Chef notes
I love this dish because it's real Irish soul food. Comforting buttery colcannon, along with crunchy, juicy breaded pork chops. The honey dip is addictive, and so good served with chicken wings or pork ribs too.
Technique tip: Make sure the butter is completely melted and hot before adding the pork chops, so your chops get a nice golden brown color and crunchy texture.
Swap option: The whiskey can be swapped out for Guinness, and the pork chops can be swapped out for lamb cutlets or chicken breasts.
Ingredients
- 2¼ pounds potatoes, unpeeled and washed
- 1/2 cup milk
- 4 spring onions or 3½ ounces cabbage, finely chopped
- 3 tablespoons butter
- 1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
- 2 cloves garlic, crushed
- 2 small shallots, finely chopped
- 1¾ cups fresh soda bread crumbs
- 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
- 1 teaspoon thyme leaves
- Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
- 2 eggs, beaten
- 4 French-trimmed pork chops on the bone
- 3 tablespoons butter
- 1/2 cup Irish (or locally sourced) honey
- 1/2 cup cider vinegar
- 1/2 cup brown sugar
- 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
- 1/2 cup Irish whiskey
Preparation
For the colcannon:
1.Place the whole potatoes in a large saucepan, with the largest ones at the bottom, and fill the pan halfway with water. Cover the pan with a lid and place over high heat. When the water begins to boil, drain off about half so that there is just enough left in the pan for the potatoes to steam. Leave to steam, covered, for 30–40 minutes, depending on the size of the potatoes, until soft.
2.While the potatoes finish cooking, pour the milk for the colcannon into a saucepan and place over medium heat. Stir in the spring onions or cabbage, butter and nutmeg, season with salt and pepper, and simmer for 4 minutes.
3.Once the potatoes are cooked, hold them in a kitchen towel while you peel them and place in a warmed bowl. Mash the potatoes while you gradually add the warm milk and spring onion or cabbage mixture.
For the pork chops:
1.Preheat the oven to 400°F.
2.Add the garlic, shallots, breadcrumbs, mustard and thyme leaves to a food processor. Season with salt and pepper and process for 30 seconds.
3.Transfer the breadcrumb mixture to a bowl. Place the flour and beaten eggs in two separate bowls (or on plates). Dip each pork chop in the flour, followed by the beaten egg, then turn in the mustard breadcrumb mixture to coat.
4.Heat an ovenproof frying pan over high heat and add the butter. Once the butter has melted, place the breaded chops in the pan and brown on each side, and then transfer the pan to the oven and cook for 20 minutes.
For the Irish honey-whiskey dip:
Whisk the honey, vinegar, and sugar together in a bowl until smooth. Transfer to a saucepan and place over medium-high heat, stirring constantly to prevent burning, until the mixture begins to boil and thicken.
Whisk in the mustard and whiskey and cook for another minute, continuing to stir constantly. Remove the pan from heat and set aside.
To serve:
Spoon the colcannon around a large warmed platter, place the breaded pork chops in the center, then pour the honey and whiskey dip over the chops.
