Irish-Inspired Colcannon Mashed Potatoes (Printer View)

Buttery mashed potatoes blended with leeks and finished with crispy kale for a comforting side.

# Components:

→ Potatoes

01 - 2 lbs Yukon Gold or Russet potatoes, peeled and cut into chunks
02 - 4 tbsp unsalted butter
03 - 1/2 cup whole milk
04 - 1/4 cup heavy cream
05 - Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

→ Vegetables

06 - 2 large leeks, white and light green parts only, thinly sliced and rinsed
07 - 3 spring onions, finely sliced
08 - 1 small bunch kale, about 5 oz, stems removed and leaves torn into bite-sized pieces
09 - 2 tbsp olive oil

→ Garnish

10 - 2 tbsp chopped fresh parsley, optional

# Method:

01 - Preheat oven to 400°F. Toss kale leaves with olive oil and salt. Spread on baking tray and roast for 10-12 minutes, stirring halfway, until crisp but not burnt. Set aside.
02 - Place potatoes in large pot and cover with salted cold water. Bring to boil, reduce heat, and simmer for 15-18 minutes until fork-tender. Drain thoroughly.
03 - While potatoes cook, melt half the butter in large skillet over medium heat. Add leeks and spring onions, sautéing gently for 6-8 minutes until soft and fragrant without browning.
04 - In small saucepan, heat milk and cream together until just warm.
05 - Mash drained potatoes with remaining butter. Gradually add warm milk and cream mixture until smooth and fluffy. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
06 - Fold sautéed leeks and spring onions into mashed potatoes. Taste and adjust seasoning as needed.
07 - Spoon mashed potatoes into serving bowl. Top generously with crispy kale and sprinkle with fresh parsley if desired.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • It tastes like comfort wrapped in butter, but the crispy kale keeps it from feeling heavy.
  • You can make it in less than an hour, which means weeknight dinners stop feeling like a performance.
  • One bowl alongside roasted chicken or sausages becomes the meal everyone actually wants seconds of.
02 -
  • If you add cold milk straight from the fridge to hot potatoes, they'll seize up and turn gluey before you can stop it—warming it first is the difference between silky and sad.
  • Don't skip rinsing the leeks; they hide soil between every layer, and one gritty bite ruins the whole experience.
  • The kale needs to cool slightly after roasting before you add it to the top, or it'll soften from the heat of the potatoes below.
03 -
  • Drain your cooked potatoes well and let them steam in the empty pot for a minute—this removes excess moisture that leads to gluey mash instead of fluffy.
  • Make the kale crispy just before serving and add it right on top; if it sits in contact with warm potatoes, it slowly softens and loses that textural magic.
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