Bubble and Squeak

A funny name, but quite rightly a “British Classic” and something I’m sure all us Brits enjoy! Bubble and Squeak apparently gets it’s name from the noise it makes whilst you are cooking it up.

So what is bubble and squeak you may ask? Well, it all started off as a wonderful way to use up the left overs from the traditional Sunday roast dinner. As you should all know that a Sunday roast will last the average family through until fish n chips on Friday!

Basically bubble and squeak is cooked on Monday using the left over potatoes and vegetables from the Sunday roast although it works best with mashed or boiled potatoes. There are many recipes for this now but the earliest known recipe was by a Maria Rundell in 1806 in her cook book A new system of domestic cookery,Third edition. Of course a recipe is not really necessary just a preparation method really as it is one of those dishes where anything goes! And now you can buy prepared bubble and squeak, frozen, tinned and on the cold shelf.

We love this in our house and it is a great way to hide some of the veg that the kids won’t eat!

Serves 4

Ingredients:

  4 tbsp butter
  ½ cup onion, finely chopped
  Leftover mashed potato
  Any leftover vegetables, cabbage, swede, carrots, peas, Brussels Sprouts, finely chopped
  Salt and freshly ground black pepper
  Fried bacon pieces (optional)

Preparation method:

Melt the butter in a large frying pan and add the chopped onion and fry gently for a few minutes or until soft and golden.

Turn the heat up slightly and add the mashed potato and vegetables and mix it all together into a large pancake type shape. Fry for 10 mins turning over in the melted butter two or three times to make sure that the potato and vegetables are thoroughly reheated plus you want to get a bit of crispy crust forming on the bubble and squeak.
Then press the potato and veg mixture on to the base of the pan with a spatula and leave to cook for a minute or two to form a crust on the base, then flip it over and do the same again.

You can serve this with the cold meat from your roast, it’s also nice with a fried egg on top! Yum!!

Sometimes I mix the potato and vegetables together in a bowl and make little patties or potato cakes and then just fry them off in the pan.

Enjoy!