Bubble & Squeak Cakes with Tomatoes & Poached Eggs

Bubble and what?...You've gotta give it to us Brits. We certainly know how to name our dishes! Spotted Dick, Toad in the Hole, Bangers and Mash, Bubble and Squeak! I don't understand this silliness any more than the next person, but I do love it.

This traditional English dish is made up of several different vegetables, typically leftover from a Sunday roast. Taking a mixture of any cooked vegetable, mashing it up, and pan frying it until golden will qualify as Bubble and Squeak. Traditionally though, potatoes, onions, cabbage or sprouts are used.

I like to mold my bubble and squeak into little cakes and serve them with a nice poached egg on top. The occasional piece of crispy bacon is also a welcomed addition!

Instead of making individual cakes, you can make one big portion if you prefer. Just pat the mashed vegetables into a pan heated with olive oil and fry until golden and crisp.

Feel free to experiment with leftover vegetables such as squash, sweet potatoes, parsnips or swede. And remember... watch out for the bubbles and listen carefully for the squeaks!

Makes 4 cakes (serves 2)

Note: These cakes can be made from scratch or you can use leftover cooked vegetables.

For the Bubble and Squeak:
1lb potatoes, peeled, cooked and mashed with a tablespoon or two of butter
1/2lb Brussels sprouts, cooked and roughly chopped
1 onion, chopped
1/4 cup seasoned flour
Butter
Olive oil for frying

To Serve:
2 eggs (optional)
Cherry tomatoes on the vine (optional)

In a large bowl, roughly mix together the potatoes and Brussels sprouts.
Melt a knob of butter in a pan and cook the onion until really soft and beginning to brown. Mix with the potatoes and sprouts and season generously with salt and black pepper. Form the mixture into cakes and chill until firm for 1 hour or for up to 24 hours. Coat each cake in the seasoned flour. Heat a generous amount of olive oil in a large pan and fry the cakes until golden and crisp on both sides. At the same time, poach the eggs and grill the tomatoes. Place the tomatoes on a baking tray, drizzle with a little olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Grill (broil) until they begin to soften and blister. About 3-4 minutes. Top two cakes with a well drained poached egg and serve with the grilled cherry tomatoes.