Bubble and Squeak Potato Cakes
Bubble and Squeak or Potato and Brussels Sprouts Cakes are a delicious side dish and perfect way to use leftover potatoes. These cakes are vegan and gluten-free and can be made with a variety of leftover vegetables and different spices
Bubble and Squeak or Potato and Brussels Sprouts Cakes are a delicious side dish and perfect way to use leftover potatoes. These cakes are vegan and gluten-free and can be made with a variety of leftover vegetables and different spices
- Carbohydrate 4.0596517115 g
- Cholesterol 0 mg
- Fat 16.3360777438672 g
- Fiber 1.72365098437103 g
- Protein 1.5331422106 g
- Saturated Fat 2.12569873119565 g
- Serving Size 1 1 cake (152g)
- Sodium 18.7078665416667 mg
- Sugar 2.33600072712897 g
- Trans Fat 0.805560728517297 g
- Calories 163 calories
Step-by-step
- Boil the potatoes.
- While the potatoes are boiling, prepare the brussels sprouts. Chop the ends of the sprouts and remove the outside leaves and quarter the sprouts.
- In a separate pot, boil the prepared brussels sprouts for 5 minutes or until they are tender.
- Drain the potatoes and return them to the pot. Let them dry for a couple of minutes on a very low heat.
- Mash the potatoes together with oil, salt and pepper. You may need to add a bit more or less oil depending on how dry the potatoes are.
- Add the brussels sprouts and mix well.
- Check for the seasoning.
- Form the cakes.
- Fry them in a lightly oiled pan for 3-4 minutes on each side or until the side is nicely caramelized and the cakes are heated through.
Starch management presents the primary challenge when forming vegetable patties without animal proteins or gluten networks to bind them. Potatoes contain high amounts of amylose and amylopectin. When boiled and mashed, these starches gelatinize. Cooling the mash slightly allows the starch molecules to retrograde, forming a semi-crystalline matrix that holds the patties together during pan-frying.
Adapting for Dietary Restrictions and Scale
Dairy binds traditional mashed preparations through butter and cream fats, but plant-based oils substitute effectively here by coating starch granules and preventing excessive water absorption. Canola or grapeseed oil provides neutral flavors and high smoke points. Scaling the batch requires maintaining a 2-to-1 potato-to-brussels-sprout weight ratio to preserve structural integrity. Doubling the quantity means frying in separate batches to prevent pan crowding, which drops surface oil temperature and causes steaming instead of caramelization.
- Patties breaking apart in the pan usually indicate excess moisture in the sprouts; squeeze quartered sprouts in a clean kitchen towel after boiling to remove trapped water.
- If cakes absorb too much oil, the pan temperature is too low; maintain medium heat and test that oil shimmers before adding the mixture.
- Store shaped, uncooked cakes on parchment paper in an airtight container for up to 24 hours before frying.
