Bubble and Squeek

Bubble and squeek is a typical Sunday supper dish, originally created to use up the bits of veg, potatoes and meat left over from lunch and so named because of the noises it's supposed to make during cooking. Unlike the days of old most of the ingredients here are cooked especially for the dish but, having tried many different variations, i found that the best results do actually come from using left over roast potatoes.

Ingredients:

¾ kg cold roast potatoes
2 large onions – peeled and thinly sliced
½ Savoy cabbage –thinly sliced
300 g Pancetta – rind removed – cut into small batons
1 egg
¼ bag of Panko crumbs
3 tblspn Chopped parsley
3 oz butter plus more for cooking.
Salt and pepper
Plain flour

Method:

1. Bring a pot of salted water to the boil. Blanch the cabbage then plunge into ice cold water. Strain.

2. Melt the butter in a saucepan over a medium heat and cook the pancetta until golden. Add the onions and cook until soft.

3. The next step is easy: throw everything into a big bowl and scrunch together until evenly combined. I suggest you wear catering gloves... or let a food mixer with a paddle attachment do the work for you.

4. Press the mix into a plain round pastry cutter or ring mould to shape into cakes then arrange on a tray lined with cling wrap and chill. All steps to here can be done well in advance.

Dip the "bubbles" into seasoned plain flour, shake off the excess and fry in a little butter until golden on both sides. Transfer to the oven and cook for 6 minutes.

I like to eat these with cold cooked ham and a couple of fried or poached eggs but they are equall good with slow cooked belly pork or roast chicken and a cider or red wine sauce.