Irish Colcannon Recipe

Chop the 1 pound cabbage and steam it with minimal water until it's quite tender. At the same time, boil the 2 pounds potatoes until they're fork-tender.

Clean and chop the 2 medium leeks, including the first couple of inches of green. Put them into a saucepan with the 1 cup milk and simmer until the leeks are tender. If you're adding bacon, sauté the 2 rashers until crisp, then let them cool slightly before breaking them into bite-sized pieces.

Once the potatoes are cooked, drain them well and mash them. Stir in the milk and leeks mixture, along with the steamed cabbage, 1/4 teaspoon mace, 2 to 3 cloves minced garlic, and the crisp bacon pieces.

Gently mix everything to combine. Be careful not to over-mash the potatoes at this stage; you want a rustic texture, not a gluey one. Season with salt to taste.