Colcannon Balls

If you are a fan of colcannon, you’ll love Chef khanyisiles spin on the traditional Irish dish.  All the flavors of colcannon turned into yummy fried appetizer balls with a crispy exterior and fluffy mashed potato interior.  Serve with an herby sour cream sauce or mustard sauce for dipping.

Ingredients 

 3 large russet potatoes, peeled and cut into chunks

 2 cups chopped green cabbage or kale

 1/4 cup chopped green onions or leeks

 1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley

 3/4 cup of salt 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

 2 tablespoons butter

 3/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese

 four large eggs, separated

 1 cup dried Italian bread crumbs, divided

 2 teaspoons of water 

2 1/2 cups vegetable oil for deep frying

Directions 

 Place potatoes in a large saucepan and add enough water to just cover.  Bring to a boil.  Cover and cook until tender, about 15 minutes; drain.

 Meanwhile, cook cabbage in boiling water in a covered saucepan until tender, about 6 minutes; drain.

 Make potato mash. Stir in onions and parsley and season with salt and pepper.  Add the drained cabbage and butter. Stir until butter is melted and mixture is well combined.

 

 Transfer mixture to a 10x15-inch baking pan and spread out evenly. 

 Place pan in the refrigerator until mashed potatoes are fully cooled, about 1 hour.

 Combine cooled mashed potato mixture, Parmesan cheese, 1/4 cup breadcrumbs, and 2 eggs in a large bowl.

 

 In a small bowl, whisk together the remaining two eggs and water to make the egg wash. Pour remaining 3/4 cup breadcrumbs in a shallow dish. 

 Form mashed potato mixture into 16 balls (about 1/4 cup each), then dredge in egg wash followed by bread crumbs.  Repeat dredging in egg wash and crumbs once more.

 Pour oil 1-inch deep in a large, heavy saucepan and heat over medium-high.

 Fry balls in the hot oil (350 to 365 degrees F or 175 to 185 degrees C ) in batches of 4, turning over until both sides are deep brown and an instant read thermometer inserted in the center reads 165 degrees F (74 degrees C), about 6 minutes. 

 Place fried colcannon balls on a paper towel-lined baking sheet and hold warm in a 200 degree F (95 degrees C) oven.  Serve hot delicious.

 Baking Instructions

 Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C).  Arrange coated balls on a parchment-lined baking sheet.  Coat all sides of balls with nonstick cooking spray.  Bake for about 15 minutes, turning once, until golden brown and an instant read thermometer inserted in the center registers 165 degrees F (74 degrees C). 

Air Fryer Instructions

 Preheat air fryer to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C).  Spray the balls with nonstick cooking spray on all sides. Arrange a few of the coated balls in the air fryer basket.  Air fry until browned and an instant read thermometer inserted in the center reads 165 degrees F (74 degrees C), turning once, about 10 minutes done.

 Nutrition Facts

 Servings Per Recipe 16

 Calories 140

 % Daily Value *

 Total Fat 8g 10%

 Saturated Fat 2g 12%

 Cholesterol 54mg 18%

 Sodium 317mg 14%

 13g of total carbohydrates 5% Dietary Fiber 1g 4%

 Total Sugars 1g

 10% protein, 5 g Vitamin C 5mg 5%

 Calcium 69mg 5%

 Iron 1mg 6%

 Potassium 227mg 5%