BOXING DAY Bubble and Squeak

BOXING DAY Bubble and Squeak

by Valerie Archibald Embrey

Bubble and Squeak should be on everyone's radar come Christmas time as it is a great way of using up leftover mashed potatoes and Brussels sprouts. It gets its name from the sound that it makes in the skillet as it cooks. My family always served Bubble and Squeak on Boxing Day*, the day after Christmas. It was usually served at a late leisurely breakfast with sausage links and eggs, or for dinner with sliced turkey, cranberry chutney and a nice side salad.

Prep: 15 minutes (plus another l/2 hour to let ingredients adhere)

Cook: 15 minutes (Plus 10-15 minutes if reheating)

Servings: 8 patties

INGREDIENTS:

2 1/4 pounds leftover mashed potatoes

1 pound Brussels Sprouts

3 spring onions

1 teaspoon minced garlic

1 teaspoon butter

1/4 cup plain flour, seasoned with salt and pepper

Olive oil, for frying (my late British mother Rusty Archibald used goose fat)

METHOD:

1. Take your leftover mashed potatoes and Brussels sprouts out of the refrigerator and bring to room temperature.

2. Slice the three spring onions. Melt the butter in a small pan. Saute the onions until translucent and add the minced garlic until fragrant. Set the onions and garlic aside to cool.

3. Shred the sprouts as finely as you can.

4. Mix the Brussels sprouts, mashed potatoes, cooled onions and garlic and season to taste with salt and pepper. Cover and let the mixture sit for about half an hour to allow the starch in the potatoes to adhere to the onions, garlic and sprouts.

5. Using a small ice cream scoop, shape the mix into eight round cakes. Tip the seasoned flour onto a plate and coat the cakes, tapping off the excess.

6. Heat the olive oil in a large frying pan and shallow-fry the cakes in two batches for 3 minutes on each side, turning carefully. Drain on a kitchen paper towel and transfer to your baking dish lined with parchment paper. Transfer to a ,vanning oven until ready to serve.

*Boxing Day in the United Kingdom is the day after Christmas Day and falls on December 26. Traditionally, it was a day when employers distributed money, food, clothes or other valuable goods to their employees in a decorated gift box.