Colcannon ( the Dutch call it boerenkool) for Saint Patrick's Day

St Patrick's day holds a special place in our hearts being Kate's birthday. To show the Dutch Irish connection I made a large bowl of colcannon (which is the Irish Cousin of Boerenkool ) The Irish often use curly kale instead of cabbage to make it.





The traditional accompaniment in Holland is rookworst, a spicy pork sausage. We're lucky, we can buy it from a Dutchman who makes it to a traditional recipe and sells it at our local Takapuna market.





The potatoes will be more flavoursome if they are not chopped into pieces before boiling.


In the old days Dutch cooks would boil the curly kale in the same pot as the potatoes but I think this version ( mashed with butter and milk) gives a less watery and stodgy result)


If you are feeling very decadent you could top each serving with a knob of butter just before serving.

Colcannon (alias boerenkool)


Ingredients:

1 kg potatoes
A large bunch of curly kale (stems removed and washed)
1 spring onion (sliced)
2/3 cup of trim milk
25 gm of butter
1 heaped tablespoon of butter (extra)
Salt and freshly ground black pepper




Method:


While the potatoes are cooking:


Heat 1 heaped tablespoon of butter with 2 tablespoons of water in a large heavy based saucepan.
When the butter has melted add the washed curly kale (stalks removed) and a pinch of salt.
Toss the kale around in the buttery emulsion for a couple of minutes with a large spoon until it starts to wilt.
Put the lid on the saucepan and let it cook for another minute.
Then drain off any liquid, season to taste with pepper and leave to cool down a little.
Put the curly kale into a food processor and whizz until it is in very small pieces.



Making the Colcannon


Peel the potatoes.
Boil them  in plenty of salted water in a covered saucepan until they are tender all the way through when pierced with a fork. This will take about 30 minutes.
Drain them, then put the lid back on the pot and let them steam over a very low heat for a couple of minutes
Remove them from the stove and mash with a fork.
Put the sliced spring onion and trim milk into a microwave safe jug and heat on high for 1 minute.
Beat the hot milk and spring onion mixture into the mashed potatoes with the 25g of butter.
Add salt and pepper to taste.
Add the curly kale and mix everything together well.