In order to further enlighten and entertain my friendlier subscribers,
and
to add fuel to the fires of the more quarrelsome readers, I went to the
Oxford English dictionary before composing this message. According to
the
good old OED, "colcannon" (which also goes by "calecannon" and
"colecannon") is derived from "cole" meaning cabbage, and the rest of
the
construction is "unclear". It goes on to say parenthetically "but it is
said that vegetables such as spinach were formerly pounded with a
cannon-ball". The word has been in use since at least since 1774, and in
1785 was defined as "Potatoes and cabbage pounded together in a mortar
and
then stewed with butter. An Irish dish". So, without further ado, and
with
much less controversy I hope, here is my version of colcannon,
colecannon,
or calecannon:
Colcannon
6 medium-sized boiling potatoes (about 2 lbs, 900 g) peeled and
quartered
4 cups finely shredded cabbage (about 1 lb, 450 g)
4 Tbs (60 ml) butter or margarine
1 cup (250 ml) milk
6 medium-sized scallions, including 2 inches (5 cm) of the green tops,
cut
into thin slices
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
1 to 2 Tbs (15 to 30 ml) finely chopped fresh parsley
Boil the potatoes in lightly salted water until tender but not falling
apart. Drain and return them to the pan, set over the lowest heat
possible,
shaking occasionally until they are dry and mealy. Meanwhile, in a
separate
pot, boil the cabbage in lightly salted water for 10 minutes and then
drain
thoroughly. Melt 2 tablespoons (30 ml) of the butter in a heavy 8 to 10
inch (20 to 25 cm) skillet over moderate heat, and add the cabbage,
cooking
for a minute or two. Cover the skillet and set aside. Mash the potatoes
with a fork, potato ricer, or electric mixer. Beat in the remaining 2
tablespoons (30 ml) butter, and 1/2 cup (125 ml) of the milk. Add as
much
of the remaining milk as required to make a smooth puree that is thick
enough to hold its shape. Stir in the cooked cabbage and the scallions
and
adjust the seasoning with salt and pepper. Garnish with the chopped
parsley
on top. Serves 4 to 6.