Get festive this Halloween season for adults and kids alike with this cozy meal steeped in Irish tradition. Every bite of pillowy mashed potatoes is hand-dipped in a pool of melted butter and perfectly contrasted with toothsome scallions and bits of kale. Forget the candy -- everyone will be reaching for this dish instead!
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Samhain, a Celtic holiday now known as Halloween, is arguably one of the most magical times in the country. Celebrated on October 31st, Samhain marks the end of the Celtic New Year, the end of the harvest, and the beginning of Winter, a season associated with death.
But this holiday is anything but morbid and gloomy! Rather, the Celts believed that October 31st was the day the living and the dead were closest to one another, and so it is a day that honors deceased loved ones -- think of it as the Irish version of Mexico's Dios de los Muertos (Day of the Dead). Some Samhain activities include dancing, preparing and feasting on delicious food with family, and gourd carving (what we know as Jack-O-Lanterns today) to keep any unfamiliar spirits at bay.
What is Colcannon?
Along with barmbrack, colcannon is a dish primarily prepared during the Fall, and is a key dish served on Samhain (Halloween). Given that October 31st is also the Celtic New Year, both colcannon and barmbrack possess divination elements that predict your fortune over the coming year. A ring, button, thimble, and coin are all hidden in a dish of colcannon, and guests (carefully!!) either sift through or lightly chew until all items have been found. (Note: if you have kids, we would advise to NOT include these objects and omit the risk of a choking hazard altogether).
The significance of the divination items are as follows:
- Ring -- marriage
- Button -- bachelorhood
- Thimble -- spinsterhood
- Coin (washed before adding) -- wealth
How to Make Colcannon
Colcannon is Ireland's version of mashed potatoes, comprised of floury potatoes that are peeled and mashed and flavored with whole milk, butter, scallions, and kale.
Reasons to Make this Recipe Today
- A fun way to honor Halloween -- Ireland is the birthplace of Halloween, so whipping up some colcannon alongside a loaf of barmbrack is the ideal way to celebrate!
- A familiar favorite -- colcannon is simply the Irish version of mashed potatoes, so everyone will already be familiar with this popular side.
- Fun for family and friends -- colcannon is a communal dish where everyone dips their potatoes in the buttery center, so eating it is messy and fun! Additionally, Irish lore can turn colcannon into a fortune-telling game with the inclusion of a few non-edible items. Play with family and friends to see what this next year has in store for you all!
- Feed a crowd in under an hour -- from when you peel your first potato to plating the final dish, this dish is so simple and requires minimal ingredients and prep time.
- Cozy carbs -- who wouldn't want to eat a warm, comforting mound of mashed potatoes on a crisp autumn night?
Ingredients
You probably already have everything you need on hand to whip up this dish! This recipe includes:
Russet potatoes -- using floury potatoes like Russets make for the best mashed potatoes due to their high starch content. However, feel free to use Yukon golds or even red potatoes if that's what you have on hand.
Curly kale -- authentic colcannon is made with kale, not cabbage as commonly seen in the United States.
Scallions -- scallions help cut through the richness of both the buttered potatoes so you can keep piling more onto your plate.
Butter -- don't just serve a pat of butter in the center! Melt it down completely so each bite of potato can be lovingly enveloped.
Salt and pepper -- to taste
Minced garlic (Optional) -- garlic wasn't available in traditional Irish recipes, but you can add minced garlic to the potato pot for some added flavor.
Tips for Success
- Keep it simple. Traditional Irish food was all about using what little food was on hand during times of hardship, so ingredients were carefully selected for their full textural and flavor profiles.
- Make sure to strip the kale from the center "spine" of each leaf before boiling.
Detailed Preparation Instructions
Add potatoes to a large pot and cover with water. Stir in the garlic and salt and bring to a boil. Cook the potatoes until tender, 10-15 minutes. Drain and set aside.
While the potatoes cook, fill a second pot with boiling water from an electric kettle. Stir in the kale and a pinch of salt. Reduce the heat and simmer the kale until dark green and tender, 10 minutes. Drain and set aside.
In a small saucepan, heat the milk, 2 tablespoons of butter, and salt over medium-low heat. When the butter melts completely and the milk starts to bubble around the edges, stir in the scallions. Remove from heat.
Alternate between mashing the potatoes with a potato masher and streaming in the butter mixture a little at a time. Stir in the kale and season to taste with salt and pepper. Scoop into a serving dish.
Make a shallow well in the center with the back of a spoon for the melted butter.
Melt the remaining butter in the microwave and pour into the middle, forming a pool of butter for dipping. Serve immediately.
Storage and Reheating Instructions
To store, let potatoes cool completely before storing in either an airtight container or Ziploc bag and refrigerating for up to 5 days.
To reheat, add a bit of water to the potatoes and place in a microwave-safe bowl and cover. Microwave on high for 90 seconds, stir, and cover again before microwaving for another 60-90 seconds until potatoes are hot. Add butter to a separate microwave-safe dish and melt completely (usually 10-15 seconds). Make a well in the plate of potatoes and pour the melted butter directly into it.
You can also reheat on the stovetop much the same way as the above method. Add a bit of water directly to the potatoes in a frying pan, turn the heat to medium-low, and gently warm the potatoes until hot. Transfer the potatoes to a plate and add the butter to the now-empty pan. As the butter melts completely in the pan, make a well in the center of the potatoes and pour the butter straight in.
Traditional Colcannon
Equipment
- 1 cutting board
- 1 chef's knife
- 1 colander
- 2 large pots
- 1 small saucepan
- 2 wooden spatulas
- 1 potato peeler
Ingredients
Colcannon Ingredients
- 5 pounds Russet potatoes, peeled and cut into 1 inch cubes
- 1.5 cups whole milk
- 6 tablespoons butter, divided
- 2 bunches curly kale, stripped and roughly chopped
- 2 bunches scallions, chopped green parts only
- 1 pinch salt and pepper, to taste
- 3 cloves minced garlic optional
Optional Add-ins (see post for more info)
- 1 ring symbolizing marriage
- 1 button symbolizing bachelorhood
- 1 thimble symbolizing spinsterhood
- 1 coin, washed symbolizing wealth
Instructions
For the Potatoes
- Add potatoes to a large pot and fill with enough water to cover. Add salt and garlic, stir, and bring to a boil. Cook the potatoes until tender, 10-15 minutes. Drain and set the entire pot aside.
For the Kale
- Bring an electric kettle full of water to the boil and add to a second pot with a pinch of salt. Rinse the kale and add to the pot. Reduce the heat and simmer the kale until tender, 10-15 minutes. Drain and set aside.
For the butter mixture
- In a small saucepan, mix the milk, 2 tablespoons of butter, and salt over medium-low heat. When the butter fully melts and the milk starts to bubble around the edge, stir in the chopped scallions.
Colcannon Assembly
- Mash the potatoes with a potato masher. Stir in the butter mixture until potatoes are creamy and homogenous. Stir in the chopped kale, and season to taste with salt and pepper.
- Scoop the colcannon onto a large platter and make a well in the center. Melt the remaining butter completely in the microwave (10-15 seconds) and pour into the well.
- Optional: hide the thimble, ring, button, and coin among the colcannon to partake in the fortune-telling tradition -- just be sure to warn your guests first!
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