A few days late for Irish cooking, I know – but my husband and I were looking for a way to use up our leftover cabbage from our traditional corned beef dinner last week and decided to experiment.  Colcannon is an Irish dish, traditionally served on Halloween, made with potatoes and cabbage or kale.  (There is even a song written about it!)  Since it incorporates cabbage and we had all the rest of the ingredients, we decided to give it a whirl.  I made it on a weeknight after work – it came together very easily.   While I am not a big fan of cabbage typically, this recipe was a great way to get in a full serving or two of veggies – it was more like eating loaded mashed potatoes than anything else.  I used this recipe for my main inspiration – my main modifications included substituting leek for the scallions, focusing more on the bacon (as this was our dinner entree), and cutting down a bit on the butter.  It was fabulous!

  Ingredients

  2 pounds cabbage, shredded

  2 cups water

  4 pounds potatoes, peeled and chopped

  2 cups milk

  1 cup chopped leek

  Salt and coarsely ground pepper to taste

  1/4 cup butter, melted

  12oz package of bacon, chopped and cooked

Directions:  Place the cabbage and the water into a large pot and bring to a boil over medium-high head.  Reduce heat to low and simmer for 10-12 minutes or until cabbage is tender.  Drain the cabbage, reserving the cooking liquid.  Put the cooking liquid back in the pot, and add the potatoes and enough water to cover.  Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer for 15 minutes or until the potatoes are tender.  In the meantime, put the leeks and milk into a small pot and bring to a boil, then turn off heat and let sit.  When the potatoes have finished cooking, drain them and return them to the pan.  Mash the potatoes, and then add the milk/leek mixture to the pot, mixing well.  Add the cabbage and the bacon to the mixture and combine well.  Drizzle with the melted butter, and add salt and pepper to taste.

Danielle sent me her Bacon and Cheese Log recipe. It’s an old family favorite.

According to Danielle, “This recipe dates back to 1973 in our family and came to us from our great friends and neighbors across the street from the house I grew up in. I can remember eating it as a very young child at my parent’s parties and now I make it at my own parties. It is such a classic, delicious crowd-pleaser!”

The topping can be made in advance and frozen or prepared immediately before heating.
Bacon and Cheese Log

1 pound shredded sharp cheddar cheese
8 slices raw bacon, finely chopped
1 tsp. Worcestershire sauce
1 medium onion, chopped
1 tsp. dry mustard
2 tsp. mayonnaise
2 packages party rye bread

To Prepare in Advance:
1. Thoroughly combine all ingredients (except bread).
2. Roll into log 1-1.5″ diameter. Wrap in plastic wrap and freeze.
3. Slice frozen log into thin slices and place on party rye bread.
4. Place rye bread on cookie sheet and broil for several minutes, until cheese is browned and bubbly.

To Use Immediately:
1. Thoroughly combine all ingredients (except bread).
2. Spoon small amount of mixture onto bread.
3. Place rye bread on cookie sheet and broil for several minutes, until cheese is browned and bubbly.