Colcannon

Ian M.

New member
Colcannon is an Irish dish that has always been my all-time favorite way to have mashed potatoes. This is my best contribution to my wife's St. Patrick's Day Dinner.


1 pound cabbage, cored, quartered and shredded
2 pounds of boiling potatoes, peeled and cut into 2-inch pieces
2 small leeks, (white and pale green parts only) washed and sliced
1 cup milk
Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
1/2 tsp. ground mace
1 stick plus 2 tbls. butter

In two separate pans, cook the cabbage and potatoes in boiling, salted water until tender, 12 to 15 minutes. Drain the cabbage and chop. Drain the potatoes and mash.
Meanwhile, in a large pan, combine the leeks and milk and cook over medium heat until the leeks are tender, 8 to 10 minutes.
Add the potatoes, salt, pepper and mace to the leeks and milk mixture and stir over low heat until well blended. Add the cabbage and 8 tbls. of butter and stir again to the consistency of mashed potatoes. Dot with remaining 2 tbls. of butter and serve immediately. Excellent with a nice corned beef brisket or a roasted ham or pork butt. :readytoeat:
 
I've always wanted to try this, Ian. I love leeks.

I might even have Mace, in my jumble of over 100 herbs and spices. But if I can't find it, what might be a good substitute?

Lee
 
Good morning Lee...That's one of those questions I always dread because I'd have to look up on a spice and herb chart what possible substitutions thee are for Mace. Right off the top of my head, I don't honestly know. Perhaps someone else does. But given about an hour or so from now and I'll have the answer and I'll come back to this spot and tell you what I find out. In the meantime - back to work. :blush:

Ian
 
Nutmeg is the best substitute for Mace, as Mace is nothing more than the net-like covering to the whole Nutmeg. The flavor is thus very similar, except for Mace having a more clove-like flavor. But they're really very easily interchangeable without changing any recipe very much.
 
Ditto, Lee. That's what our executive chef told me a short bit ago - either a corresponding amount of ground cloves or a few gratings of fresh nutmeg would suffice. Thanks, Breezy. I knew there was bound to be somebody out there who would know from experience what I simply don't always remember from textbooks! According to my boss, the only people who routinely have mace around are "ladies of the night"! :clap:

Ian
 
And frankly - I'd ALWAYS go with ground nutmeg over ground cloves. The flavor of cloves - other than in baked goods - is unappetizing to a large number of people.
 
And frankly - I'd ALWAYS go with ground nutmeg over ground cloves. The flavor of cloves - other than in baked goods - is unappetizing to a large number of people.

Oh, I definitely will go with a few grates of nutmeg! I can't stand clove!

Thanks, Ian and Breezy!

Lee
 
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