Colcannon Velouté (Liquid Healing Bowl)
English·(kohl-KAN-in vuh-loo-TAY)
Chapter 3: The Food Mom Made When I Was Sick (Invalid Cookery and Healing Bowls)
When the body gives out and the soul demands home, standard chicken noodle soup just won't cut it. This is a restorative, velvet-smooth elixir born of the Irish diaspora and perfected for the modern sickbed. Starchy potatoes and sweet leeks are pulverized into a luxurious base using good bone broth and a stick blender. It is fundamentally straightforward, finished with tender, melt-in-your-mouth ribbons of cabbage that won't punish an upset stomach—exactly the kind of unapologetic, nourishing food a loving mother makes to drag you back to the land of the living.
Before you start
Wash the leeks thoroughly to remove any hidden grit.
Leeks harbor sand; slice off the white and light green parts, chop them, and soak them in a bowl of cold water before use.
Core and very finely shred the cabbage.
Savoy cabbage is ideal here for its tender leaves, which break down effortlessly for compromised stomachs.
Peel the potatoes and cut them into 1-inch cubes.
Yukon Golds are highly recommended for their inherent buttery flavor and perfect pureeing texture.
Ingredients
- salted Irish butter3 Tablespoons
- large leek1
- garlic cloves2
- Green or Savoy cabbage1/2 head
- Yukon Gold or Russet potatoes2 lbs
- high-quality chicken bone broth5 to 6 cups
- bay leaf1
- heavy cream or half-and-half1/2 cup
- sea saltto taste
- ground white pepperto taste
- green onionsoptional garnish
- uncured baconoptional garnish
Method
- 01
Melt the butter in a heavy-bottomed Dutch oven over medium-low heat.
Add the sliced leeks and a pinch of salt, sweating gently for 5 to 7 minutes until translucent without browning, then stir in the minced garlic for one minute until fragrant.
- 02
Add the shredded cabbage and toss to coat in the buttery leek mixture.
Cover the pot and let the cabbage wilt down completely for about 10 minutes, then remove half of this mixture to a bowl and reserve it for later.
- 03
Toss the cubed potatoes, 5 cups of the bone broth, and the bay leaf into the pot.
Crank the heat to bring it to a rolling boil, immediately drop it to a gentle simmer, cover slightly ajar, and cook for 20 to 25 minutes until the potatoes offer zero resistance to a fork.
- 04
Remove the pot from the heat and fish out the bay leaf.
Submerge an immersion blender completely into the liquid and puree the potatoes and broth into a thick, smooth, completely pulverized velouté, streaming in the reserved cup of broth if it looks too much like mashed potatoes.
- 05
Return the pot to a very low heat and gently stir in the heavy cream.
Do not let the soup boil after the dairy is added or the cream will break.
- 06
Fold the reserved wilted cabbage back into the creamy puree.
Taste aggressively and season with fine sea salt and white pepper, then ladle into deep, warm bowls, garnishing with scallions and crumbled bacon only if the patient's appetite has returned.
Notes
Vegetable broth and plant-based butter easily make this a vegetarian or vegan affair.
Omit the heavy cream entirely or substitute it with cashew cream or unsweetened oat milk for the required richness.
For severe gastrointestinal distress or acid reflux, skip the alliums.
Omit the leeks and garlic; the slow-cooked cabbage, potatoes, and bone broth still carry enough savory weight to comfort a ragged stomach.
White sweet potatoes and coconut milk sub in perfectly for autoimmune protocols.
This removes the nightshades and dairy while retaining the rich, starchy texture of a proper healing bowl.
From The Irish American Table.