St. Patrick’s Day's traditional fare really American evolution of holiday meal

Start to finish: 40 minutes. Makes 6 servings.

1½ pounds small red potatoes

8 cups chopped kale (about ½ pound)

1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon canola oil, divided

1 pound cooked chicken sausages, halved lengthwise

1 large sweet onion, halved and thinly sliced

3 tablespoons all-purpose flour

3 cups reduced-sodium chicken broth

3 tablespoons coarse-grained mustard, divided

1 teaspoon butter, melted

1/3 cup nonfat buttermilk

Ground black pepper, to taste

• In a large pot over high, bring 4 quarts of lightly salted water to a boil. Add potatoes and kale, then boil until greens are tender, about 4 to 5 minutes. Use a slotted spoon to transfer kale to a colander. Rinse under cool water, then set aside to drain.

• Continue cooking the potatoes until very tender when pierced with the tip of a knife, about an additional 20 minutes. Drain and transfer to a large bowl. Add the kale and set aside.

• Meanwhile, in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high, heat 1 teaspoon of oil. Add sausages and cook until browned, about 2 minutes per side. Remove to a plate and set aside.

• Return the skillet to medium-high heat. Add remaining 1 tablespoon of oil. When hot, add onion and saute until softened and slightly browned, about 5 minutes.

• Add the flour and cook, stirring constantly, for 2 minutes. Stir in the broth and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to achieve a steady simmer, then stir in 1 tablespoon of the mustard, and return the sausages to skillet.

• In a small bowl stir together the remaining 2 tablespoons of mustard, the butter and the buttermilk. Pour the buttermilk mixture over potatoes and kale, and using a potato masher, smash coarsely. Season with black pepper.

• Serve sausages and potato-kale mash topped with onion gravy.

• Nutrition information per serving: 348 calories (147 calories from fat), 16 g fat (4 g saturated, 0 g trans fats), 61 mg cholesterol, 31 g carbohydrate, 21 g protein, 3 g fiber, 806 mg sodium.

THE ASSOCIATED PRESS