Traditional Bubble and Squeak has been around for many years; it was a way of using up vegetables after a roast dinner to create a meal for the next day. It was a staple for the working classes for many generations, usually eaten at supper time on Mondays, the only exception would be on Boxing day when the vegetables would be fried and eaten with bacon, black pudding, mushroom and egg for a hearty breakfast.
It takes its name from the cooking process; the vegetables are chopped by hand and put into a shallow pre heated, lightly oiled non-stick frying pan. The vegetables are spread out to fill the pan and pressed down tight with a spatula, this is to ensure they get thoroughly brown but with the air excluded the edges emit bubbles and a high pitch squeaking noise, hence ‘bubble and squeak’, cook for about 10 minutes turning every few minutes to brown the surfaces.
Most leftovers can be ’bubbled’, parsnips, roast potatoes, peas, celeriac, cabbage, sprouts(essential!) carrots, green beans, butter beans and broccoli to name but some. I also chop up pigs in blankets, leftover stuffing and add raw mushrooms for texture, a hearty breakfast before setting out in the snow for a day’s frivolity.
The modern-day TV chefs cook it in a ring on the skillet, but I find it doesn’t brown as it should and for the privilege, they charge a fortune for it as its ‘in vogue’
When serving the age-old debate rears its head again… Brown or Red sauce? To some food of the gods to others sacrilege where do you sit in the debate? I sit on the fence keeping my own counsel.
John F Bennett, Author, Blogger and Military Historian 