Cooking web notes

Cheddar-Colcannon Torte

Photo credit ~ M Johnson, Chicago Tribune

“Tis the season for the luck of the Irish! 

St. Patrick’s Day, March 17^th, is a feast day celebrated every year to commemorate the patron saint of Ireland and what better way to celebrate it than with a great make-ahead dish that leaves you with more time to join the celebrations!

This recipe was in the Chicago Tribune the other day.  I have not cooked it but, I will because it sounds like a great savory dish that I want to share with you.

Mashed potatoes and buttery cabbage are the heart of cheddar-colcannon torte, one of Ireland’s most traditional dishes, being inexpensive and delicious.  This torte adds cheddar cheese and authentic Irish back bacon.  If this is not available, you can substitute lean Canadian bacon.

The recipe includes 6 tablespoons of butter and since this is an Irish recipe, I would suggest using Kerry Gold butter.  It is widely available at Trader Joe’s and I hope there is one near you as it is a superior butter.  I’m kind of like Paula Deen, you can never have too much butter and when it comes down to it, this butter makes everything taste better and makes for a wonderful pastry dough also. 

Here’s a great Irish blessing for you:

These things I warmly wish for you ~

Someone to love, some work to do,

A bit o’ sun, a bit o’ cheer.

And a guardian angel always near.

Cheddar-Colcannon Torte

Ingredients:

½ head Savoy cabbage, shredded

6 tablespoons butter

8 ounces center cut Irish bacon, diced

2 large Idaho potatoes, peeled, sliced ¼” thick

Freshly ground pepper to taste

7 ounces cheddar cheese, grated

2 tablespoons minced fresh chives

Method:

Heat oven to 400 degrees.

Heat a pot of water to a boil, add cabbage.  Cook 2 minutes.  Drain.

Place in a pan of cold water.  Drain. 

Transfer to paper towels.  Pat dry, place in a large bowl.

Melt 3 tablespoons butter in large skillet over medium heat.

Add bacon, cook until lightly browned, 4-5 minutes. 

Transfer bacon to the cabbage toss.

Melt remaining 3 tablespoons of butter in the same skillet.

Add potato slices and toss to coat.

Sprinkle with pepper.

Place one-third of potatoes in bottom of a buttered 9” deep-dish pie pan.

Sprinkle with half of the cheese.

Top with half of the bacon and cabbage mixture.

Repeat with one-third more of the potatoes and the remaining cheese, bacon and cabbage.

Top with the remaining potatoes.

Cover with sheet of buttered aluminum foil.

Bake 40 minutes.

Remove foil, sprinkle with chives.

Cook until the potatoes are browned, 10-15 minutes.

Let cool 15 minutes, cut into wedges.

(To make ahead, cool completely; cover and refrigerate up to 1 day.  Bring back to room temperature; reheat in 300 degree oven 20 minutes.)

Celebrate in Irish style with this savory dish!

This entry was posted on Sunday, November 13, 2011 at 6:10 AM and is filed under Bacon, Cabbage, Cheddar, Chives, Irish, Potatoes, Side Dish, Vegetables. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0. You can leave a response.