Bubble & Squeak Cakes
Time to prep 25 minutes, plus time for chilling and draining tomatoes
Time to cook 12 minutes
Serves 6 - makes 16 cakes
Ingredients
- ½ Savoy cabbage
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 2 bunches spring onions, trimmed and cut into short lengths
- 225g NZ free-range streaky bacon
- Butter
- 1 kg potatoes
- 1 cup grated tasty cheddar cheese
- Olive oil
- Hot buttered toast for serving
Fresh tomato salsa
- 4 medium vine tomatoes
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper
- Squeeze of lemon juice
- Small handful of basil leaves
Eggs (optional)
- 6 medium (size 6) free-range eggs, optional
- Butter or olive oil for frying, optional
Method
1 Slice off tough core from cabbage and discard. Wash, shake off excess water and chop flesh coarsely. Plunge into a saucepan of gently boiling salted water and cook for 2 minutes, pushing cabbage under the water so that it wilts evenly. Drain cabbage and refresh with plenty of cold water. Drain again, shake off excess water, then lay cabbage on paper towels to dry off. Plunge spring onions into gently boiling water and cook for 1 minute. Drain, refresh and shake dry. Spread on paper towels to dry.
2 Fry bacon until crisp in a smidgin of sizzling butter. Remove from pan and chop roughly.
3 Peel potatoes, cut into chunks and cook gently in salted water until tender. Drain. Return potatoes to the saucepan and set pan back over the heat briefly to dry off potatoes. Transfer potatoes to a large bowl and mash until smooth. Add cabbage, spring onions, bacon and cheese. Season with 1/2 tsp salt and black pepper to taste. Shape into 16 large cakes and transfer them to a tray. Refrigerate for at least 1 hour.
4 Heat a large frying pan over medium heat and drop in a splash of oil, then a tablespoon or two of butter. Once the butter is sizzling, add half the potato cakes and cook until crusty and golden. Carefully turn and cook on all sides, adding more butter if necessary (don't be mean with the butter - it makes these potato cakes!). If serving with eggs, fry or poach eggs. Serve bubble and squeak cakes with eggs and serve with hot buttered toast and the fresh tomato salsa.
5 Make the tomato salsa by chopping tomatoes coarsely and leaving to drain for 15 minutes. Season with lemon juice and black pepper. At the very last, just before serving, season with a little salt and add basil leaves.