It's time for the wearing o' the green, and as long as you're at it, the eating of the green, too. St. Patrick's Day is the one time of the year when we give a little respect to the culinary and cultural contributions of our Irish brethren.
The familiar Irish classics are simple, comforting dishes, like colcannon, shepherd's pie and soda bread.
I took the elements of a good colcannon — the traditional Irish dish of mashed potatoes with kale or cabbage — and made it into a stuffed baked potato, for a Kale and Cheddar Stuffed Potato.
If you are not a kale fan, you can always go with cabbage, which is another leafy green vegetable often used in colcannon.
Russet potatoes are the way to go in this dish. That's because of the fluffy, slightly mealy texture of the potato when it's cooked, making it perfect for absorbing butter and other flavorful additions. Select big ones, since these are more of a main course than a side.
We may think kale was just discovered yesterday, since it has become so ubiquitous in recent years.
But kale is an old-school peasant food and goes way back in Irish food traditions. Like the potato, it is easy to grow and produces a bounty of food in a small space.
Now that we know that it's a "superfood," filled with nutrients, it only adds to the appeal. I used Tuscan kale for this dish, but any kind will do.
