Note: To serve in a traditional Irish manner, push the back of a large soup spoon down in the middle of each portion to make a crater, then put a large pat of room-temperature butter into each to make a "lake." Diners dip each forkful of colcannon into the butter until its walls are breached.
Per serving (based on 8): 201 calories, 5 grams protein, 25 grams carbohydrates, 3 grams sugar, 10 grams fat, 27 milligrams cholesterol, 92 milligrams sodium, 2 grams dietary fiber.
Makes 6 servings
2 cups leftover colcannon (see recipe)
2/3 cup white flour
4 tablespoons butter
Salt and pepper
1. Combine the colcannon and the flour in a medium bowl, mixing together well. Form the mixture into 6 cakes of equal size, about 3/4 inch thick. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
2. Melt butter in a large, heavy skillet over medium heat, then fry cakes on both sides, turning once and pressing down lightly on them with a spatula, until golden brown, about 4 minutes per side.
- From The Country Cooking of Ireland by Colman Andrews (Chronicle Books, 2009)Per serving: 212 calories, 4 grams protein, 21 grams carbohydrates, 3 grams sugar, 12 grams fat, 31 milligrams cholesterol, 93milligrams sodium, 1 gram dietary fiber.
Makes 6 servings
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 onion, minced
1 1/2 carrots, minced
1 1/2 pounds lamb, minced or ground
1 tablespoon tomato paste
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1 cup hot beef, lamb or chicken stock
Salt and pepper to taste
4 cups freshly made mashed potatoes
2 tablespoons butter, melted
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the onion and carrots and cook for 8 to 10 minutes or until they are soft, but not browned. Raise the heat to high, add the lamb, and cook until well browned. Stir in the tomato paste and mustard, then add the stock. Reduce the heat to low, season to taste with salt and pepper, and simmer for 15 to 20 minutes or until the stock is mostly, but not completely evaporated.
3. Transfer the meat mixture to a round or rectangular ovenproof baking dish. Cover the meat with mashed potatoes, flattening the top with a knife (make a wave or crosshatch pattern in the top of the potatoes, if you like). Brush the top with melted butter, then bake for 50 minutes.
- From The Country Cooking of Ireland, by Colman Andrews (Chronicle, 2009)Per serving: 529 calories, 22 grams protein, 28 grams carbohydrates, 4 grams sugar, 36 grams fat, 96 milligrams cholesterol, 716 milligrams sodium, 3 grams dietary fiber.
Contact staff writer Dianna Marder at 215-854-4211 or dmarder@phillynews.com. Read her recent work at http://go.philly.com/diannamarder
