Creamy Colcannon (Cabbage and Potato) Soup with Cheddar Straws

St. Patrick's Day is next week so time to start getting your Green on!  If you'd like to try an Irish dish that's easy to make and delicious while there is still a chill in the air, try Colcannon soup. Colcannon is a traditional Irish dish made from potatoes and cabbage or kale with milk, cream or butter added. It may also contain other ingredients such as scallions, leeks, onions and chives and often eaten with boiled ham or bacon.  I've made Colcannon soup before but without the creamy twist and cheddar straws.

This version, again from Full-On Irish by Kevin Dundon, is made with savoy cabbage, potatoes, leeks and onion, thickened with cream and served with cheddar straws on the side.  A delicious combination!  Don't the cheddar straws remind you of a rustic walking stick? 

Whether used in soup, slaw or egg rolls, I love cabbage!  It is thought that cabbage was domesticated in Europe somewhere around 1000 BC (!), although Savoy Cabbage was not developed until the 16th Century. 

As you prepare to take a mental stroll through the lush green meadows of The Emerald Isle, grab your cheddar walking stick and enjoy a bowl of hot Colcannon. It will warm the cockles of your heart.

Creamy Colcannon Soup with Cheese Straws

Adapted from Full-On Irish by Kevin Dundon

Printable Recipe

Serves: 4 - 6

FOR THE CHEESE STRAWS

They can be made up to three days in advance and stored in an airtight container at room temperature. Crisp in a preheated oven at 200C/400F/Gas 6 for 2-3 minutes before serving.

175 g/6 oz sheet ready-rolled puff pastry, thawed if frozen
Plain flour, for dusting
50 g/2 oz Cheddar, finely grated
1 egg yolk beaten with 2 tsp water
Coarse salt and freshly ground black pepper

Preheat the oven to 180C/350F/Gas 4.

To make the cheese straws, place the puff pastry on a lightly floured work surface and sprinkle the Cheddar over half of the puff pastry in an even layer. Fold the portion without cheese over the cheese layer to enclose the cheese layer completely.   Roll out to its original size, using a little extra flour if necessary. Place on a baking sheet and brush with the beaten egg and place in the fridge for 15 minutes to rest.

Cut the chilled cheese pastry into 10 cm/4 in lengths, each 1 cm/1/2 in wide. Hold the ends of each strip between your fingers and twist the ends in opposite directions. Arrange the twisted strips on non-stick baking sheets and sprinkle a little salt over each one. Bake for 10-15 minutes or until crisp and golden brown, then transfer to a wire rack and leave to cool. Serve warm or at room temperature.

FOR THE SOUP

50 g/2 oz  bacon, diced
1 onion, finely chopped
225 g/8 oz russet potatoes, cut into small dice
1 leek, trimmed and white part only thinly sliced
150 g/5 oz Savoy cabbage, thick stalks removed, shredded
700 ml/1 1/4 pints vegetable stock or water (I used chicken stock)
150 ml/1/4 pint cream (I used fat free half and half)
25 g/1 oz room temperature butter, diced (I omitted)

Snipped fresh chives or scallion for garnish - optional

Heat a large stock pot and sauté the bacon over a medium heat for a couple minutes until the fat is rendered. Stir in the onion, potatoes, leek and cabbage, then cover with a lid and cook over a low heat for 15-20 minutes until well softened but not browned, stirring occasionally.

Pour the vegetable stock or water into the cabbage mixture and bring to the boil, then season to taste with salt and pepper. Stir in the cream and simmer for a few minutes until the soup has a creamy texture.

To serve, remove the soup from the heat and whisk in the butter. It is important not to reboil the soup once the butter has been added or you’ll find it will curdle. Ladle the colcannon soup into cappuccino cups or warmed serving bowls and arrange a cheese straw to the side. Serve the remaining cheese straws in a separate dish at the table or use as a canape.