Traditionally, colcannon should contain curly kale and spring onions. I don’t like kale so I leave it out, although I do sometimes add cooked cabbage with the onions.

(Serves four)

250 g minced pork
250 g small pork sausages, skins removed
1 large onion, half grated or finely chopped, half sliced
120 g fresh white breadcrumbs
2 tbsp chopped parsley
1 tbsp Worcester sauce
Salt and pepper
1 tbsp olive oil
Butter
Flour
250 ml beef stock
Heaped tbsp crème fraîche
Heaped tsp whole grain or Dijon mustard
500 g mashed potatoes
6 spring onions, trimmed and chopped
Cream

Put the minced pork and sausages into a large bowl, add the grated onion, breadcrumbs, parsley and Worcester sauce. Season well with salt and pepper and mix it all together thoroughly. Roll the mixture into 24 walnut-sized meatballs, put them on to a plate and put them in the fridge to chill for a while.

When ready to cook, heat the olive oil and a knob of butter in a pan and fry the meatballs until they are well browned all over, then transfer them to a plate. Add the sliced onion to the pan and cook until starting to soften.

Sprinkle on enough flour to absorb the fat and cook for two minutes, then stir in the stock, bring to the boil and simmer for two minutes more.

Whisk in the crème fraîche and mustard and return the meatballs to the pan, cover and simmer for another five minutes.

Beat the potatoes in a pan over low heat until piping hot, then beat in the spring onions, a large knob of butter and a splash of cream and season with salt and pepper. Serve the potatoes on warm plates and pour the meatballs over.