Name: Rumbledethumps
Cook time: 15 minutes
Total time: 1 hour 20 minutes
Yield: Serves 6
Ingredients: 1 kg/ 2¼ lb potatoes, peeled and cut into equal-sized pieces, about 2 inches thick; 1 small cabbage, sliced; 125 g /4¼ oz (9 tablespoons) unsalted butter; 60 g/ 2¼ oz. cheddar cheese, grated; Salt and pepper

A serving of rumbledethumps on a breakfast plate with a fried egg and bacon.

Photo by Joseph De Leo, Food Styling by Kaitlin Wayne

This breakfast casserole is Scotland’s answer to the English bubble and squeak—potatoes coarsely mashed with cabbage and baked with a Cheddar cheese topping. Spoon out with fried eggs and bacon or serve as part of a full Scottish breakfast. If using leftovers, simply mash, season and skip to the last step of the recipe.

This recipe was excerpted from ‘The British Cookbook: Authentic Home Cooking Recipes from England, Wales, Scotland, and Northern Ireland’ by Ben Mervis. Buy the full book on Amazon.

Recipe information

Total Time
1 hour 20 minutes
Yield
Serves 6

Ingredients

1 kg/ 2¼ lb potatoes, peeled and cut into equal-sized pieces, about 2 inches thick

1 small cabbage, sliced

125 g /4¼ oz (9 tablespoons) unsalted butter

60 g/ 2¼ oz. cheddar cheese, grated

Salt and pepper

Preparation

Step 1
Preheat the oven to 350°F/180°C/Gas Mark 4.
Step 2
Put the potatoes into a medium saucepan of lightly salted water and bring to the boil. Cook for 20–25 minutes until tender. Drain, then return the potatoes to the pan and cover with a lid while you cook the cabbage.
Step 3
Fill a large saucepan about halfway with water and bring to the boil. Add the cabbage slices (the cabbage should be covered by the water), and boil for about 10 minutes. Drain well, add to the potatoes with the butter and mash coarsely. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
Step 4
Spoon into a baking dish, fork the top and sprinkle over the cheese. Bake in the oven for 45 minutes or until golden brown. Serve.