Bubble and Squeak

Bubble and squeak: a rather literal name for a foodstuff, this. It’s what the potato and cabbage and other assorted Sunday lunch leftovers do as you fry them together - or maybe it’s the sound your stomach makes afterwards when trying to digest it! Although some people go to all the trouble of starting from scratch, boiling up fresh potatoes and cabbage in order to fry them, mixing in nutmeg or paprika to enhance the flavours, the idea behind this traditional English dish is that you use whatever cold vegetables you have left over from the big roast dinner the day before.

While traditionally bubble and squeak’s main ingredient is cabbage mixed with mashed potato and fried together with an onion, you can equally well find Brussels sprouts in there, along with carrots and peas. Mrs Beeton’s recipe takes it one step further and includes the cold beef in the fry up. If you’ve never tried it, an old-fashioned greasy spoon cafe should be able to do you a nice crisp slice of “bubble” along with your bacon and eggs next time you’re visiting…

Photo: Stephanie Martin