What a good idea, I thought. Why is cheesy bubble and squeak not better known? Because IT DOESN'T WORK, that's why! Sorry Nigel, after all your recent triumphs, this was a failure, and I think I know why. Firstly, your measurements were imprecise. 'One or two handfuls of cheese' added to leftover mash and cabbage, but no mention of how much of either. Secondly, mixing the cheese into cold leftovers (which IS the point of bubble and squeak after all) meant that, before the potato had time to warm up and be receptive to the melting cheese, it had split and gone all oily. We were left with a slick of cheesy, slimy potato in the pan, that seemed to ooze and suppurate a never ending quantity of oil from the cheese. Yuk! Here's the science bit. I think it needs to be made with the cheese mixed into HOT mashed potato, so it becomes an homogenised mass which can then fry and form a crisp outer, encasing the softly melting cheesy mash insde the crust. I feel churlish complaining at length, especially as there have been so few disasters in this otherwise tremendous book, but....Nigel, Nigel, you spoilt me tea! There is no online recipe which is just as well, and it was too awful looking to photograph, so here's a pretty bunny rabbit instead.
Monday, 26 October 2009
Cheese Bubble and Squeak [#175]
What a good idea, I thought. Why is cheesy bubble and squeak not better known? Because IT DOESN'T WORK, that's why! Sorry Nigel, after all your recent triumphs, this was a failure, and I think I know why. Firstly, your measurements were imprecise. 'One or two handfuls of cheese' added to leftover mash and cabbage, but no mention of how much of either. Secondly, mixing the cheese into cold leftovers (which IS the point of bubble and squeak after all) meant that, before the potato had time to warm up and be receptive to the melting cheese, it had split and gone all oily. We were left with a slick of cheesy, slimy potato in the pan, that seemed to ooze and suppurate a never ending quantity of oil from the cheese. Yuk! Here's the science bit. I think it needs to be made with the cheese mixed into HOT mashed potato, so it becomes an homogenised mass which can then fry and form a crisp outer, encasing the softly melting cheesy mash insde the crust. I feel churlish complaining at length, especially as there have been so few disasters in this otherwise tremendous book, but....Nigel, Nigel, you spoilt me tea! There is no online recipe which is just as well, and it was too awful looking to photograph, so here's a pretty bunny rabbit instead.
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