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Champ

Brúitín: mashed potato beaten with scallion-infused milk

Champ is the creamy mashed potato of Ulster, eaten in farmhouse kitchens from Tyrone to Monaghan, and once pounded in a big pot with a wooden beetle for the whole family. Scallions are steeped in hot milk, then beaten into floury potatoes with salt, pepper and butter, so it is soft, green-flecked and gently oniony. Serve in a mound with a pool of butter in the centre, next to sausages or a pie. Chef's tip: dip each forkful into the butter well, as is done at home; don't stir the butter through.
Total time
35 min
Difficulty
easy
Serves
4
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Ingredients

Serves4

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Method

0/5 done
  1. Step 1: Boil the 2 ¼ lb potatoes in salted water for 18–20 minutes, until completely tender.

    20 min
  2. Step 2: While they cook, simmer the 8 scallions (spring onions) in the 1 cup whole milk for 5 minutes, until soft. Take off the heat.

    5 min
  3. Step 3: Drain the potatoes and leave them in the hot pan for 2 minutes to steam off their water, then mash until smooth.

    4 min
  4. Step 4: Gradually beat in the hot scallion milk until the mash is soft and fluffy; a common mistake is adding all the milk at once, which can make it sloppy. Season with 1 tsp salt and ½ tsp black pepper.

    3 min
  5. Step 5: Serve in warm bowls with a hollow in the middle and a knob of 2 ⅛ oz butter melting into each one.

    1 min

Nutrition per serving

Calories
320 kcal
Protein
7 g
Carbs
42 g
Fat
14 g
Fibre
4 g

Nutrition values are estimates.

K
Recipe by

KrazyBadal

All recipes by this chef →

Good to know

How long does champ take?
About 35 minutes in total: 10 minutes to prepare and 25 minutes to cook.
How many people does it serve?
4 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
Is it vegetarian?
Yes. It has no meat or fish.
Is it gluten free?
Yes, as written. Check the labels on stock, sauces and spice mixes, which sometimes contain gluten.
What can I use instead of potatoes?
Sweet potato, same weight (sweeter, cooks a little faster).
What can I use instead of whole milk?
Semi-skimmed milk with 1 tbsp cream per 240ml (1 cup).

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