and parsnips, and place them in a saucepan filled with salted, boiling water. When the potatoes and parsnips are cooked, strain off the water, add the milk and mash.
- While they are cooking, bring a pot of well salted water to the boil. Cook the cabbage until the leaves are tender. Drain and set aside.
- Melt the butter in a large frying pan and fry the onions until soft and sweet. Add the cabbage and stir well to get everything thoroughly coated with butter. Add the cabbage mixture to the pot with mash and stir well.
- Season to taste. Serve immediately.
Notes
- If you are placing the Colcannon in a serving bowl, add a chunk of butter on top as a garnish.
- Traditionally the Irish use curly kale instead of cabbage.
- If you prepare your vegetables less sweet, omit the parsnips and double up on the potatoes.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 335
- Sugar: 9.7 g
- Sodium: 385 mg
- Fat: 12.6 g
- Saturated Fat: 7.4 g
- Carbohydrates: 51.2 g
- Fiber: 8.3 g
- Protein: 6.8 g
- Cholesterol: 31 mg
Shaun Edmonds
I must, as an Irishman, take umbrage at your comment "Never ever ask them for directions"! Allow me give you an example of how good we are at steering weary travellers on the road to their destination.
I once walked into a bar in Cork City, ordered a pint, and asked the barman what the best way to get to Dublin was, he thought for a moment then asked me if I was walking or driving, I replied I was indeed driving and he said "well that's definitely the best way".
Need I say more? āļø
Shaun Edmonds
Again a lovely dish but not a true Colcannon. It is usually just potatoes, butter, milk and cabbage/kale. Never onion. Now it's close cousin Champ is made with potatoes and chopped spring onions/scallions with butter and milk. š
KiwiSL
This is a scrumptious recipe! I like to vary the type of cabbage I use, sometimes sub leeks for onions and sometimes sub turnips for parsnips. Olive oil can work in place of butter and taste yummy too. But the original recipe is perfect!
Kiwi SL
I've made a lot of colcannon recipes and this is my favorite. It has just the right amount of everything! Thank you.
Susan
Amazing. The parsnips add a subtle sweetness that is irresistible with the cabbage. Will make this forever. ā£ļø
Jennifer Curcio
Iām going to try making this for the birthday dinner of an Irish priest. Praying Iām up to it. Another priest this one Italian, published a cookbook of Italian American recipes After it was on the shelves one of the ladies told him she had left a few ingredients.
Renil M. George
Dublin Parsnip Colcannon is so good for health. It's nutritious.
Caralee
I made this last night. Oh my god, it was good. It's going in the permanent recipe file. Thanks!
Michelle
Ben: This side dish will definitely fill you up.
Liz: Have you had some experience with the Irish?
lifeasamama: Most of the recipe I understood, but there were 2-3 steps that were so unspecific that left me blank.
lisaiscooking: It sure is!
Thanks for the tip, Allison. I'll never ask for directions in Japan from now on. š
Thanks, Meeta!
Jeanne: You confuse me, girl. An Irish dish served in a Scottish dinner? š
Shirley: Thank you very much for your informative comment Shirley. I won't dare to argue with you, because you definitely know what you're talking about. To be honest I was being a bit lazy with the skin thing, but if my readers are up to it, do give it a go!
Shirley
Hi from Ireland. That recipe looks very good, but I am intrigued to know how anyone could make colcannon incomprehensible? Its the easiest food to make. As you say we usually use kale if it is available and parsnips are an optional (but nice) extra.
Irish people traditionally boil the potatoes in their skins, then peel them, but it depends on the type of potatoes you are using as that way is more suited to the very 'floury' potatoes. I usually peel and cut them up then steam them, though there is something special about the flavour of potatoes boiled in their skins. When these were cooked over an open range the water would be poured off, the lid replaced and the cooked potatoes left near the heat to 'dry' and go floury.
Jeanne
Oh YUM! I am going to be making colcannon soon for a Scottish dinner - can't wait now!
Meeta
Michelle this looks absolutely delicious! Just my kind of side!
Allison
MMM that looks so good, I love colcannon!
People in Japan do the same thing with directions! I guess they mean well but its hardly helpful : )
lisaiscooking
Sounds like perfect winter comfort food!
lifeasamama
that does look so good... although you have me intrigued - how did the original directions read?
liz
ha! i know what you mean about the directions. your colcannon looks fantastic.
Ben
Oh that looks amazing. I am hungry now.