Late-Night Bubble and Squeak
Cácaí Colcannon·(caw-kee cawl-kyann-un)
The 9 PM Supper: Late-Night Toasts and Leftovers
At 9:00 PM on a Tuesday, for line cooks coming off a long shift, the Tupperware of yesterday’s dinner hits the kitchen counter. Supper means taking cold colcannon, pressing it into a hot cast-iron skillet, and letting bacon fat work its magic—releasing the intoxicating smell of cabbage and potatoes sizzling in Kerrygold butter that proves the hard workday is finally over. The only secret here is patience: let the cabbage hiss, and do not rush the flip.
Before you start
If you do not have leftovers, you must make the mash from scratch and force-chill it.
Boil peeled Russets until tender, mash with milk and butter, and fold in finely shredded green cabbage sautéed in butter. Crucially, spread the mash on a baking sheet and chill it in the freezer for 30 minutes before trying to form and fry the cakes.
Ingredients
- leftover colcannon3 cup
- egg1 large
- all-purpose flour3 tbsp
- bacon fat2 tbsp
- European-style salted butter2 tbsp
- sea salt1/4 tsp
- black pepper1/4 tsp
- eggs4 large
Method
- 01
Combine the cold colcannon, egg, and flour in a large bowl.
Sprinkle with sea salt and black pepper, mixing gently with your hands just until combined so the potatoes do not turn gluey.
- 02
Form the mixture into individual patties.
Lightly dust your hands with flour, scoop up about a half cup of the potato mixture, and shape it into a cake roughly 3 inches wide and 3/4-inch thick.
- 03
Heat the bacon fat and butter in a large cast-iron skillet over medium heat.
Wait until the butter begins to foam and sizzle; the combination of smoky bacon fat and high-fat European butter is the secret to a proper crust.
- 04
Place the potato cakes into the hot fat and let them fry completely undisturbed for 4 to 5 minutes.
You will hear them softly bubbling and squeaking as the cabbage moisture hits the fat. Do not touch them until the bottoms are deeply browned and a crisp crust has formed.
- 05
Carefully flip the cakes and fry for another 4 to 5 minutes until equally golden on the second side.
Transfer the crispy cakes to a warm plate and serve immediately, ideally with a runny fried egg draped over the top.
Notes
The leftover colcannon must be completely cold before frying.
Leftover mash needs to sit in the fridge overnight so the starches can firm up. Trying to fry warm or fresh mashed potatoes will just yield a pan of mush.
Seek out high-fat European butter for frying.
Standard American butter has too much water. Spend the extra couple of bucks on a foil-wrapped brick of imported Irish butter to get that rich, savory browning.
From Cook Irish-American Food.