Colcannon With Crispy Leeks

Name: Colcannon With Crispy Leeks
Total time: 45 min
Yield: 4 servings
Cuisine: irish
Ingredients: 2 pounds any kind of potatoes, peeled if you like, cut into 2-inch chunks; Kosher salt and black pepper; 2 to 3 tablespoons butter, plus more as needed; Olive oil; 1 cup sliced leeks or alliums of choice (shallots, onions, scallions); 2 garlic cloves, sliced; 2 quarts of sliced sturdy greens (cabbage or kale, broccoli rabe, chard, collard greens or mustard greens); 2 to 4 tablespoons milk or vegetable broth (optional); Fried egg, smoked salmon, or a simple green salad (optional)

By Melissa Clark

Published Sept. 22, 2020

Colcannon With Crispy Leeks — David Malosh for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Simon Andrews.

Total Time: 45 minutes
Rating: 4(1,112)
Comments: Read comments

An Irish dish of mashed potatoes and greens, colcannon is one of the most nourishing, comforting dishes you could make. The fried leeks aren’t traditional: Usually, the alliums are stewed more slowly in butter, if they’re used at all. But they lend a deeper flavor, and a crisp, savory finish. For a full meal, crown it with a fried egg or some smoked salmon, or serve a simple green salad on the side. (This recipe is part of the From the Pantry series, started in the days after the coronavirus lockdown.)

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Ingredients

Yield:4 servings

2pounds any kind of potatoes, peeled if you like, cut into 2-inch chunks
Kosher salt and black pepper
2 to 3tablespoons butter, plus more as needed
Olive oil
1cup sliced leeks or alliums of choice (shallots, onions, scallions)
2garlic cloves, sliced
2quarts of sliced sturdy greens (cabbage or kale, broccoli rabe, chard, collard greens or mustard greens)
2 to 4tablespoons milk or vegetable broth (optional)
Fried egg, smoked salmon, or a simple green salad (optional)

Ingredient Substitution Guide

Preparation

Step 1
In a medium pot, combine the potatoes with enough water to cover them by 2 inches and a large pinch of salt. Boil until tender enough to easily pierce with a fork, 15 to 25 minutes. Drain.
Step 2
Meanwhile, in a large skillet, melt butter, along with a drizzle of oil, then add leeks and a pinch of salt. Sauté over medium heat for 5 or so minutes. When the leeks are golden, spoon some out onto a plate to use for garnish.
Step 3
To the leeks in the pan, add the garlic cloves, and cook them for a minute until fragrant. Then, toss in the greens. Season with more salt and cook, tossing them, until the greens are wilted and very tender. If the pan looks dry, add a splash of water.
Step 4
Now add the potatoes to the skillet and mash them (so they’re either smooth or chunky), and add some milk or vegetable broth, if you like, and a lot of butter. Taste, and add more salt and lots of pepper. Scatter on the fried leeks and more butter to melt in little pools across the top.
Step 5
Top with a fried egg or some smoked salmon, or serve a simple green salad on the side.

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Ratings

4 out of 5

1,112 user ratings

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Comments

gf5 years ago

Traditionally this is made with just cabbage and potatoes if colcannon, although kale is also used. Champ is made with potatoes and scallions. Usually white pepper is used to season it, not black pepper. Use real butter.

Rosalie5 years ago

I've made this using Yukon Gold potatoes, boiled then sauteed-shredded cabbage in a combo of oil & butter, chopped cooked ham and scallions. Of course, I added warm milk and butter to make the potatoes smooth. Altogether a wonderful dish. (But anytime mashed potatoes are involved, it's wonderful).

hl5 years ago

Thank you so much for including all the possible "aliums of choice" here. I rarely have leeks, or shallots, or scallions for that matter, on hand, but my kitchen without even a single onion would be almost impossible to consider! Yes, I know that there are differences in the final results but, for most recipes, the substitutions among these are not a problem. I am saddened when I see comments from people who aren't trying a recipe because they don't have exactly the "right" one of these.

Ann ONeill2 weeks ago

My first exposure to Colcannon was video of a woman in Ireland who made it with potatoes she grew, cabbage and cubed/shredded Irish bacon (which is more like ham in the US.) As a result I’ve always made it that way (including today, for Easter) but have never seen another recipe that calls for any ham product. My problem in Massachusetts is that Irish bacon is impossible to find so I usually buy a small smoked or Black Forest ham and cube it after heating it up. In my opinion American bacon wouldn’t really work as it’s too salty and is the “wrong” texture for the dish. While I’m an advocate of preparing a recipe as it’s given, especially if it’s mine lol, I invite everyone to try it once with some form of smoked ham. Extra flavor; extra protein.

Curious1 month ago

2 quarts of greens? Who ever measures green in quarts? I boil the potatoes and greens, usually cabbage, together, drain, and mash with milk and butter. No need fire extra pots and pans to wash.

Elizabeth P1 month ago

Absolutely delicious. I gilded the lily a bit and started frying off bacon before the leeks, saved it and some of the fried leeks to top the dish, and threw in half a bag of spinach as well as the cabbage. Subbed heavy cream for milk. Truly phenomenal.

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