An earthy taste of Ireland

The Rocky

Wednesday, March 12, 2008

Ellen Jaskol / The Rocky

Colcannon is a classic from Ireland: mashed potatoes with shredded cabbage. Band leader Mick Bolger insists that it was the ease of pronunciation, rather than his love of food, that led to the choosing of the band's moniker. "I wanted to find anamethat would be impossible to screw up," he said. Bolger's recipe is from the group's Website. Pissaladière is essentially pizza but with caramelized onions instead of cheese. Black olives and anchovies are traditionally used for decoration and flavor.

Colcannon

Serves 6 to 8

1 pound kale or dark cabbage

3 pounds potatoes, Yukon Golds preferred

1 onion, chopped

1 stick butter

4 ounces cream

Pinch of dill

Pinch of nutmeg or mace

Salt and white pepper to taste

* Boil (don't overcook) the kale or dark cabbage in lightly salted water. Drain and keep warm.

* Peel and quarter potatoes and boil in salted water about 20 to 25 minutes.

* Saute chopped onion in a tablespoon of butter, for about 5 minutes.

* Add cream and two tablespoons or more of butter, a big pinch of dill and a pinch of nutmeg or mace.

* Heat through until butter is melted.

* Mash the potatoes - do not whisk or put in food processor or blender.

* Chop the kale or cabbage finely.

* Melt the rest of the stick of butter. Set aside.

* In a warmed bowl, combine potatoes, kale and onion-butter-cream mix and stir. Salt and pepper to taste.

* To serve, make a mound of the mixture on a warm plate.

* On top of the mound make a crater and fill with the reserved melted butter.

Nutritional information per serving: 401 cal., 23 g fat (14 g sat), 66 mg chol., 46 g carb., 6 g pro., 7 g fiber, 143 mg sodium.

Chicken in Red Pepper Sauce

Serves 4

1 chicken, skinned and cut up

1/2 cup of canola oil

1 large onion, peeled and chopped

2 red bell peppers, chopped

1 piece of ginger about the size of a walnut, peeled and chopped

4 cloves garlic, chopped

31/2 tablespoons of slivered almonds

4 teaspoons ground cumin

2 teaspoons ground coriander

1/2 teaspoon turmeric

1/2 teaspoon cayenne or to taste

* Heat the oil in a large pot and brown the chicken pieces lightly. Set aside.

* Meanwhile, combine the onion, red peppers, ginger, garlic and almonds in a food processor or blender and make a paste.

* You made need to add water if you are using a blender and you may need to do this step in batches.

* In the remaining oil (add more if necessary) saute the paste for about five minutes.

* Add the ground cumin, ground coriander, turmeric and cayenne.

* Saute for another five minutes.

* Add the chicken pieces, enough water to cover chicken and about a teaspoon of salt.

* Bring to a boil and simmer for about a half hour or until pieces are cooked through.

* Let the dish rest for a half hour if you have the time, and skim off any oil that floats to the top. Adjust seasoning for salt, cayenne.

* Add a healthy grinding of white pepper, if you have it. Otherwise black pepper is fine.

* Serve over basmati or jasmine rice, with wedges of lemon on the side.

Nutritional information per serving: 1,041 cal., 81 g fat ( 17 g sat), 255 mg chol., 8 g carb., 65 g pro., 3 g fiber, 246 mg sodium.

Pissaladiere

Serves 6

For the dough:

11/4 cups of flour - two parts all-purpose to one part cake flour

1/2 cup warm water (110 degrees to 115 degrees)

1 teaspoon sugar

1/2 teaspoon salt

21/4 teaspoons yeast

1 tablespoon olive oil

For the onions:

2 to 3 pounds sweet onions, Vidalia, for example.

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 tablespoon unsalted butter

1 teaspoon brown sugar

1/2 teaspoon (or less) of salt

* Preheat oven to 450 degrees.

* Mix the flours together.

* Mix the sugar, salt, yeast and olive oil into the water and set aside for 5 minutes.

* Gently pour the yeast/water mix into the flour, stirring all the time.

* When the flour forms into a ball, remove and knead on a floured surface. Knead for no more than four minutes.

* Cover and set aside in a warm place to rise, at least an hour.

* For the caramelized onions:

Peel and slice the onions thickly. Heat the oil and butter in a wide pan.

* When melted, add the sugar, stir until it gets well mixed in with the oil and butter.

* Add the onions to the pan, sprinkle with the salt and turn the heat up high.

* Keep turning the onions continuously, coating them with the butter/ oil mixture. You'll need to do this for about 10 minutes or more.

(You need to get a lot of liquid out of the onions but be careful not to burn them.)

* When the onions have turned 'glassy' and somewhat reduced in bulk, turn the heat down to medium and continue cooking about another half hour, stirring regularly.

* When the dough has risen and the onions are nicely caramelized, roll out the dough into a circle and spread the onions on top. The circle may be any size; but adjust your cooking time accordingly. You may bake in a pizza pan or on a sheet pan.

* Place about eight kalamata or other black olives cut in half on top in a decorative pattern.

* Place about six to eight halved anchovies on top as well, if desired.

* Bake in the oven for about 15 minutes.

Nutritional information per serving: 193 cal., 7 g fat (2 g sat), 5 mg chol., 29 g carb., 4 g pro., 2 g fiber, 729 mg sodium.