Colcannon is a traditional Irish dish usually served on Halloween. The name is derived from the Gaelic “cal ceann fhionn”, which translates to “White Headed Cabbage”, but it is made with green cabbage or kale.  I’ve made colcannon before, but that version was taken directly from Monica Sheridan’s “My Irish Cook Book” (now available in updated form as The Art of Irish Cooking) and was as close to the traditional Irish version Ms. Sheridan described as was possible for me to produce.

I’m calling this an Americanized version for several reasons.  First, I used both butter and olive oil in preparation, not just the milk and butter called for in traditional recipes.  Secondly, in a traditional Colcannon the cabbage or kale is boiled.  The kale in this recipe never saw liquid, it was sauteed in butter, olive oil and garlic, which is the third change from the traditional.  I’ve not yet seen a colcannon recipe that calls for garlic.

Regardless of the differences from the original, I think that this dish turned out marvelously.  It may not actually be Colcannon in the traditional sense, but it was good, satisfying and well worth the minimal amount of effort it took to produce.  It actually sparked the idea for an entirely different version, but that’s for another post…

If you haven’t already, give Colcannon a try.  I think you’ll love it even if you aren’t part Irish.

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Colcannon is something I just had to try this year. In Ireland this dish is traditionally served on Halloween. Until quite recently this was a fast day and no meat was eaten. The name of the dish is derived from the Gaelic “cal ceann fhionn”, which translates to “White Headed Cabbage.”

This is a dish that I’ve meant to try for a very long time, but seem to have managed to avoid for one reason or another. I’m sorry now that it took me so long to get around to it, as this is an intensely flavored yet supremely subtle combination that elevates both the humble potato and cabbage to levels I didn’t think either was capable of. It went perfectly with the corned beef and potatoes we traditionally have on St. Paddy’s Day, and played extremely well with a good pint of stout. It is also completely vegetarian, which is a swich from my normal offerings, though that is something I’m trying to remedy.

Colcannon is made with either kale or green cabbage. I used the cabbage on this round simply because it is obscenely inexpensive at this time of year at most stores in the U.S., whereas kale is not inexpensive at all right now in my location. It really doesn’t mater the cost any longer, though. This is something I’ll be making throughout the year from now on.

This recipe was made verbatim from My Irish Cook Book, by Monica Sheridan, printed in 1966. A reprinted and updated edition is available under the title The Art of Irish Cooking. I highly recommend this book to anyone who would like to experience Irish fare at it’s best, which is to say, home cooked and full of the love of the food itself.

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