The Hairy Bikers' bubble and squeak

Ingredients

• 200g swede, peeled and diced
• 200g carrots, peeled and diced
• 200g potatoes, peeled and diced
• 200g cabbage, shredded
• 1 tsp olive oil
• ½ onion, finely chopped
• 4 eggs (optional)
• 1 tsp white wine vinegar (optional)
• Freshly ground black pepper

Method

There’s nothing like a good bubble and squeak – it’s a great favourite of ours. In this recipe we’ve upped the carrot and swede and cut down on the potato so it’s a bit lighter than usual but still tastes mega. Swede can go a bit mushy when boiled, so we like to steam the veg, but if you don’t have a steamer, just be sure to drain it all well. You could dry-fry the eggs instead of poaching them, if you prefer.

Layer the root vegetables in a steamer – swede on the bottom, carrots next, potatoes on top. Steam them over boiling water for 10 minutes or until all the vegetables are tender. If you don’t have a steamer, boil the vegetables until tender, then drain them really well.

Season the veg and then mash. You don’t want the mixture to be too smooth, so don’t be too vigorous about it.

Put the cabbage in a saucepan with a couple of centimetres of just-boiled water and simmer it for a few minutes until tender. Drain thoroughly. Add the olive oil to a large non-stick frying pan and fry the onion until it is translucent and taking on a little colour. Tip the onion into the mash, along with the cabbage, and stir.

Heat the grill to its highest setting. Pile all the mixture into the frying pan and cook over a medium heat for several minutes until you see that it is browning around the edges. Put the pan under the grill until the top has crisped up a bit and is a good deep brown.

If you want to top the mixture with eggs, try our great tip for successful poaching. Half fill a medium non-stick saucepan with water, add a teaspoon of vinegar and bring it to the boil. Place the eggs, still in their shells, into the boiling water for exactly 20 seconds – this helps the whites stay together. Remove them with a slotted spoon and turn the heat down so the water is simmering gently.

Crack the eggs into the water and cook for 3 minutes. The water should be gently bubbling and the eggs will rise to the surface when they are nearly ready. Remove them with a slotted spoon, drain briefly and place an egg on top of each helping of bubble and squeak.

For more delicious vegetarian recipe from The Hairy Bikers try their recipe for red onion and beetroot tart, vegetable Thai curry or homity pie, or visit our Hairy Bikers page for more recipes.

The Hairy Bikers Eat to Beat Type 2 Diabetes by Si King and Dave Myers (Seven Dials, £12.99) is out now.