An Untraditional - Traditional Dish

We’re Irish and a bunch of other stuff but mostly Irish. I spent many a dinner as a kid avoiding corned beef and cabbage - mainly due to the look, smell and taste. There were however, some traditions I could get on board with - Colcannon. 

Colcannon is traditionally made from mashed potatoes and kale (or cabbage), with milk or cream, butter, salt and pepper. Often eaten with ham or Irish bacon, it is a year-round staple food, although today it is usually eaten in Fall or Winter when kale is in season. As an aside, a Irish Halloween tradition is to serve colcannon with a ring and a thimble or small coins hidden in the dish.

We’ve passed St Paddy’s day by about a month but today’s wintery weather made me want comfort food. Generally, you won’t find a potato in our pantry - we don’t need the carbs and honestly they don’t have much taste, unless you top them with all those things one should stay away from. So tonight we tossed tradition out the window, hopped on the Cauliflower bandwagon and steamed, chopped and sautéed our way to a healthier version of Colcannon.

INGREDIENTS

1 medium head cauliflower, separated into florets

1/4 cup almond milk

4 tablespoons vegan buttery spread, divided

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 leek, trimmed, washed, and sliced

3 cloves garlic, minced

1 small bunch kale, cut into small pieces

1/3 cup water

1/4 teaspoon nutmeg

salt & pepper to taste

INSTRUCTIONS

Preheat broiler.

Beak cauliflower into florets and steam until fork tender - transfer to a food processor. Add almond milk a little at a time and 2 tablespoons buttery spread and pulse to a smooth, creamy puree.

Heat olive oil in a large saute pan over medium heat. Add leeks and cook for about 5 minutes, or until tender. Add garlic and cook another minute, or until fragrant. Add kale and toss to coat. Add water, cover and cook for 3-5 minutes. Remove cover and reduce heat to low, stirring occasionally. Cook for another 10-12 minutes, or until kale is tender. Season with nutmeg, salt and pepper.

Fold cauliflower puree into the kale mixture until combined. Transfer to a baking dish and make a small well in the center of the dish. Place under broiler for about five minutes, or until lightly browned on top. Place remaining buttery spread into the well. Serve immediately.

We served it with a forest mushroom soup and some fruit.