Luscious leftovers: bubble and squeak recipe

Using up leftovers saves on waste, saves money and ideally it also saves time. From my point of view though, there’s no point doing all that if it doesn’t taste delicious too. Say no to bland, repetitive leftovers!

Bubble and squeak is kind of plain, but comforting, simply potatoes and vegetables, plus maybe a fried onion and a little salt and pepper. I must admit that sometimes I can’t even be bothered to fry an onion, but I still want it to be interesting so I chuck a few more flavours in.

Here’s my best bubble and squeak recipe to make an extra quick and tasty meal out of.

Ingredients

• 3 heaped tablespoons of leftover mashed potato
• 2 heaped tablespoons of any leftover cooked vegetables
• 1 level teaspoon of wholegrain French mustard or a pinch of English mustard powder
• 4 chopped spring onions, including the green parts
• 60g of finely grated cheddar or crumbled caerphilly cheese
• salt and pepper to taste

Remember that there’s salt in the cheese, and that there’s probably also salt already in the leftover potato, so don’t overdo it too much.

If you don’t feel like spring onions, use finely chopped fried leek or onion instead, although this makes the preparation time longer. You can also add a small handful of chopped parsley if you’re in the mood.

If you don’t have mashed potato, you can use well-chopped/crushed cold boiled or roast potatoes instead and adjust the seasoning accordingly. It’s traditional to use greens such as cabbage or sprouts, but it’s just as good to use cauliflower, carrot, broccoli, green beans or peas.

Method

1. Crush the leftover vegetables with the back of a fork, or chop them along with the spring onions.

2. Mix together thoroughly with all the other ingredients and divide the mixture into 8.

3. Shape into rissole or thick burger shapes, and dust lightly with plain flour.

4. You can either fry them in a little vegetable oil on a medium heat for about 6 minutes or so on each side (until golden brown), or you can place them on a lightly oiled non-stick baking tray in a hot oven (about 200 degrees C) for 20 to 25 minutes.

Serve 2 per person with a fried or poached egg on the side, or 1 per person as part of a fry-up. The cheese also makes them quite nice on their own, maybe with some pickle and a salad.

It’s easy enough to halve the mixture if you don’t have enough leftovers, and the shaped ‘cakes’ can also be frozen before the cooking stage.

Do you have your own favourite bubble and squeak recipe, or might you be tempted by this one? What’s your top tip for using up leftovers?