Colcannon is a traditional Irish dish of boiled potatoes mashed with green onions, leeks or sometimes chives, kale or cabbage, and milk or cream. I like mine extremely green, with lots of black pepper.

　　

Ingredients

serves 6 to 8

　　2 pounds small Yukon Gold potatoes, well scrubbed

　　3 big bunches (about 1 1/2 pounds) mixed greens, such as kale or cabbage

　　12 small scallions, or 3 to 4 larger bulbing spring onions, white and green parts, thinly sliced

　　1 to 2 cups whole milk, to taste, heated

　　4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, at room temperature

　　3 tablespoons crème fraîche, store-bought or homemade (recipe follows)

　　Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

　　

Step 1

Steam the potatoes in a vegetable steamer for about 20 minutes, until tender. Set them aside to cool slightly.

　　

Step 2

Meanwhile, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Stem the greens and blanch the leaves in the boiling water until tender, about 3 minutes. Drain, and cool under cold running water. Drain well, wringing out the excess water with your hands. Finely chop the greens.

　　

Step 3

When the potatoes are just cool enough to handle but still warm, peel them and then mash them coarsely in a large bowl. Add the greens and scallions. Stir in the hot milk to the desired consistency. Add the butter and crème fraîche, and season with salt and pepper.

　　

Crème Fraîche

Step 4

In a bowl, whisk together 1 part buttermilk with 8 parts non-ultra-pasteurized (and preferably non-homogenized) heavy cream. Cover with a cloth or plastic wrap, and leave it out on the counter for 24 to 48 hours, until it thickens. Whisk again before storing, tightly covered, in the refrigerator, where it will keep for several weeks; it gets thicker and more delicious as it ages. Crème fraîche has a higher fat content than commercial sour cream and so can be heated without breaking.

　　Cooking in the Moment