Irish Supper - Colcannon, Glazed Baked Brisket, and Ginger Carrots

"Did you ever eat Colcannon, made from lovely pickled cream?

With the greens and scallions mingled like a picture in a dream.

Did you ever make a hole on top to hold the melting flake

Of the creamy, flavoured butter that your mother used to make?"

"Yes you did, so you did, so did he and so did I. 

And the more I think about it sure the nearer I'm to cry.

Oh, wasn't it the happy days when troubles we had not,

And our mothers made Colcannon in the little skillet pot."

Colcannon -

4 russet potatoes (2 to 2 1/2 pounds), peeled and cut
Salt
5-6 Tbsp unsalted butter (with more butter for serving)
3 lightly packed cups of chopped kale, cabbage, chard, or other leafy green (I made it with purple cabbage for it's stunning color, go with white when making a traditional Colcannon.)
3 green onions (including the green onion greens), minced (about 1/2 cup)
1 cup milk or cream

Put the potatoes in a medium pot and cover with cold water by at least an inch. Add 2 tablespoons of salt, and bring to a boil. Boil until the potatoes are fork tender (15 to 20 minutes). Drain in a colander.

Return the pot to the stove and set over medium-high heat. Melt the butter in the pot and once it's hot, add the greens. Cook the greens for 3-4 minutes, or until they are wilted and have given off some of their water. Add the green onions and cook 1 minute more.

Pour in the milk or cream, mix well, and add the potatoes. Reduce the heat to medium. Use a fork or potato masher and mash the potatoes, mixing them up with the greens. Add salt to taste and serve hot, with a knob of butter in the center.

Ginger carrots are thinly sliced and seasoned with slivered ginger, molasses, and pale brown sugar then baked in a tightly lidded dish at 350 degrees for one hour.

The glazed baked brisket recipe originally came from the Lexington Co-op, but I tweaked the recipe to lessen the sweetness. I marinated the beef for three hours in the glaze and then baked it in a tightly lidded container for 2 1/2 hours at 350 degrees.

1/4 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup cider vinegar
1/2 cup prepared mustard
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp onion powder









We had this with a loaf of hot cheese bread, a large salad and McSorley's Irish Black Lager.

Sláinte mhaith!