Colonel Mustard's Bubble and Squeak Recipe on Food52 (2024)

Serves a Crowd

by: aargersi

March8,2014

4

2 Ratings

  • Prep time 30 minutes
  • Cook time 30 minutes
  • Serves 4

Jump to Recipe

Author Notes

This version of bubble and squeak replaces the traditional Brussels sprouts or cabbage with peppery mustard greens, and uses potatoes that you cook specifically for this purpose. And the name? Well, that's just the sort of meandering my brain does when I am out walking Ginger -- it occurred to me that Colonel Mustard would need a hearty dish like this after a busy day of either solving or committing murders. —aargersi

Test Kitchen Notes

This is a hearty, flavorful side dish -- salty, tangy, and a little crunchy from the bacon and the crust of the potato cake in the pan. I like the use of mustard greens as well as mustard in condiment form. The mustard greens' flavor mellows in the pan, but you still get a little bite, which adds a nice contrast. As is, it takes little time to prepare, and it could be assembled even faster if you add the greens directly to the onion and garlic and then turn everything out together instead of cooking separately. —Annie "Smalls"

  • Test Kitchen-Approved

What You'll Need

Ingredients
  • 2 medium russet potatoes
  • 5 large mustard green leaves (I used the flat kind)
  • 1/2 medium yellow onion
  • 3 large cloves garlic
  • 4 strips bacon
  • 1/4 cupwhole grain mustard
  • Salt and black pepper
  • Olive oil
Directions
  1. Scrub the potatoes and cut into 1-inch cubes. Boil them in heavily salted water until they are very soft. Drain and allow them to steam and cool.
  2. Wash the mustard greens, chop off the tough ends of the stems, and chop them (I keep most of the stem in there). Dice the onion and chop the garlic.
  3. Heat a tablespoon of olive oil over medium heat in a medium-sized non-stick skillet. Add the bacon and cook it until crisp, then remove it to a paper towel to drain. Toss the onions into the bacon fat and cook for a couple of minutes, then add the garlic and cook until they are soft. Remove them to a bowl. Now cook down the greens until the are soft -- you will need to work in batches. When the pan runs out of bacon fat, add another splash of olive oil. Put the cooked greens in with the onions and garlic. Now add the potatoes, mustard, and pepper (about 6 to 7 turns) to the greens and stir and mash everything together. Crumble up the bacon and mash that in too. Try to get the potatoes mostly mashed up, with a few chunks left. Taste for salt and pepper, and add more if you'd like.
  4. Now add yet another dash of olive oil to the pan and put it over medium heat again. Add in the potato-ey, green-y mixture and press it into the pan to flatten it into a cake. Allow it to cook until it is nicely browned -- you can use a spatula to peek under there and see how it's coming along. When it's brown, turn off the heat. Cover the pan with a plate (with the serving side facing the potatoes) and carefully flip the whole thing so your browned side is facing up. Admire. Eat.

Tags:

  • British
  • Mustard Greens
  • Potato
  • Vegetable
  • Bacon
  • Serves a Crowd
  • Winter
  • Spring
  • Fall
  • Gluten-Free
  • Breakfast
  • Side
Contest Entries
  • Your Best Potato, All Dressed Up!
  • Your Best Recipe with Mustard
  • Your Best Recipe with Potatoes 2.0

See what other Food52ers are saying.

  • AntoniaJames

  • David Cannon

  • Caitlin Gunther

  • gingerroot

  • ChefJune

Recipe by: aargersi

Country living, garden to table cooking, recent beek, rescue all of the dogs, #adoptdontshop

24 Reviews

AntoniaJames January 18, 2023

This really appeals to me! I'm not sure I can get mustard greens locally (time to think about growing them this spring?) so I'll give it a go with chard and beet greens instead. I have a few spuds that are starting to look a bit tired, so this will be perfect. ;o)

aargersi January 18, 2023

YAY I hope you like it!!!! And yes, you should plant some. Around here we always have access, being South adjacent :-)

Mark O. April 10, 2015

Yummm! Cooked this last night. Used old potatoes left over from a braised corn beef brisket. Used kale instead of mustard greens since the kale is now starting to come in. Also used a lot more bacon just because. Have been required by family to cook this again.

David C. April 10, 2015

Looks great, but then I have to find a use for the rest of the mustard greens I bought...

aargersi April 10, 2015

maybe ... https://food52.com/recipes/26171-mustard-greens-and-mustard-risotto

Caitlin G. January 24, 2015

It's like a zooped up spanish tortilla. looks great!

JPG July 15, 2014

Good recipe. We had no mustard greens but a pile of dandelion greens. So did those. Also vegetarian, so used tempeh in place of bacon. A bit more olive oil to substitute for the bacon fat and it was very tasty. Next time I think I might throw in a bit of crushed red pepper.

gingerroot March 30, 2014

Yum! Had this for supper - added two eggs since we made it the main event, finished it under the broiler - my son asked for it for his birthday! Delicious.

aargersi March 31, 2014

Yay! I am glad you tried and liked it! Adding eggs is ALWAYS a good idea. Always.

ChefJune March 28, 2014

Ooooooh wee! This sounds wonderful! Seems like it would also make a tasty meatless main. Congrats on the CP.

Kate March 27, 2014

Any substitutes for potatoes?

