Colcannon cakes with poached eggs recipe

The perfect breakfast dish for a lazy holiday morning, with a little traditional Irish hat-tip with the inclusion of this mashed potato treat.

Colcannon is a traditional Irish dish made with mashed potatoes, cabbage or kale, and onions. It's a comforting and hearty dish that has been enjoyed by generations. In this recipe, we take the concept of colcannon and transform it into mouthwatering colcannon cakes, paired with perfectly poached eggs.

The combination of creamy mashed potatoes, flavorful greens, and a runny poached egg creates a delightful harmony of textures and flavors. So, let's dive into this recipe and bring a taste of Ireland to your breakfast or brunch table!

Colcannon cakes with poached eggs recipe 

Serves: 4 

Ingredients:

• 450g/ 15.8oz potatoes, peeled
• 40g/1.4oz butter
• 3 scallions, finely chopped
• A little salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 50g/1.7oz Savoy cabbage, shredded
• A little plain flour, for dusting
• Olive oil, for frying
• 1 tablespoon white wine vinegar
• 4 large eggs

For the hollandaise sauce:

• 2 teaspoons white wine or tarragon vinegar
• 2 large egg yolks
• 100g/3.5oz unsalted butter

Method:

• Cook the potatoes in a covered pan of boiling salted water for 15-20 minutes until tender.
•  Meanwhile, heat a knob of the butter and one tablespoon of water in a heavy-based pan with a lid, over a high heat.
• When the butter has melted and formed an emulsion, add the scallions and cabbage with a pinch of salt. Cover, shake vigorously and cook over a high heat for 1 minute. Shake the pan again and cook for another minute, then season with pepper.
• Drain the potatoes and mash until smooth, then beat in the remaining butter. Fold in the cabbage mixture. Shape the mixture into four balls, dust with flour and press into neat patties.
• Heat a thin film of olive oil in a heavy-based frying pan and add the patties, then cook for 3-4 minutes on each side until golden brown.
• To make the poached eggs, bring a large pan of water to the boil. Add the vinegar and season with salt and keep at a very gentle simmer. Break the eggs into the water and simmer for 3-4 minutes until just cooked but still soft on the inside. Remove with a slotted spoon and drain well on kitchen paper, trimming away any ragged edges.
• To make the hollandaise sauce, place the vinegar and egg yolks in a food processor with a pinch of salt. Blend until just combined.
• Gently heat the butter in a heavy-based pan until melted and just beginning to foam. Turn on the food processor and with the motor running at medium speed; pour in the melted butter in a thin, steady stream through the feeder tube. Continue to blitz for another 5 seconds and pour back into the pan but do not return to the heat. Allow the heat from the pan to finish thickening the sauce as you stir it gently for another minute before serving. Season to taste with salt.
• To serve, place a colcannon cake on each warmed plate and place a poached egg on top of each one. Spoon over the hollandaise sauce and add a grinding of black pepper.
• TIP: This dish would also be delicious served with a slice of baked ham or bacon if you have any leftovers. Alternatively, chop up the ham or bacon and add to the colcannon mixture before shaping it into patties. 

* Originally published in Dec 2019, updated in 2024.