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Irish Colcannon Cakes with Poached Eggs

Pan-frying leftover-style mash creates a crisp contrast to the soft centre.

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30 minsPrep time
40 minsCook time
Serves 4; includes 30 min passive timeServings
MediumDifficulty
Irish Colcannon Cakes with Poached Eggs
About this dish

Irish Colcannon Cakes with Poached Eggs: the story on the plate

Colcannon is mashed potato mixed with cabbage or kale, with a place in Irish seasonal food customs as well as everyday meals. Turning it into cakes is a practical way to use a firm potato mixture and gives an additional crisp surface. The poached egg makes this version a complete main-course adaptation; it is not an assertion that an egg-topped cake is the original form of colcannon. Egg-topped cakes are a main-course adaptation of a dish often served as a side.

Historical background

Colcannon is mashed potato mixed with cabbage or kale, with a place in Irish seasonal food customs as well as everyday meals. Turning it into cakes is a practical way to use a firm potato mixture and gives an additional crisp surface. The poached egg makes this version a complete main-course adaptation; it is not an assertion that an egg-topped cake is the original form of colcannon.

Why it is famous

Pan-frying leftover-style mash creates a crisp contrast to the soft centre. The defining contrast is crisp cakes, soft mash, runny or set egg.

Cultural significance

Egg-topped cakes are a main-course adaptation of a dish often served as a side. Treat this as one regional or household version; accompaniments and seasoning vary between cooks.

Nutrition

Estimated nutrition per serving

These figures are estimates per serving. Actual nutrition can vary with the brands and exact amounts you use, how much oil, dressing or sauce is absorbed, any substitutions or added extras, and the portion size served.

A practical guide for comparing recipes and planning meals.

477Calories
14.4gProtein
57.2gCarbs
21.6gFat
Ingredients

What you need

  • 900 potato, peeled
  • 300 cabbage, finely shredded
  • 80 spring onion
  • 60 butter
  • 80 milk
  • 60 plain flour
  • 200 egg, 4 eggs, shell removed
  • 15 Vegetable Oil
  • 3 Salt
  • 2 Black pepper
Method

Step-by-step method

Follow the recipe in order, tasting and adjusting seasoning where needed.

  1. 1. Peel and evenly chop the potatoes, finely shred the cabbage and slice the spring onions. Set out a tray for the mash to cool before shaping.
  2. 2. Boil potatoes 20 minutes, drain thoroughly and mash with milk and half the butter.
  3. 3. Soften cabbage and spring onion in remaining butter for 8 minutes; fold into mash with seasoning.
  4. 4. Cool 30 minutes, mix in half the flour and shape eight cakes; dust with remaining flour.
  5. 5. Fry in oil for 4–5 minutes per side until golden and hot throughout.
  6. 6. Poach eggs in gently simmering water until whites are set and yolks are as desired. Serve one egg over two cakes per person.
Cook smarter

Tips, storage and serving advice

Shopping tips

Cook cabbage finely shredded and let excess steam escape. Shape eight cakes of equal thickness, then keep chilled until frying.

Ingredient quality

Cook cabbage finely shredded and let excess steam escape. Shape eight cakes of equal thickness, then keep chilled until frying. Chill the mash until firm enough to shape, and use a broad fish slice to turn cakes once the base has set. Drain poached eggs before placing on top.

Common mistakes

Wet cabbage and hot loose mash make fragile cakes. Squeeze or evaporate vegetable moisture before combining.

Chef’s tips

Chill the mash until firm enough to shape, and use a broad fish slice to turn cakes once the base has set. Drain poached eggs before placing on top.

How to know it is cooked

Cook cabbage finely shredded and let excess steam escape. Shape eight cakes of equal thickness, then keep chilled until frying. Fry in oil for 4–5 minutes per side until golden and hot throughout. Poach eggs in gently simmering water until whites are set and yolks are as desired. Serve one egg over two cakes per person.

Plating advice

Two golden colcannon potato cakes flecked with cabbage and spring onion, one neatly poached egg with a little golden yolk visible; simple handmade plate, no bacon.

Make ahead

Preparation checkpoint: Cook cabbage finely shredded and let excess steam escape. Shape eight cakes of equal thickness, then keep chilled until frying. Prepare and measure components ahead, then follow the cooking, chilling and assembly order in the method. Keep raw animal foods chilled and separate from ready-to-eat ingredients.

Storage and reheating

Refrigerate perishable leftovers promptly in shallow covered containers at 5°C or below and use within 48 hours or the shortest ingredient use-by date. Reheat once in a moderate oven or dry pan until hot throughout to recover some surface crispness; quality is best freshly cooked.

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