Today … today I wanted comfort food for lunch. So that turned into mashed potatoes, cabbage sauteed in bacon fat, bacon bits and cheddar cheese. My own amazingly delicious version of Colcannon. Might not sound like much, might not look very pretty but yuuuuumy!
Ingredients
3 pounds yukon gold potatoes, roughly cubed (roughly 6 medium potatoes)
Salt and black pepper
3 strips bacon
Olive oil (about 2 tablespoons)
1 leek (white part only), halved and sliced thinly
3 cups (packed) shredded cabbage
3 cloves garlic, pressed through garlic press
4 tablespoons unsalted butter softened to room temperature
3/4 cup milk
1 cup shredded, sharp white cheddar
1 tablespoon chopped parsley (optional)
Direction
Add the cubed potatoes to a pot and fill with cold water to cover by about an inch, and add in 1 tablespoon sale. Place over medium-high heat, bring to the boil, then reduce the heat slightly so that the water is bubbling vigorously but not too aggressively. Cook the potatoes for about 22-25 minutes, or until tender when pierced with a knife. Drain completely.
While the potatoes are cooking, place a large skillet over medium-high heat, and once hot, add in the bacon and cook until crisp; remove from pan and chop, and set aside for a moment.
To the same pan add in the sliced leeks (and a tablespoon of olive oil, if necessary), and sauté until the leeks become golden-brown. Remove from pan and set aside for a moment.
To the same pan add the other tablespoon of oil (if needed), and add in the shredded cabbage plus a sprinkle or two of salt. Cook the cabbage for a minute or so, then add in the garlic, stir to combine, and cook just a little longer until aromatic and the cabbage is tender. Remove and set aside.
To prepare the colcannon, mash your cooked and drained potatoes very well along with the butter and the milk until smooth and creamy; add in the cabbage, the leeks, the bacon, and the cheese, and fold those into the mashed potatoes to incorporate; finish with some black pepper and the chopped parsley, and serve immediately while hot.
