cabbage meal #2 - colcannon

I've got Irish in me blood (along with Majorcan, American Indian, English, and who knows what else), so my starchy potato side likes to shine through on occasion.

And I needed to use up some more of that dratted cabbage, so I went back in my mind to something I last made in 2002 but that we really loved: Colcannon. It's got potatoes. It's got cabbage (or you can use kale if you've got some of that lyin' around). Perfect.

My inspiration came from Extending the Table: A World Community Cookbook. It's a Mennonite book (though I'm not Mennonite) and full of great recipes and heart-warming stories. Have you heard of More with Less? I've got that one, too, and these sister cookbooks are amazing. You've got to get them for yourselves. You've just got to. (And the fact that they are both ring-bound and open easily and STAY open just adds to their mystique and attraction for me.)

OK, here's the recipe:

Shred 1 lb. (500 g) cabbage or kale, place in a pan with a little water and boil till crisp-tender (5 or 10 minutes). Drain well and liquefy in blender (though my blender did NOT liquefy that stuff and I had to drag my food processor out as well - hence all the dishes, and if you do not have a dishwasher, do not even attempt this recipe).

Now boil separately until soft: 1 lb. (500 g) potatoes, peeled and diced.

In (yet) another saucepan, cook about 10 minutes: 2 small leeks or onions, or 6 green onions with tops, chopped, and 1/2 cup (125 ml) milk or cream (I used my toddler's full-fat milk, and he didn't seem to mind).

Mash the potatoes, then season with 1/4 t. (1 ml) salt (though I use more), 1/8 t. (.5 ml) pepper, and 1/8 t. (.5 ml) mace or nutmeg.

Mix everything together and beat it till fluffy.

I served mine with browned sausages and ginger-glazed carrots. Yum. Yum. Yum. And the toddler-bean chowed down (but no sausage, thank you anyway, Mama).

Oh, and I wanted you to see my hubby's cool book holder that I've stolen for my kitchen. Nifty, hey?