Colcannon, the Irish comfort food you never heard of

3 pounds potatoes, scrubbed
2 sticks butter
1 1/4 cups hot milk
Freshly ground black pepper
1 head cabbage, cored and finely shredded
1 (1-pound) piece ham or bacon, cooked the day before
4 scallions, finely chopped
Chopped parsley leaves, for garnish

Steam the potatoes in their skins for 30 minutes. Peel
them using a knife and fork. Chop with a knife before
mashing. Mash thoroughly to remove all the lumps. Add
1 stick of butter in pieces. Gradually add hot milk,
stirring all the time. Season with a few grinds of
black pepper.
Boil the cabbage in unsalted water until it turns a
darker color. Add 2 tablespoons butter to tenderize
it. Cover with lid for 2 minutes. Drain thoroughly
before returning it to the pan. Chop into small
pieces.

Put the ham in a large saucepan and cover with water.
Bring to the boil and simmer for 45 minutes until
tender. Drain. Remove any fat and chop into small
pieces.

Add cabbage, scallions, and ham to mashed potatoes,
stirring them in gently.
Serve in individual soup plates. Make an indentation
on the top by swirling a wooden spoon. Put 1
tablespoon of butter into each indentation. Sprinkle
with parsley.

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