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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I enjoy fusion cuisine. Some of the best combinations of flavors and textures I have ever eaten have come as the result of taking the flavors of one culture and the techniques of another to form something extremely unique and ultimately satisfying. This is one of those dishes.

Cabbage “purses” are a traditional Greek food, usually stuffed with lamb, veal or some other protein and served as a side dish. For this recipe I took a very Mediterranean method and paired it with a couple of Irish classics, colcannon and parsley sauce. While these are not things I’ve ever seen done together, the end result was truly amazing. The flavors were delicate and subtle, but more than satisfying enough to be filling and I think this would pair nicely with lamb, beef, venison, veal or even a full bodied fish, if it is suited to the sauce.

A bit of warning. These are a bit tricky to make and are extremely fragile, but well worth the effort in the end if you are so inclined!

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