Moist and dense is the best way to describe this traditional Irish Potato Bread.  The ingredients are somewhat similar to that of Boxty, incorporating both mashed and raw potatoes, as well as green onion.  Reminiscent of a large biscuit, this baking powder skillet bread uses a combination of white and whole wheat flour for an added depth of flavor.

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Irish Potato Bread

Moist and dense is the best way to describe this traditional Irish Potato Bread. Reminiscent of a large biscuit, this baking powder skillet bread uses a combination of white and whole wheat flour for an added depth of flavor.

Course Side Dish

Cuisine Irish

Prep Time 15 minutes minutes

Cook Time 55 minutes minutes

Total Time 1 hour hour 10 minutes minutes

Servings 8 Slices

Ingredients

• ¾ cup mashed potatoes room temp
• ¾ cup grated raw potato
• 1 whole egg
• 1 egg white
• 1/3 cup vegetable oil
• ¾ cup milk
• 3 Tablespoons green onion thinly sliced
• 1 teaspoon caraway seed
• 3 cup all-purpose flour
• ¼ cup whole wheat flour
• 2 Tablespoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon salt

Instructions

• Position rack in the center of the oven and heat to 375º F.
• Grease the inside of an 8″ cast iron skillet or baking dish and set aside.
• Mix together the mashed and grated potatoes.
• Add in egg and egg white, oil, and milk until well combined.
• In another mixing bowl stir together, green onion, caraway seed, flours, and salt.
• Stir dry ingredients into wet ingredients and mix well (dough will be shaggy and a bit sticky).
• Turn dough out onto a lightly floured board and knead 7 to 8 times until a soft ball forms.
• Place dough in the center of the prepared pan and gently pat to cover the entire pan evenly.
• Using a sharp knife cut an “X” into the top about ½” deep.
• Bake for 45 to 55 minutes or until top is nicely browned and bread sounds hollow when tapped.
• Remove from oven and let stand for 5 minutes before removing bread from the pan.
• Place bread on a wire rack to cool.
• Allow bread to rest for an hour before slicing to avoid crumbling.

Notes

This recipe is a great use of left-over mashed potatoes. Allow the bread to rest for an hour after removing from the oven before slicing to avoid crumbling.

Mashed potatoes mixed together with sautéed cabbage and onions create this traditional Irish dish know simply as Colcannon. With an amazing depth of flavor and textures, these potatoes are remarkable light, fluffy, and delicious.  There are many versions of these potatoes, some using kale in place of cabbage, while others call for leek, garlic, or scallion. Customarily eaten in the fall when cabbage and kale are in season, I believe Colcannon would make an outstanding and interesting addition to the Thanksgiving table. I have also added this to my list of signature side dishes, along with my Blue Cheese & Bacon Stuffed Onion should I ever open a steak house.

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Colcannon

Mashed potatoes mixed together with sautéed cabbage and onions create this traditional Irish dish know simply as Colcannon. With an amazing depth of flavor and textures, these potatoes are remarkable light, fluffy, and delicious.

Course Side Dish

Cuisine Irish

Prep Time 20 minutes minutes

Cook Time 40 minutes minutes

Total Time 1 hour hour

Servings 12

Author Christoph

Ingredients

• 3 - 4 large russet potatoes peeled, cubed, and boiled
• 3 Tablespoon butter
• 2 Tablespoon milk or half-n-half
• 4 - 5 strips bacon crisped and crumbled (optional)
• 1/2 small head of cabbage cored and thinly sliced
• 1/2 onion thinly sliced
• 3 - 4 cloves garlic finely diced
• 3 Tablespoons fresh parsley rough chopped
• salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

• Peel, cube, and cook potatoes in a pot of boiling water until fork tender.
• Crisp bacon in a large skillet. When cooked remove and place on a paper towel. Crumble bacon when cool enough to handle.
• Reserve fat in the skillet.
• Add cabbage and onion to the skillet with the bacon fat and sauté over medium heat until onions become translucent.
• Add garlic and cook for another minute. Remove from heat.
• Drain potatoes and rice them into a large mixing bowl. Add butter and milk, whip potatoes until smooth (add milk only as needed for consistency).
• Fold in cabbage and onion mixture, two-thirds of the bacon, and parsley.
• Season with salt and pepper to taste.
• Transfer Colcannon into a serving dish and top with some butter, and the remaining bacon. Garnish with some fresh ground black pepper, and parsley.

Notes

As mentioned there are many versions of this dish, this is my just my spin. Spinach or Kale makes an excellent ingredient for a variation. Colcannon however should be light and fluffy. I use my potato ricer for best results.

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Duchess Potatoes

Dollops of golden crusted mashed potatoes serve both as a delicious side dish and a beautiful garnish. Given their regal name from their elegant appearance, Duchess potatoes are actually very easy to make and fun to customize to fit perfectly with any menu.

