Colcannon

[paul_oshea]

Has anyone ever even heard of this or eaten it? I can honestly say I had never heard of it until I went to america years ago. I have never ever seen it anywhere in Ireland be it family homes, restaurants, pubs, hotels or anywhere you can "buy" food. Where did this myth originiate that it was a big traditional Irish meal?

Also I have just read that it was the only meal had at lunch time on halloween night.

[Dodge]

I eat a version of it. Mash potatoes with raw onion.

[drummerboy]

Absolutely. Having it at home this evening. Kids love it. Kale with mash and onion, add in some coins wrapped in grease proof paper. Traditional meal for Halloween

[paul_oshea]

Mash potatoes and onions is not a version of it. thats just mash potatoes and onions.

DB i hope yer kids have no fillings....btw it has to have either kale or cabbage or both, generally cabbage though (" i'm a savage for bacon and cabbage" ) to be Colcannon. FACT ( it is now true )!

DB also what did you call it? DId you actually call it Colcannon?!

[Dodge]

Mash potatoes and onions is not a version of it. thats just mash potatoes and onions.

All its missing is the curly kale (sp?)

And its always been called colcannon (sp?) in my house

[Ash]

All its missing is the curly kale (sp?)

And its always been called colcannon (sp?) in my house

Never had it with kale but mash and onion was always called
colcannon here aswell.

Didnt know it was a Halloween meal ... we seemed to have it
every feckin day when I was a gasún

[Magicme]

I am making it this evening too, we usually have it on Halloween. Being a nordy tho we call it Bubble and Squeak but its same principle.

Boil spuds, boil cabbage then heat some milk, butter, onions, a little salt and black pepper together. When spuds are cooked mash them, add the cabbage and stir in the milk, butter and onions. I sometimes add cheese and mustard too but not on halloween when it has to be the traditional way!

The kids dad uses curly Kale in his colcannon so maybe that is a dub thing.

[drummerboy]

Yes we call it Colcannon. Same recipe as Magicme, except we use Kale, must be a Dublin thing.

[paul_oshea]

Ok well it makes sense the dubs eat it. No seriouslly though, i have had mash and onion or sometimes mash and onion and rasher, but it is not colcannon. Really, its not. But MagicYou and DB seem to be spot on and Ash. Thing is I dont remember anyone from the weshht knowing what it was, but then Ash you are midlands after all

[Eire06]

Wasn't colcannon a vegetarian thing because according to tradition you aren't supposed to eat meat on Halloween?

Traditionally its Cabbage and Potatoes and coins in it.
I think

[Bluebeard]

I am making it this evening too, we usually have it on Halloween. Being a nordy tho we call it Bubble and Squeak but its same principle.

Boil spuds, boil cabbage then heat some milk, butter, onions, a little salt and black pepper together. When spuds are cooked mash them, add the cabbage and stir in the milk, butter and onions. I sometimes add cheese and mustard too but not on halloween when it has to be the traditional way!

The kids dad uses curly Kale in his colcannon so maybe that is a dub thing.

Thanks for teh recipe Magicme, think I've sorted out tonight's dinner now.

[soccerc]

Thanks for teh recipe Magicme, think I've sorted out tonight's dinner now.

Don't forget the very runny fried egg on top!

[noby]

I thought bubble and squeak was reheated from the previous nights dinner.

[Macy]

We had colcannon in our house too. Curly Kale though not Cabbage (both brassica's so doesn't exactly matter much).

You might be a savage for bacon and cabbage, but that has bugger all to do with colcannon.

[Magicme]

I thought bubble and squeak was reheated from the previous nights dinner.

Possibly it was a way of eating cabbage and potatoes from the night before but my Tyrone mum always called colcannon bubble and squeak. Mash with spring onions, butter and milk is called "champ" about our house!

[noby]

Champ down here too. Perhaps that's closer to Dodge's version.

[Magicme]

According to wikipedia haluski is a similar dish from Hungary. You are right about bubble and squeak being from leftovers but usually consisted of potatoes and cabbage and then anything else leftover.

[Ash]

Thing is I dont remember anyone from the weshht
knowing what it was, but then Ash you are midlands after all

Ahh, but I'm on the east side of the Shannon

[osarusan]

Thing is I dont remember anyone from the weshht knowing what it was

From Clare and ate it every Halloween. We sometimes had sausages sticking up out of the mashed potato and kale, but not on Halloween night. Never put the coins in it either, that went into the Barm Brack.

[stann]

The things people have never heard of totally amazes me at times. Colcannon is one of the most famous, if not the most famous, tradition Irish dishes in it!
Sometimes people do name it incorrectly though. Down my way mash with onion and milk has often been known as colcannon too, but then they make 'Shepherd's Pies' with minced beef everywhere as well despite the rather obvious clue in the name.

My take on it is this:
Mash with onion, milk etc. is champ, though often misnamed colcannon.
Mash with kale or cabbage and occasional extras is colcannon, though seemingly sometimes misnamed bubble and squeak.
Fried boiled spud and cabbage is bubble and squeak, named for the noises it makes whilst cooking.
No?