Praise be to colcannon

 When you have kale plants growing in your garden that look like this...

Caledonian kale. This plant is seriously boob-height on me.

  

and this...

Curly kale - ain't she bewdiful?

the pressure's on to eat some kale. Lots of it.

Every week we take a big bucket to sell at the local food co-op, but there's only so much they can sell, so we still have lots for ourselves. LOTS.

Big bucket o' greens en route to Candelo Bulk Wholefoods

Luckily, I recently made a skirt out of a blanket for a lovely friend, who traded for the skirt a copy of Home Made Winter. This book, along with Matthew Evans' Winter on the Farm, is providing most of the recipes we're cooking these days. We're loving 'em! 

Of particular note is our recent discovery of colcannon. I know - what took us so long??!! If you've never had it, I suggest you go and make some. NOW. Apart from using up a nice big bunch of kale (it is a superfood, after all), the colcannon in Home Made Winter also calls for SERVING THE COLCANNON WITH LITTLE WELLS INTO WHICH MELTED BUTTER IS POURED. If you feel even half as fondly about butter as I do, you'll understand my use of shouting capitals.

Just-picked kale colcannon. That red jug contains melted butter for pouring into colcannon wells: yesssssssss.

I believe that colcannon, served on a winter's night in a snug little strawbale cottage with a JUG OF MELTED BUTTER and a glass of home-brewed stout on the side, may well be my perfect meal. And just in case there's some left over, you can make pretty ace-balls potato cakes out of the leftovers.  I had them this morning with chilli jam for breakfast. 

So go plant some kale!