Course Side Dish

Cuisine French

Prep Time 15 minutes minutes

Cook Time 25 minutes minutes

Total Time 40 minutes minutes

Servings 12

Ingredients

• 2 ½ pounds Yukon Gold potatoes peeled and cut into 1½ inch pieces
• 3 large egg yolks
• ¼ cup cold unsalted butter
• ¼ cup heavy whipping cream
• 1 teaspoon salt more or less to taste
• ½ teaspoon white pepper
• ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg

Instructions

• Heat the oven to 425°F and position the racks to divide the oven into thirds. Line two baking sheets with silicone mats or parchment paper and set aside.
• Wash and peel the potatoes, cut them into 1½ inch chunks, and place in a large pot. Fill the pot with cold water covering the potatoes by at least two inches and salt generously. Bring the potatoes to a boil over high heat. Reduce the heat to medium low and simmer until the potatoes are knife tender, about 15 minutes.
• Drain in a colander and rice the potatoes in to a large mixing bowl (use a potato masher if you do not have a ricer).
• While the potatoes are still warm, mix in the egg yolks one at a time, making sure each yolk is completely incorporated before adding the next.
• Add the butter, cream, salt, pepper, and nutmeg and stir until the butter has melted and the mixture is smooth. The consistency of the mixture needs soft enough to pass through a piping tip, yet firm enough to hold a shape.
• Transfer to a large piping bag fitted with a ½ inch star piping tip. Pipe shapes about 2½ inches in diameter directly on to the prepared baking sheets, spacing them about two inches apart (what ever shape you make it is important to make them all about the same size for even baking).
• If you prefer not to pipe the potatoes, You can drop mounds onto the baking sheets using a spoon, the same method you would use for drop biscuits.
• Tip: At this point Duchess potatoes can easily be frozen. Simply place your sheet pan of potatoes in the freezer for about 1 hour. Once the potatoes are completely frozen you can transfer them to a storage bag or container. When you are ready to use, place on a lined baking sheet and follow the same baking instructions.
• Spritz the potatoes lightly with cooking spray. I dusted this batch with some paprika for a bit of added color.
• Place pans in the heated oven and bake for 15 minutes.
• Rotate the pans top to bottom and front to back and continue baking until the tops of the potatoes are light golden brown, about 10 more minutes.
• Keep a close eye on your potatoes, the oven time will vary depending on the size and shape, as well as the moisture content.
• Let potatoes cool on the baking sheets for two minutes before transferring them onto a serving platter.

Notes

This recipe is for the classic French Duchess potato. I like to change them up, omitting the nutmeg, and adding other flavors and spices. For this batch, I added horseradish, cheddar cheese, and chives. 

 

You might try adding diced onion, bacon, jalapeno peppers, different types of cheese or spices to fit in with the rest of your menu.

 

Just be sure what ever you add will pass through the piping tip, and that your potatoes do not become too soft.

 

Duchess potatoes are also easy to make in individual baking cups or ramekins.

Duchess potatoes are also easy to make in individual baking cups or ramekins.

The creamy goodness of mashed potatoes contrasted with a thin layer of crunch, makes these mashed potatoes gratin a dish to remember. Cottage cheese and sour cream give these potatoes a mild, smooth, flavor which works well with the crisp topping of sharp cheddar cheese. No gravy needed for these potatoes. Revived from a 1960’s family recipe, this retro dish is as easy to make as it is to eat, and very well could become one of your families favorites.

This recipe was a favorite of my Dad’s sister Eleanore.  Growing up, holidays were rotated around between our relatives homes. We often enjoyed Thanksgiving at my Aunt and Uncles house, where she would always serve them.

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Mashed Potatoes Gratin

The creamy goodness of mashed potatoes contrasted with a thin layer of crunch, makes these mashed potatoes gratin a dish to remember. Cottage cheese and sour cream give these potatoes a mild, smooth, flavor which works well with the crisp topping of sharp cheddar cheese.

Course Side Dish

Cuisine American, Retro

Prep Time 20 minutes minutes

Cook Time 1 hour hour 20 minutes minutes

Resting time 5 minutes minutes

Total Time 1 hour hour 40 minutes minutes

Servings 12

Author Christoph

Ingredients

• 5 cups potatoes, cooked and mashed
• 2 cups cottage cheese, small curd
• 1 cup sour cream
• ½ cup white onion, chopped
• ½ cup gruyere, shredded (optional)
• 2 teaspoons salt
• ½ teaspoon white pepper
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1½ cups sharp cheddar cheese, shredded
• 3 tablespoons parsley, chopped

Instructions

• Position a rack in the upper half of the oven and heat to 350° F. Prepare a 9″ x 13″ baking dish or other shallow heat-resistant dish by apply a light coat of cooking spray or oil (gratins are to be prepared in shallow baking dishes offering a large surface area for crisping).
• Peel and cook potatoes. Rice or mash the potatoes into a large mixing bowl. Add the cottage cheese, sour cream, onion, gruyere, garlic powder, salt and pepper, and mix well (I added a small amount of chopped parsley for a touch of color).
• Place the potato mixture into your prepared shallow baking dish and smooth evenly with a spatula. Press the potatoes into the dish to remove air pockets.
• Top evenly with the shredded cheddar cheese and chopped parsley (I sprinkled the dish with a small amount of paprika to add a bit of color).
• Bake for 30 to 40 minutes or until the cheese has turned a golden brown.
• Allow to stand for 5 minutes before serving.

Notes

I hope you enjoy these potatoes as much as our family does. They also make a great side dish for barbecue season. Try adding some diced green chilies and bacon. YUM!