St. Patrick’s Day Colcannon Fritters

by Robin Robertson on March 15, 2011

It doesn’t have to be March 17^th to enjoy colcannon — it’s great any time of year. What’s not to love about kale and mashed potatoes in one dish? Of course, St. Patrick’s Day is always a good excuse to make it. This year, I’m enjoying colcannon two ways!

For dinner, I’m making Colcannon-Topped Irish Stew from Party Vegan. It’s hearty, delicious, and a great one dish meal that really needs no embellishment to make a great dinner anytime. If you’re planning a St. Patrick’s Day bash, you might want to include some of the other recipes on the menu, like the soup, salad, dessert, or a loaf of Whisky and Soda Bread.

We’ll be having the Pea Green Soup for lunch that day. Bright green in color (because it’s made with fresh or frozen green peas — not dried), it tastes like Springtime. Along with the soup, I’m serving some special St. Patrick’s Day colcannon potato pancakes. Most people are familiar with potato cakes or latkes made with raw grated potatoes. In my family, we always had that kind, but my mom also made a version using leftover mashed potatoes combined with a little onion, flour, and seasoning. We called this version “stove rags” because they were cooked on the coal stove, which is how my grandmother made them.

The Colcannon “Stove Rags” are an ideal accompaniment to the Pea Green Soup. As you can see in the photo, I even made a few mini-fritters to float on top of the soup. (You can see my little shamrock plant peeking into the photo, too!)

Here’s the complete St. Patrick’s Day menu from Party Vegan, that can be enjoyed in whole or in part on March 17 — or anytime! I call my menu “Potluck of the Irish.”

~St. Patrick’s Day Menu~
Pea Green Soup
Irish Whiskey and Soda Bread
Colcannon-Topped Irish Stew
Shamrock Vegetable Salad
Creamy Lime-Pistachio Parfaits

Here’s the recipe for colcannon fritters — if you have leftover mashed potatoes and kale (or leftover colcannon!) — they’re quick to make — and so good!

Colcannon Fritters
These are delicious served hot with a little vegan sour cream and Tabasco. If you’re making the Pea Green Soup, make a few mini-fritters to float on top of the soup.

1 1/2 cups cooked mashed potatoes
1 cup cooked chopped kale
1/4 cup minced scallions
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour or tapioca flour, plus more if needed
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Neutral vegetable oil, for frying

1. Preheat the oven to 250° F. In a large bowl, combine the mashed potatoes, kale, and scallions. Add the flour, baking powder, salt, and pepper. Mix well. Add a little more flour if the mixture is too sticky.

2. In a large nonstick skillet or griddle, heat a thin layer of oil over medium-high heat. Drop the batter by the heaping tablespoonful onto the hot skillet. Cook, turning once, until browned on both sides, about 10 minutes total.

3. Transfer the cooked fritters to a heatproof platter and keep warm in the oven while you fry the rest. Serve immediately.

Happy St. Patrick’s Day!

{ 2 comments… add one }

GiGi March 16, 2011, 5:53 am

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Gauri Radha ???? ???? March 16, 2011, 7:43 pm

Looks good!! Happy Saint Patrick's Day 🙂

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