-=> Quoting John Prather to All <=-
 JP> I am going to a party very soon for ST. Patricks day.  The host
 JP> asked that everyone bring a traditional Irish dish.  Tough.
 JP> Does anyone have any good ones?
Hi John; today you get me both ways   No, really I sent an email to
you today as well.  Ok, to the point.  The Irish use to eat a lot of
potatoes and for a long time it was a staple of their diet.  Just about all
they lived on at times.  Here is an old stand by.
MMMMM----- Recipe via Meal-Master (tm) v8.05
 
      Title: Irish Colcannon
 Categories: Veggies, Uk
      Yield: 1 Servings
 
      6 lg Potatoes*
      1 md Head of cabbage
      1 lg Or 2 small leeks
      2    Fresh garlic (to taste)
           Salt and pepper
           A wee bit o' oil
           Butter (or margarine) to tas
           Cheddar cheese (optional)
 
   * I used red potatoes, which have a finer texture.
  
   Tried this recipe last night. It's an old Irish dish. Very tasty.
  Vegans could substitute margarine for the butter and soy cheese for
  the cheddar, if necessary.
  
   Cut up the potatoes and put them in a pot, cover with water, and boil
  until tender. You may choose to peel them or not. I left the skin on
  and it was fine.
  
   While the potatoes are cooking, thinly slice the cabbage (as if you
  were making sauerkraut). Trim the leek(s) and slice thinly. Peel the
  garlic, chop fine, and saute in a little oil until translucent, then
  add cabbage and leeks (you will need a good-sized skillet or frying
  pan. I used a wok). Saute vegetables until tender and almost
  transparent, but not too flabby. Set aside.
  
   When the potatoes are done, drain them and give 'em a good shake.
  Mash potatoes well, adding salt and pepper and butter to taste. Then
  mix cabbage and leeks into potatoes and stir well. It should turn a
  pale green color.
  
   There are several things you could do after this point. You could
  just serve it up right away, or you could put it into a baking pan,
  drizzle some melted butter or margarine on top, and put it in the
  oven to brown on top. Or you could put it into a baking dish, top
  with grated cheddar cheese, and put into the oven until cheese is
  bubbly. The third method is my personal favorite.
  
   Note: using instant mashed potatoes totally takes away from the
  flavor and texture of the dish, besides being inauthentic...but then
  again, how authentic is it to prepare a Celtic recipe using a wok? :)
  
   Hex                       RFR   8/31/94
 
MMMMM
 
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