I make this so often, that I thought it was about time I posted the 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 the Bubble and Squeak! The name is thought to originate from the noise it makes whilst cooking in the frying pan – bubbling and squeaking, whatver 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.
Call it what you will, traditional British cheese on toast is a national institution, an iconic snack enjoyed by all, regardless of class or background! What can be simpler and tastier, hunks of homemade or crusty farmhouse style bread topped with mature Cheddar cheese, a smidge of mustard and Worcestershire sauce for those who desire an extra kick! This is NOT really a recipe; it is a basic method for making a super tasty and nutritious fast food dish. There is even a Cheese on Toast Day celebrated in the UK – mark your calendars now, the last Thursday in April has been set aside for this comforting supper treat. I lived on cheese on toast whilst I was a student, as I am sure most students do nowadays! You can use other British cheeses, but I find the best cheese without a doubt, is a good mature farmhouse cheddar. Make sure your bread is thickly sliced and you have your plates ready and waiting to receive the molten cheesy snack – pull up a chair by the fireside in the winter and enjoy your 5-minute culinary efforts! (This is an all year around snack I hasten to add.) An interesting historical note; toasted cheese was served as the final course to male diners during Edwardian times, in Gentleman’s Clubs……..the cheese was melted and served in a pot with the toast set around the edges – a sort of Gentleman’s Club fondue!
The news is out – scientists at my old university, (Leeds University in West Yorkshire) have discovered the PERFECT way to make a “Bacon Butty”, that quintessential British sandwich, and they have devised a mathematical formula for it!! The bacon butty is one of my FAVOURITE sandwiches of all times…….especially when doused in HP Sauce or Worcestershire Sauce! Here is my method – it’s hardly a recipe, more of an idea and an assembly job! I have posted their mathematical formula at the end of the recipe – my formula is: Eat your bacon butty whilst it’s still hot and crispy!! Please increase the quantities as needed. I like to use smoked bacon, but any good quality dry cure bacon will be fine.
Great snack to munch on while watching your favorite British programs. Drink with Strongbow cider 😉 Tip: DO NOT USE AMERICAN Pork & Beans, Boston Baked Beans or “Bush’s Beans” etc… ONLY Heinz or Batchelor’s brand please, otherwise it might be gross. Don’t worry; most American grocery stores sell HEINZ and BATCHELOR’S, in the International/European/English/Irish aisle. I’ve been all over the US and found them in Safeway, Kroger, Stop & Shop, etc. I’ve never not been able to find one of those two brands in the USA.
This recipe is typical for the Strandja Mountain region in Bulgaria. Once again, I took it from the Bulgarian National Cuisine cookbook of Zemizdat.
