com·fort food
Dictionary result for comfort food
/ˈkəmfərt fo͞od/
noun
plural noun: comfort foods
- food that provides consolation or a feeling of
- well-being, typically any with a high sugar or
- other carbohydrate content and associated with
- childhood or home cooking.
I just bet we are all searching for 'comfort foods' at this time of year - well
at least those of us in the northern hemisphere.
Soups
Stews
Black Bean Chili
Black Bean Chili
Hot Cereals
Casseroles
Macaroni & Cheese
Hot Apple Pie
Baked Fruit Crumbles
. . . . . . . . and the list goes on.
For me, even hot crunchy toasted bread with butter and a
good Scottish thick-cut marmalade is a favorite comfort food.
good Scottish thick-cut marmalade is a favorite comfort food.
This past week I opened Nigel Slater's REAL FAST FOOD cookbook - it's
a great one - to find a recipe for a nice round Savoy cabbage hiding in the
refrigerator. When I saw Bubble and Squeak, definitely a 'comfort food'
associated with my English childhood, I made the not so fast version.
Not having leftovers, I cooked and mashed fresh potatoes, and gave the
shredded cabbage a quick steam before going ahead with what was a
nicely seasoned (salt, black pepper, a few caraway seeds, turmeric)
buttery fry-up in a skillet.
We gobbled it up whilst piping hot and crispy, topped with baked cod,
a nice dollop of homemade tartare sauce, a small green salad and a
glass of shiraz.
It was comforting!
Nigel Slater's recipe
*************
Happened to find another Bubble and Squeak recipe over the weekend in a
back issue of UK Country Living.
In addition to the basics it adds Stilton cheese and chutney which sounds
a little more posh. . . . . . . .and I'll try it soon.
I usually get Stilton at Costco but for some reason it's not being stocked
this winter, at least not in my local store.
This pungent blue cheese is only made in a certain area of England.
Trader Joe has it currently at a fair price, and of course
it's always at Whole Foods but rather expensive!
We may get a light snowfall later today and a cold night. . . . . . . . comfort food,
a fire on the hearth and a warming drink sounds good.
a fire on the hearth and a warming drink sounds good.
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I make an Irish version of that called colcannon. I add leeks. I love the English Stilton at Earth Fare.
ReplyDeleteYes Penny, similar to Colcannon (Irish Mashed Potatoes) which is not fried to a crispy 'hash' in a skillet after all the mashing. . . . . . and does usually include onions and/or leeks. Really good too!
DeleteStay warm up in those mountains!
Mary x
I love comfort food, soups, stews, chilis, etc. I have never made Bubbles and Squeak although I have eaten it while visiting the UK. I think I will have to try this recipe. Oddly enough I must have skimmed over it in the Nigel Slater cookbook. Have a great day and stay warm.
ReplyDeleteMy comfort foods are casseroles and bread. Way too many carbs. I have never tried Bubble and Squeak though my mother and grandmother spoke of it from time to time.
ReplyDeleteAnother lover of Bubble and Squeak here - I last had it was on Boxing Day made by my youngest son. He made the mash and added left over brussels sprouts and chestnuts - he's good at it - it was beautifully crispy and golden.
ReplyDeleteThat one sounds awesome Rosemary - and yes, brussels sprouts are very good in this dish - but the addition of chestnuts must be really tasty.
DeleteMary x
Comfort food sounds perfect for a cold winter night. Your meal sounds wonderful with cod. I think macaroni and cheese would be my comfort food eventhough I am not a huge cheese fan, just that creaminess sounds so delicious. I love your childhood memories.
ReplyDeleteMmmm...I love Bubble and Squeak! I had it when I was in England back in 2000. I have not made it myself at home. I can only imagine how extra-wonderful it would be with blue cheese and chutney. Do you make your own chutney or do you have a favorite brand you buy?
ReplyDeleteI make a Christmas Chutney at the holidays but during the year buy Patak's Indian chutneys at the grocery store. Like to grab a jar of Crosse & Blackwell's Branston Pickle (an English chutney which is great with cheese) when at World Market where it's always available.
DeleteStay warm Mel - hugs, Mary
Your comfort food sounds very yummy. I had my comfort food last week – all week long, while I was back in Georgia. It is a salad made of dandelion greens, vinaigrette and hard boiled eggs, with crusty French bread on the side. They had lovely fresh dandelion greens at Whole Foods so I jumped on them. Thank you for coming to my blog while I was not blogging much. Today I am starting to visit all my blogging friends again and commenting.
ReplyDeleteSoups are my favourite food this time of year, and I made a very thick vegetable one for O.K. and myself on the weekend. I sliced two pairs of Wiener sausages into the soup, and we ate it also piping hot (there is no other way for me to eat soup - as soon as it starts to cool off, I don't want it anymore) and with fresh bread just brought in from the bakery down the road.
ReplyDeleteYour Bubble and Squeak looks delicious, Mary, and hearty for combating the winter cold. I've never eaten it, myself, but have read about it. Comfort food around here involves lots of soups. Last night was a Cauliflower/Kale/Carrot/Italian Sausage/tomato version. It would be good without the sausage, too. So good with a slice of homemade sourdough toast. Comfort food and carbs are almost synonymous!
ReplyDeleteMary, I had a version of bubble and squeak when I was in Ireland and it was sooooo good!! Thanks for sharing!
ReplyDelete