Saint Brigid’s Day Champ
A bowl of mashed potatoes flecked with green scallions or the first of the new season’s wild garlic greens with a blob of butter melting into the centre as you serve.
SERVES
6
PEOPLE
PREP TIME
25
MINUTES
COOKING TIME
4
MINUTES
Ingredients
1.5kg unpeeled 'old' potatoes e.g., Golden Wonders or Kerr’s Pinks
110g chopped spring onions or wild garlic greens (allium triquetrum – see Seasonal Journal)
350ml milk
50-110g butter
salt and freshly ground pepper
Method
Scrub the potatoes and boil them in their jackets in salted water.
Chop finely the spring onions or scallions. Cover with cold milk and bring slowly to the boil. Simmer for about 3-4 minutes, turn off the heat and leave to infuse.
Peel and mash the freshly boiled potatoes and while hot, mix with the boiling milk and onions, beat in the butter. Season to taste with salt and freshly ground pepper.
Serve in 1 large or 6 individual bowls with a knob of butter melting in the centre. Scallion mash may be put aside and reheated later in a moderate oven, 180°C/Gas Mark 4. At this stage the texture needs to be a little softer than you would like because it will absorb the extra milk as it keeps warm and reheats.
Cover with parchment paper or a lid while it reheats so that it doesn’t get a skin and add the lump of butter just before serving.
Champ Cakes
Shape leftovers into potato cakes, cook until golden on both sides in clarified butter or butter and oil. Serve piping hot.
