Catholic Recipe: Colcannon II

Also Called: Callcannon

Demetria Taylor shares her Colcannon recipe. All Hallows' Eve or, more familiarly, Halloween, is no longer a fast day, but old-time customs as to food can be observed, and if you prefer, you can keep it a meatless day.

This is another occasion when pancakes are traditional, so why not use the recipe for St. Brigid's buttermilk pancakes (see recipe) and serve them with cottage cheese and honey? Or you might like to serve the traditional Colcannon (recipe follows).

In some parts of England, All Hallows' Eve is still known as Nut Crack Eve, when convivial folk sit around the hearth, supplied with crisp, juicy apples and nuts in the shell, good conversation, and perhaps a spate of song!

Mugs of chilled sweet apple cider and plump homemade doughnuts make good fireside eating too. There is a story to the effect that doughnuts area version of the soulcakes that were once given to beggars on this Eve. It is said that a wise woman felt that once the beggars had the soulcakes, they would eat them greedily and forget all about the prayers for the holy souls they were supposed to say in payment. So she made her cakes in the form of a circle, the symbol of eternal life, hoping thus to remind them of their duty!

Throughout most of the United States, Halloween has become a children's dress-up-and-go-visiting evening. Usually, this is confined to a community area, with children disguising themselves in costumes of witches, hobgoblins, and ghosts. They ring doorbells and on being invited in are often given simple refreshments — apples, cookies, or small candies.

Be this as it may, we are sure you'll like a new doughnut recipe, which uses wheat germ to add flavor and food value to an old-time favorite.

DIRECTIONS

Brown onion in 1 tablespoon butter. Add 1 more tablespoon butter to the onion with potatoes and cabbage or turnip; mix well. Cook until heated through; season to taste with salt and pepper. Spread in greased shallow baking dish. Sprinkle with crumbs; dot with remaining butter; top with cheese. Bake at 350° for 20 minutes or until brown.