Bubble & Squeak

The History of the Dish

In the 18th century, nothing went to waste in a Georgian kitchen. While the upper classes enjoyed elaborate roasts, the working families of London relied on "Monday Leftovers." Bubble and Squeak first appeared in cookbooks around the mid-1700s, famously mentioned in Maria Rundell’s culinary guides.

Its name perfectly captures the sensory experience of the era’s cast-iron cooking: the "bubble" of the cabbage water in hot bacon dripping leftover beef and the "squeak" of the ingredients hitting the pan. For the characters in The Bottle Conjuror, a hearty plate of fried potatoes and greens was more than just a meal—it was the fuel of the georgian era and a staple of the bustling Britiths city streets and rural farms.

Bubble & Squeak

Ingredients

• 5 – 6 potatoes peeled and cut into chunks or leftover mashed potatoes

• ½ head of cabbage sliced thinly

• 1 sliced onion

• Crumbly bacon, diced ham or meat of your choice.

• Poached or sunny side-up egg

• Parsley for garnish

Boil potatoes until tender. Mash or whip with mixer adding butter, milk, salt and pepper to taste. It should be a stiff mixture, so when adding vegetables it will hold together for frying.

Sauté cabbage and onions in butter and olive oil until tender.

Cool all vegetables before adding to the mashed potatoes.

Heat vegetable oil for frying. Shape potatoes, cabbage and onion mix into patties and fry until browned on each side.Top with a cooked egg, crumbled bacon and chopped parsley.