Many classic British dishes have the oddest of names. “Bubble and squeak” is easier to parse than most as it comes from the sounds of the ingredients cooking.
Traditional bubble and squeak is a fried hash of leftover potatoes and cabbage. While boiling potatoes is a necessary first step, my version doesn't squeak as much, given it’s finished in an oven rather than a frying pan. I have opted for kimchi instead of the traditional cabbage, but feel free to use whatever you prefer — sauerkraut works as well. If you do happen to come across fresh Brussels sprouts, however, I highly recommend them as a substitution.
This recipe crushes boiled potatoes and roasts them on top of cheese with kimchi for a simple and satisfying cold weather dish. Sausages can be roasted alongside or directly on top of the vegetables, which lets them soak up all the excess juices. If you’d prefer to mash everything together go ahead, but leaving it a bit looser also has its charms.
This method works well as a simple and easily scalable dinner. For more or fewer diners, simply adjust amounts. For a side dish, I recommend adding bacon. If you’re already cooking with sausages, you may not need both, but no judgments from me if you double down.
A final thought: The fact that many of my recent recipes require an oven was not at all planned, but don’t fret if your apartment lacks such a built-in stove. I won't mention any brands, but a trip to your local electronics or department store could surprise you with the strides Japanese kitchen appliances have made over the years. Ovens that not only microwave but also steam and grill while reaching 300 degrees Celsius were uncommon 10 years ago, but not so today.
Serves 2-4
Prep time: 10 minutes
Cook time: 40 minutes
Ingredients:
• 50 grams grated Grana Padano cheese
• 25 grams butter, melted
• 1 large red onion, sliced
• 200 grams kimchi, red or white
• 6-8 medium potatoes, skin on, washed
• Salt and pepper
• Optional: 4 sausages, 2 rashers bacon
1. In a medium pot, cover the potatoes with cold water. Bring to a boil, turn down the heat and simmer for 10 minutes. Turn off the heat, then pour off the water and leave the pot lidded for another 10 minutes.
2. Melt the butter and let it cool to room temperature, then mix in the cheese, salt and pepper (plus the bacon if you so choose).
3. Preheat your oven to 200 C and line a tray with kitchen paper. Take your cheese and butter mix and spread it evenly over your paper-lined tray.
4. With a fork, squash your potatoes flat and spread these on top of cheese and butter mix as well.
5. Fill in gaps between your potatoes with the chopped kimchi and onion (if you’re including sausages, score and place them on top of the tray now).
6. Bake for 25 minutes, turning the sausages midway until they start to gain color and the cheese in the mix crisps.
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