Bob J. March 28, 2014

than don't make it

sevenfaces March 28, 2014

I often use cauliflower as a potato substitute. They hold a lot more water than potatoes though, especially after steaming or boiling, so in this dish I would cut half head of cauliflower into large florets, then let them steam off for a really long time after cooking to get them as dry as possible.

healthierkitchen March 27, 2014

Mmm, mmm good!

savorthis March 27, 2014

Congrats on the CP- looks delish!

mrslarkin March 14, 2014

This sounds deeeelish! Wouldn't it be awesome with corned beef? Adding it to my St. Patty's Day menu collection.

aargersi March 14, 2014

Why yes, it would be mighty fine nest to some corned beef! And a beer! Yum!

gingerroot March 13, 2014

This sounds so good, A! We gave our kiddos Clue for Christmas - it has become a family favorite.

nannydeb March 11, 2014

Nice!

hardlikearmour March 11, 2014

Yummy!!

lapadia March 10, 2014

Love the imagination going on in your head, your untraditional tweak and that name :)!!

sexyLAMBCHOPx March 9, 2014

looks delicious

susan G. March 8, 2014

Clue! Just played it for the first time in years with an 8 year old grandaughter. Flashbacks...
Now about this recipe: The name drew me to it, but I trust you enough to try it. I'm iffy about mustard in both forms but for you, OK.

aargersi March 8, 2014

Well that is a very nice compliment! I hope you like it! We do!!

Colonel Mustard's Bubble and Squeak Recipe on Food52 (2024)

FAQs

What is the English dish bubble and squeak made of? ›

Bubble and squeak is a British dish made from cooked potatoes and cabbage, mixed together and fried.

What do you have with bubble and squeak? ›

A great leftover recipe that can be made with any vegetable leftovers. Serve with a poached, fried or scrambled egg and crispy bacon or with poached smoked haddock fillets or grilled trout. Pop them in the freezer at the end of step 4 for a delicious snack on another day.

Why are leftovers called bubble and squeak? ›

The dish's name supposedly derives from the noises made when the ingredients are fried. Similar dishes, also based on fried vegetables, include colcannon (Ireland) and rumbledethumps (Scotland).

Does bubble and squeak contain egg? ›

Add the beaten egg to the mashed potato, then mix in the cabbage, spring onions and bacon with the pan juices. Season. Melt the rest of the butter and oil in the frying pan and swirl to cover the surface. Add the potato mixture and level the top, pressing it down lightly.

What do the British call bubble and squeak? ›

Cabbage is approximately 92% water, per Healthline, which releases as the cabbage wilts, bubbling and sputtering in the hot pan. The appeal of the name 'bubble and squeak' is a matter of opinion, but if you don't fancy it, you can always call the dish by its Scottish name, 'rumbledethumps' (via Britannica).

What is bubble and squeak in American English? ›

Bubble and squeak is a dish made from a mixture of cold cooked cabbage, potato, and sometimes meat. It can be grilled or fried. Serve with bubble and squeak.

How do you keep bubble and squeak from falling apart? ›

How to make bubble and squeak stick together? The beaten egg in the ingredients should prevent the bubble and squeak from falling apart. As our method states: "Beat the remaining egg, add to the potatoes and mix well."

What is another name for bubble and squeak? ›

About Bubble and Squeak

Then there's Rumbledethumps, a Scottish traditional dish that's also named after the apparent sounds the ingredients make in the pan as they fry!

How do you flip a bubble and squeak? ›

Halfway through the cooking, flip it over using a fish slice, or like a pancake if you're brave. If it breaks don't worry, just push it back together. Let it crisp up on the underside then nick a bit and taste it.

Is bubble and squeak Irish or English? ›

Bubble and squeak is a fried British dish made with potatoes and cabbage. It's quite similar to the Irish colcannon. Bubble and squeak, which often contains meat such as ham or bacon, is traditionally made on Monday with the leftovers from Sunday's dinner or on Boxing Day with leftovers from the Christmas feast.

Is Colcannon the same as bubble and squeak? ›

Colcannon is mashed potatoes and chopped cabbage and usually chopped ham or bacon. Bubble and squeak is mashed leftover potatoes and chopped cabbage mixed up and fried as single round cake, and then sliced and served usually at breakfast.

Can you freeze homemade bubble and squeak? ›

Heat a 5mm depth of oil in a large frying pan and shallow-fry the cakes in 2 batches for 2 mins each side, turning carefully. Drain on kitchen paper and transfer to a baking sheet lined with greaseproof paper. Cool, cover and chill or freeze. Will keep in the fridge for up to 3 days or freeze for up to a month.

Do any supermarkets sell bubble and squeak? ›

Tesco Bubble & Squeak Mash 350G - Tesco Groceries.

Can you reheat bubble and squeak? ›

The water will evaporate upon reheating, but you don't get quite the same texture. If you did want to freeze it, then make the bubble and squeak into individual patties (without cooking/frying them) cover and freeze. Then defrost overnight in the refrigerator.

When was bubble and squeak invented? ›

This British dish was invented in the 18th century and gets its name from the audible bubbling up and squeaking sounds it makes while cooking over the fire.

Is bubble and squeak part of an English breakfast? ›

This is a traditional post-Christmas breakfast dish - but don't wait until then to make this. Excellent if served as part of an English breakfast with bacon and eggs, or as a light supper dish."

Is bubble and squeak a London dish? ›

London. For such a curiously named dish, the classic British dish known as bubble and squeak is, well, kind of boring: It's just vegetables, usually potato and cabbage, pan-fried together and served as a side dish.

What is the difference between bubble and squeak and Colcannon? ›

Colcannon is mashed potatoes and chopped cabbage and usually chopped ham or bacon. Bubble and squeak is mashed leftover potatoes and chopped cabbage mixed up and fried as single round cake, and then sliced and served usually at breakfast.

Is bubble and squeak a northern dish? ›

Bubble & Squeak is a British recipe apparently originating since the 18th century as a 'peasant dish' using up leftover roast or mashed vegetables, mainly potatoes, mixed with other vegetables (traditionally cabbage) and frying them into a 'crispy on the outside, fluffy on the inside' fritter meets hash brown kind of ...

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