Chard & Butterbean Colcannon

Chard & Butterbean Colcannon

with fresh garlic

Colcannon is a great combination of potato and greens with lashings of butter, perfect for the colder months and hearty meals. It doesn’t stop here though! Spring brings with it changeability, one minute the shorts are out and the next a jumper and brolly. Colcannon is just as adaptable as the seasons progress, with a few tweaks.

Butterbeans, or any other white bean, cook down to a silky texture akin to potatoes, but with a lightness potatoes do not leave you with. The beauty of beans is that they are also just as delicious cold, making a dish like this perfect for a BBQ in shorts or a supper in a jumper.

Chard and fresh garlic bring their respective strengths to colcannon. Iron rich, floral, vibrant and aromatic. Finished with some fresh herbs and nutmeg.


Serves: 4
Preparation time: 15 minutes
Cooking time: 20 minutes

Ingredients:
Oil or a decent couple of thumbs of butter
1 tin of butterbeans or 125g dried beans
Sea salt flakes and fresh ground black pepper
Stock or water (enough to just cover the beans & chard stalks)
1 bag of SLF chard
1 fresh garlic
Plenty of fresh herbs, such as thyme, chives or parsley

1. To use dried beans, soak in cold water overnight, then drain and simmer until tender in slightly salted water. Or open a tin, drain and rinse.

2. Begin by heating the oil or butter (or both for some luxury) in a saucepan over a moderate heat, until the butter foams or oil shimmers. Add the beans and cook until they begin to quietly sizzle.

3. Meanwhile remove the stalks of the chard and slice, then add to the beans. Cook for a few minutes to soften the stems, then cover with stock (or water). Season with salt and pepper and gently cook with a lid on.

4. Shred the chard leaves and slice the garlic.

5. Once the beans are very soft, remove the lid and add the leaves and garlic. Lightly mash and leave over a low heat to wilt the greens.

6. Check the seasoning, stir through the herbs and enjoy!

Serve with asparagus, a pork chop, BBQ hogget or fish.

Chef Notes:
1. The texture is completely down to personal preference.
2. Once cool, this is delicious blended with a little water and used as a dip.