As mystery writers, murder is our business. As cozy mystery writers, so is wordplay. And that is primarily how this dish came about. Back in 2009, my husband and I were writing Roast Mortem, a book that pays tribute to the FDNY, which has a long history of Irish pride. During our collaboration, we joked about what might happen if we "loaded" the colcannon.
Wait, we thought, why not
fully load it, like a baked potato?
fully load it, like a baked potato?
Marc and I then put the recipe together much like New York City puts its cultural communities together. We started with a basic Irish colcannon of cabbage and potatoes; added an Italian kiss of olive oil and hug of warm, sweet garlic; and finished the dish with an American-style flourish of gooey melted cheddar and smoky crumbled bacon...
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Cleo Coyle has a partner in
crime-writing—her husband.
Learn about their books
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Fully-Loaded
Colcannon
(Hey, no groaning, remember, puns were once the highest form of humor!) A slightly different version of this recipe appeared in our Coffeehouse Mystery, Roast Mortem, along with many more tasty recipes....
And now Marc and I invite you
to jump into our (melting) pot...
to jump into our (melting) pot...
Cleo Coyle's
Fully-Loaded Colcannon
Makes about 6 cups
Ingredients
1 pound red potatoes, cut into uniform pieces
2-3 slices thick-cut bacon, chopped
(or 4-5 regular bacon slices)
1 Tablespoon olive oil
2-3 cloves garlic, chopped
1 large onion, chopped
1/2 head cabbage, sliced thin (about 6 cups)
1 cup milk
1 Tablespoon butter
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
(or ¼ teaspoon table salt)
1/4 teaspoon white pepper
2/3 cup (around 2 or 3 ounces) shredded cheddar cheese
(mild or sharp cheese, your choice)
Step 1—Cook the potatoes: Boil the red potatoes, skin and all, as you would for mashed potatoes—about 15 to 20 minutes. (Test a potato to make sure they’re cooked through.) Remove the pot from heat, drain any extra water, and cover to keep the potatoes warm.
Step 5—Mix and mash: Combine the hot cabbage and the potatoes. Mash with a metal potato masher or large fork until the ingredients are blended.