No doubt my grandmother would have used them at any time that suited rather than today especially, but that is what a good recipe is for. I particularly like the Colcannon which works very well with pork or gammon while it is also good as part of a cooked breakfast.

And finally, here below is the Colcannon recipe that I use both at work and at home. I much prefer the mash with the addition of approximately one-third parsnip and a spinach/kale/cabbage combination for the greens.

Providing that the original ideal is preserved there is no reason why personal touches cannot be introduced.

Colcannon

Ingredients :

2 large potatoes (1 to 1½ lb), peeled and cut into chunks

2 large parsnips, peeled and cut into chunks

5 tbsp unsalted butter

3 cups of chopped cabbage, kale or spinach

3 green onions, finely chopped

1 cup milk or cream

Method :

Boil the potato and parsnip together until tender (15 to 20 minutes), then drain and mash.

Melt the butter in the pot and, once hot, add the greens. Cook for 3-4 minutes until they are wilted then add the green onions and cook for 1 minute more.

Reduce the heat to medium and add the milk or dream. Stir in the potatoes with the greens and warm thoroughly.

Season to taste and serve hot, with a knob of butter.