Purple Kale Colcannon & Thyme and Honey Roast Carrots

by Lou Robbie

Colcannon is a traditional Irish dish made with mashed potatoes “spuds” and cabbage or kale.  When I was a child we had spuds 7 days a week, to have mash was a treat and to have colcannon with lashings of butter was heaven!  This is traditional warming comfort food perfect for an Autumn supper. 

You’ll find the purple kale, new potatoes and carrots all in the Irish Farm Box this Sept ’22. 

Enjoy this one. 

Lou 🙂

Serves 4 

  • 800g New potatoes with skins on
  • 6 medium carrots 
  • 1 sprig of fresh thyme- leaves picked
  • 1 drizzle of honey (local is best)
  • 200g purple kale 
  • 200ml milk
  • 50g butter for the kale
  • 50g butter for the potatoes – and extra to serve
  • Salt and pepper
  1. Preheat the oven to 180℃. Line a baking tray with parchment paper.
  2. Begin by scrubbing the dirt off the potatoes in cold water. Chop into quarters or halves of similar size and steam until cooked through – roughly 40 minutes. You can boil them too if you prefer. (When you cook with organic veg keep the skins on that’s where the nutrients are)
  3. Likewise, scrub the carrots and pat dry. Chop in half lengthwise, toss in oil, salt pepper and lay on the baking tray, sprinkle with the thyme leaves and drizzle with honey.

The carrots: 

  1. Roast in the oven for 30 minutes, or until cooked to your liking. 
  2. To prepare the kale, wash first in cold water. 
  3. Then pick the leaves from the stem and add to a mixing bowl. (Tip: You can reserve the stem and chop finely to add to a stir fry.)
  4. Once all the leaves are picked, take a handful of the kale, roll it up into a tight roll shape and finely chop it into bite sized pieces. 

To steam fry the kale. 

  1. Warm a wide pot, with a lid, on a medium heat. 
  2. Add the knob of butter and melt, then add 100ml of water to create steam. 
  3. Add all the kale at once, stir and put the lid on the pot. 
  4. Give the pot a shake to agitate the kale and wilt it, it will take 3-5 minutes for the kale to soften. 
  5. Add a small pinch of salt and mix. 
  6. When it’s cooked to your liking, take off the heat and set to one side.

The mashed potatoes.

  1. When the potatoes are fully cooked, tip them into a big pot or bowl. 
  2. Heat the milk and butter in a jug in the microwave for 1 minute or on the hob.
  3. Mash the warm potatoes along with the hot milk and butter, add a pinch of salt. The skins may get caught in the masher but keep on mashing until its creamy. Add more hot milk and butter if needed. 
  4. Fold in the cooked purple kale, taste to check the seasoning. 
  5. Take the carrots from the oven when they are roasted nicely. 
  6. To serve, add 3 or 4 carrots to a plate with a big spoon of hot colcannon, top with a knob of butter and a crack of black pepper!! 

There is nothing nicer. 🙂