What do you usually serve on St. Patrick's Day? I have always been told that corned beef and cabbage was the traditional dish of Ireland. But contrary to what we have been told or read, I've learned that no one in Ireland thinks of the dish this way. Asked to prepare a typical Irish dish, they would probably serve a nice leg of lamb with a plate of colcannon.

Pronounced "cal caenaann," the word translates into white-headed cabbage. Originally, it was made from mashed potatoes, kale or cabbage, butter salt and pepper. Variations to this basic recipe include other ingredients such as milk or cream, leeks, chives, garlic, boiled ham or Irish bacon. At one time it was an inexpensive staple.

Although it is associated with Halloween, colcannon can be eaten all times of the year. In the old Irish tradition, the cook would enclose prizes or charms in the mixture. Some families would assign a different meaning to each charm. In one of the families that I read about, a button meant you would remain a bachelor; a thimble meant you would remain a spinster for the coming year; a ring meant you would get married and a sixpence meant you would come into wealth.

When I tested this dish, I didn't add anything into the mash because the recipe in itself was a prize.

RED POTATO COLCANNON