Besides having a fun name, bubble and squeak is a one way to incorporate kale into the diet of reluctant kale eaters, particularly those meat and potato eaters. The name supposedly originated from the sound of this dish as it cooks (but it didn’t talk to me).
I discovered bubble and squeak on the Whole Foods Market site, but didn’t really bother using any of the measurements. Here are the basic ingredients and my adapted instructions:
- russet potatoes, peeled and quartered
- just a touch of unsalted butter and milk (not as much as when making mashed potatoes)
- kale, blanched and chopped
- green onions, finely chopped
- salt and black pepper
- canola oil
Cook the potatoes in salted water until they can be pierced easily with a fork. Drain and place in a bowl. Mash with a fork, add butter and milk and continue mashing until smooth.
The original recipe gives directions for working with frozen kale, but I had fresh kale on hand. After removing the hard stems and shredding it into small pieces by hand, I cooked it briefly in a little bit of water. The kale will soften and brighten in color. It’s neat how the color brightens to a vivid green when cooked. Drain and squeeze out any remaining water and then chop into small pieces.
Add the kale and green onions to the potatoes. Season with salt and pepper. Mix until combined.
In a large cast iron pan (or skillet) and medium heat, preheat oil and then spread an even layer over the entire pan. Once one side is browned (indicated by the brown edges), divide into quarters with a spatula and flip each piece. Each side should have a nice golden brown crust. Serve warm.
NOTES
Kale is always one of those heavy recommended dark leafy greens for pregnant women. Kale is rich in iron, calcium, fiber, vitamin A and C. It also contains some folic acid. Additional benefits are that the calcium in kale is more easily absorbed than the calcium in milk, it doesn’t contain oxalic acid, which prevents the body from absorbing calcium, and helps women regulate estrogen.
Crafty Green Rabbit 