Vegetarian Bubble and Squeak

Bubble and squeak is traditionally made from leftovers and served as part of an English breakfast. We first encountered a vegetarian version of it at Jonathon's in Dallas. Tessa was craving it this week, so I dug around and found this recipe.

The result is my version of vegetarian bubble and squeak, made fresh instead of from leftovers, but it will be even easier to make when I have extra mashed potatoes. I'm calling this a "healthy alternative," because traditional bubble and squeak is fried in lard, and because I swapped out the veggies, using dandelion greens instead of cabbage, because they are incredibly nutritious. I also subbed in leek for onion, because they add a certain creaminess I'm completely addicted to.

The whole thing, in fact, was creamy and filling, even after I replaced some of the butter with extra virgin olive oil for a heart-healthier dish. If you do want to make it more of the traditional breakfast, or just want to add a protein, try serving with a fresh egg or (if you're a meat-eater) a piece of spicy turkey sausage.

6 fist-sized Yukon Gold potatoes
1 leek, cleaned and chopped
1 medium clove of garlic, peeled and chopped
1 bunch of dandelion greens, chopped
4 tbsp butter, divided (I substituted 1 tbsp with extra virgin olive oil)
Salt and freshly-ground black pepper
1/4 cup milk

1. Boil and mash the potatoes with the milk and half of the butter, then season with sea salt, fresh cracked pepper, plus a touch of ground nutmeg.
2. Melt the rest of the butter in a wide and deep frying pan over a low heat and saute the leeks until they are soft but not brown.

3. Add the chopped garlic and cook for an additional minute. Then mix in the chopped greens, and cook, stirring frequently, for 2-3 minutes.
4. Stir in the mashed potatoes and mix everything together. Taste, and season with salt and pepper, if necessary.
5. Cook the mixture for about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until heated through.

Serves three to four.

Bubbles! Bubbles! My bubbles!