Colcannon - PUBLISHED

1 - I used some of our beautiful purple Kalibos cabbage, which made for a really strange colouring in the dish, but it was surprisingly good!
2 - What a strange dish, I would never expect it to be so appealing, but it is definitely comfort food!
3 - I used salt pork and it did not have the same effect as bacon - the smoked flavour was missing, and I left the pieces too large. I also cut up the pork before boiling it.
Also, the potato was too soupy; I will change the instructions so that I'll add milk up to 1/2 cup, but not assume that it will always be that amount required.

1 lb cabbage, cut into eighths
1 lb potato, peeled and diced (about 4 potatoes)
2 small leeks, chopped
3⁄4 cup butter
up to 1⁄2 cup hot milk
6 oz bacon
1⁄4 teaspoon salt
1⁄8 teaspoon pepper
1⁄8 teaspoon mace
Fresh parsley (optional)

1. Steam the potatoes in their skins for 30 minutes, allow to cool and then peel them before mashing them thoroughly to remove all the lumps. Add a 1/2 cup of the butter; mash a bit more, then slowly stream in the hot milk until the desired consistency is achieved, stirring all the time. Season with a few grinds of black pepper and add the salt and mace.
2. Meanwhile, set some water to boil and add the bacon and simmer for 30-45 minutes. Half way through, add the cabbage and steam in the bacon pot until it's thoroughly cooked. Drain thoroughly.
3. Cut up the bacon into pieces and roughly chop the cabbage.
4. Fry up the leeks in a bit of butter until well done.
5. Mix everything together.
6. Serve in individual soup plates. Make an indentation on the top and pot in about 1 tablespoon of butter into each indentation. Sprinkle with parsley.