3.16.2012

Darina Allen's Champ for St. Patrick's Day



Our Game Changer group did Darina Allen recently and I ran across her recipe for Champ. Hard to believe I'd never made this....what could be a simpler way to spruce up mashed potatoes? I used Yukon Gold potatoes and scallions. But you could use kale, parsley, chives, peas or a cabbage like Savoy instead of scallions. Doesn't the photo tell the story?
The next night, I made it into little pancakes, coated it with panko and fried them. Naughty me.


Champ
From Irish Traditional Cooking by Darina Allen


Ingredients:
6 to 8 unpeeled baking potatoes, e.g., Russet or Yukon Gold
1 bunch scallions (use the bulb and green stem)
1 1/2 cups milk
4 to 8 tablespoons butter
salt and freshly ground pepper

Method:
Scrub the potatoes and boil them in their jackets. Finely chop the scallions. Cover the scallions with cold milk and bring slowly to a boil. Simmer for about 3 to 4 minutes, then turn off the heat and leave to infuse. Peel and mash the freshly boiled potatoes and, while hot, mix with the boiling milk and scallions. Beat in some of the butter. Season to taste with salt and freshly ground pepper. Serve in one large or four individual bowls with a knob of butter melting in the center. 

Champ may be put aside and reheated later in a moderate oven at 350°F. Cover with foil while it reheats so that it doesn't get a skin. 

16 comments:

  1. Looks so good! The pancakes sound delicious, too, great idea. Happy St Patrick's Day, Barbara.

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  2. That is such a comforting dish! Happy Saint Paddy's Day.

    Cheers,

    Rosa

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  3. I love this dish Barbara and love the draw yu post!! Happy Saint Patrick day!

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  4. Hi Barbara,

    The basic recipe is the way my family has always cooked potatoes. Sure just throw in some green. We need all the green we can get.

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  5. The Knight saw the photo and said, "Don't do that to MY mashed potatoes!" He hates scallions. ;)

    Happy St. Paddy's Day!

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  6. I love Champ and love it on top of my Shepherds Pie too.

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  7. This looks so good i could eat it for breakfast right now---and I just saw Val's comment about using on top of Shepherd's Pie, I'm stealing that one!

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  8. Happy St Pats!!!

    Great dish... actually first tried it in Ireland... one of my favorite places. Although I am an all-American mutt, I have no Irish in me (that I know of) but still, when I go there it feels like home. I love the country and the people and those potatoes. Thanks to Darina's efforts, Ireland is seeing a real food renaissance. They already have the best dairy products. I mean, what can't you grow in that emerald green land???

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  9. Happy St. Patrick's Day,Barbara. The champ looks wonderful and you've used one of the best recipes around to make it. Enjoy the day. Blessings...Mary

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  10. Happy St Patrick's Day, my dear I hope you're having a great day!
    Champ has been a firm side dish in this home for more years than I care to remember, but it's always good to see a different version and to give it a try.

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  11. I love this version of mashed potatoes and would eat it instead of regular mashed taters any day!

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  12. Even if we don't celebrate St Patrick here..I would gadly eat that purée!
    Have a nice day!

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  13. I love sprucing mashed potatoes up with ingredients like scallions and other herbs. The idea of turning leftovers into pancakes is even better. I wish potatoes were useful starch because there's so much you can do with them. Oh well. ;)

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  14. Why is the dish called champ?

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  15. simple yet marvelous, and i love your use of the leftovers!

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  16. I WILL make this. Mashed potatoes and scallions are two of my little girl's favorites. I never thought to combine them. Thank you!

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