Bubble and Squeak for Babies and Toddlers

Readers outside the UK will no doubt have absolutely no idea what I'm talking about.  Bubble and squeak is a traditional English recipe for using up leftover vegetables.  Potatoes must be included and cabbage or brussel sprouts are traditional but from then on it's up to you.  Use any left over or freshly cooked vegetables you like!

This would be great for baby led weaners I reckon.

My mum always cooks this 'loose' so not in a cake like I've done so a bit more like a hash.  Cooking it that way means you can include new potatoes rather than mash.  She also always includes bacon.  I haven't here so the dish would be suitable for vegetarians and also so I wouldn't be concerned about salt content but a little bacon or ham does taste nice.  Just cook bacon until fully cooked and crisp before adding to the mix; use the bacon-y fat to cook the cakes in!  Yum!

Bubble and Squeak for Babies, Toddlers and Adults - Serves 1 toddler, 1 adult, (change quantities to meet your needs!)

Ingredients

Two jacket potatoes, cooked and cooled (or use the equivalent of boiled potatoes)
7 or 8 Cooked Brussel Sprouts (or use a similar amount of cooked cabbage, kale or whatever you like)
A good knob of unsalted butter
A couple of tbsp plain flour
Eggs (optional)

Method

Scoop out the soft inside from the potatoes (or use boiled potatoes).  Chop one of them up into smallish cubes and pass the other through a ricer (or mash it well).

Slice the sprouts into thin slices.  combine the potatoes and sprouts in a bowl and form into two 'cakes'. The thicker you make them, the longer they will take to cook and you'll probably have to finish them in the oven.  Dust the outside with flour and chill until ready to cook them.

If your cakes are quite thick, preheat the oven to 200oC.  Heat the butter in a frying pan and then fry gently for 5 mins or so on each side or until lovely and brown.  If they're still not hot in the middle, put them into the oven for 10-20 minutes or until hot through.

If you prefer you can skip making these into cakes and fry the mix like a hash, allowing it to brown and then stirring the browned portions back in.  This would be a good way to serve it for babies on soft lumps and more textured foods.

Serve on their own or poach an egg by putting some boiling water into a saucepan.  Put it on a low heat (barely a bubble).  Crack the egg into a bowl.  Swirl the water and then add the egg into the centre.  Cook for 3 mins or so until the white is fully cooked and the yolk is just starting to cook around the outside.  Serve on top of the bubble and squeak (for 12 months plus only as the yolk will still be runny!)

Allow to cool until cool enough for your child to eat.  Add seasoning at the table for adults.  Yum!

Variations:  Add bacon, ham, cheese, substitute some of the chopped potato for chopped cooked parsnip.  Add herbs if you're feeling particularly fancy!

This would be ideal Boxing day breakfast fare.