Boxing Day Brunch - Ham and Bubble and Squeak (Recipe) (2024)

Boxing Day Brunch – Ham and Bubble and Squeak

(Recipe)

Home-made York Ham

I hope your Christmas day was a wonderful day, filled with good food, wine, friends and family…..as mine was. Today, the 26th December, is Boxing Day in the UK and St Stephen’s Day…….The exact etymology of the term “boxing” is unclear, but it appears to have originatedfromcustom for tradesmen to collect “Christmas boxes” of money or presents on the first weekday after Christmas as thanks for good service throughout the year. This is mentioned in Samuel Pepys’ diary entry for the 19th December 1663. The custom is also linked to an older English tradition: Since they would have to wait on their masters on Christmas Day, the servants of the wealthy were allowed the next day to visit their families. The employers would give each servant a box to take home containing gifts and bonuses, and sometimes leftover food. Boxing day is a day of sales, sport and leftovers……of which the mostdeliciousis Bubble and Squeak, a “fry up” of leftover vegetables from Christmas Day, and usually made from sprouts, potatoes and carrots.

Boxing Day Brunch – Ham and Bubble and Squeak (Recipe)

I am being very brave, I am showing you my “bubble and squeak” frying pan…..it’s old, battered and very much non-stick!It’s the best frying pan for bacon, eggs and all fry ups……and it is absolutely essential that there is a “crust” of fried vegetables left on the base of the pan, for “prising” off the crispy brown bits. I served this Boxing day feast with some slices of home-baked York Ham that I made for our Christmas Eve buffet and a goodly dollop of English mustard.

Boxing Day Brunch – Ham and Bubble and Squeak (Recipe)

Excuse thequalityof the photos, but this was very much a cook, serve, shoot and eat kinda brunch…….and then a brisk upload to my laptop to share with you today. It’s also a very naughty recipe for bubble and squeak too, as I added some cubes of cheese from the festive cheeseboard – farmhouse Cheshire and mature Cheddar cheese weredroppedin and stirred to a gooey mess for this dish today.

Boxing Day Brunch – Ham and Bubble and Squeak (Recipe)

To call this a recipe is rather grand, as it is more like an assembly job with whatever leftoverveggiesyoumay have to hand, but, I havesharedmy recipe ideabelow…..just add and adapt to your mood and whatever you have left over. The recipe for my rather special York Ham will follow later, along with some New Year nibbles ideas, more 5:2 diet recipes and some festive photos……That’s it for today, see you later and have a LOVELY Boxing day, Karen

Boxing Day Brunch – Ham and Bubble and Squeak (Recipe)

This amusingly named dish is basically traditional British fried leftovers, and probably enjoyed more than the original vegetables were I think. In fact, I have been known to cook the vegetables in order to make Bubble and Squeak. The name is thought to originate from the noise it makes whilst cooking in the frying pan ~ bubbling and squeaking, whatever the reason, this simple dish is delicious and a wonderful way to “fry up” your leftover spuds and greens. I like to season mine with lots of freshly ground black pepper. 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.

Bubble and Squeak (Traditional British Fried Leftovers)

Print recipe

Prep time	10 minutes
Cook time	10 minutes
Total time	20 minutes
Dietary	Vegetarian
Meal type	Breakfast, Lunch, Side Dish, Snack
Misc	Child Friendly, Pre-preparable, Serve Hot
Occasion	Christmas, Halloween, Thanksgiving
By author	Karen S Burns-Booth

Ingredients

Leftover mashed potatoes, boiled potatoes or leftover roast potatoes, diced
Leftover cooked cabbage or leftover cooked Brussels sprouts, finely chopped
Butter
Cooked carrots, diced (optional)
salt and pepper to taste

Optional

cubes of cheese

Note

Directions

Step 1	Mix the cabbage or sprouts with the mashed or diced cooked potatoes (and carrots if using) and season to taste with salt and black pepper.
Step 2	Heat the butter in a large frying pan, add the vegetable and potato mixture.
Step 3	Fry over a medium heat for about 8 to 10 minutes or until it is brown adding cheese if using, until the bubble and squeak sizzles, bubbles and squeaks…..sorry, could not resist that!
Step 4	Serve with eggs and bacon for breakfast, or bread and butter for a light snack or supper dish. This is also wonderful as an accompaniment to stews, pies and casseroles.