Colcannon

For a dish that is rarely cooked these days, colcannon still manages to excite a lot of passion among my grandma's countrymen - who would also be my countrymen, if I wasn't an Aussie

At the last count there were something like 32 different recipes, one for every county in Ireland, and even amongst those there are variations.

So widespread and so popular was this dish, at one stage there was even a song about it. In fact there were at least two, but I can't recall either. It's the disputes I remember. Which is maybe why it's called 'thump' in Cavan.

The biggest argument is about the main ingredient which separates colcannon from simple mashed potato: should it be white cabbage or kale greens? There are champions of both sides and I'm not about to take sides on that one.....well, maybe just a little.

You see, the name itself is probably an anglicized version of 'cal ceann fhionn', which in Irish means 'white headed cabbage'. So now who do you believe?

Enough. Let's cook it. My Granny was from Kerry. This is more or less how she did it.

Assemble the following:

• 1 head of white cabbage - cored and quartered
• 6 potatoes
• 4 carrots - sliced
• 4 turnips - sliced
• 100 ml chicken or vegetable stock
• 150 ml warm milk
• 2 egg yolks
• butter
• salt and pepper to taste

Preheat the oven to 190C (375F)

Cook the cabbage and potatoes separately in salted boiling water until they are tender. Drain them thoroughly and leave to cool a little. You will need to be able to handle the cabbage.

Put the carrots and turnips in a thick-bottomed pan, add about 4tbsp of butter and the stock, cover and simmer until tender. Drain, mash, and season with salt and freshly ground black pepper.

Now mash the potatoes with the warm milk, beat in the egg yolks along with 2tbsp of butter, finely chop and stir in the cabbage. Season with salt and pepper. Take a breath, you've nearly finished.

Put the carrots and turnip in the bottom of a well-buttered, ovenproof dish and top with the potato and cabbage mix. Dot this generously with butter and bake in the oven for 30 minutes.

While you're waiting for the colcannon to turn a beautiful golden color, learn the words to 'Did Your Mother Come From Ireland' and 'Roisin Dubh'. Sing either as you bring the dish to the table, with more butter on hand.

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