Bubble and Squeak Risotto Recipe

Bubble and squeak usually refers to mashed and fried cabbage, carrot, peas, potato or even Brussels sprouts. Here, the British delicacy is used in the otherwise Italian dish of risotto, topped with a gloriously crispy deep-fried egg – a classic Paul Ainsworth twist.

Ingredients

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Bubble and squeak risotto

250g of risotto rice
2 knobs of butter
1 large onion, finely diced
1 garlic clove, finely grated
1 sprig of thyme, leaves picked
1.4l vegetable stock
1/2 carrot, grated
1/4 cabbage, shredded
1/4 tbsp of light mascarpone
125g of Parmesan, grated
6g of tarragon, chopped
2 dashes of olive oil
2 pinches of pepper
2 pinches of salt

Crispy eggs

6 eggs
100ml of white wine vinegar
50g of plain flour
100g of white breadcrumbs, fine
1000ml of vegetable oil

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To begin, place a pan over a medium heat and add a knob of butter. Add the onion, garlic and thyme and gently sweat - the onions should not colour

1 knob of butter
1 large onion, finely diced
1 garlic clove, finely grated
1 sprig of thyme, leaves picked

Once the onions are soft, add the rice and stir until all the grains are coated in the butter. In a separate pan, heat the vegetable stock

250g of risotto rice
1.4l vegetable stock

Add a ladleful of stock to the pan. Once the rice has absorbed the liquid, add another ladleful. Repeat until 1 litre of stock is used up, stirring occasionally to stop the rice from sticking to the pan, approximately 15-20 minutes

Remove from the heat and allow to cool. More stock will be added later on to finish the risotto

Place a saucepan over a medium heat and add a dash of olive oil. Sweat the carrots until they soften, then add the cabbage and 100ml of vegetable stock and steam until soft

1 dash of olive oil
1/4 cabbage, shredded
1/2 carrot, grated

Season with salt and pepper and remove from the heat. The bubble and squeak will be added to the risotto to finish

1 pinch of pepper
1 pinch of salt

Boil some water in a separate pan then add the vinegar. Poach 4 of the eggs for 2-3 minutes for a runny yolk, or 4 minutes for a firm yolk. Lift the eggs out with a slotted spoon to check they are cooked

100ml of white wine vinegar
4 eggs

Once cooked, transfer the eggs onto a tray lined with kitchen towel and place in the fridge to cool while you prepare the crumbing mix

Add the flour to a bowl, the 2 beaten eggs to another and the breadcrumbs to a third. Roll each egg in the flour, the beaten egg and finally the breadcrumbs. Set aside until ready to fry

50g of plain flour
2 eggs
100g of white breadcrumbs

To finish the risotto, pour the remaining 300ml of stock into the reserved pot of rice and heat until the rice absorbs it and the risotto is thick and runny. Stir in a knob of butter and remove from the heat

1 knob of butter

Depending on how rich you like risotto, place half or all of the mascarpone on top of the rice so it melts in, then add the Parmesan to finish. Season to taste and stir in the bubble and squeak

1/4 tbsp of light mascarpone
125g of Parmesan, grated
1 pinch of pepper
1 pinch of salt

Before serving, fry the crumbed eggs in a pan of vegetable oil until golden and crispy, approximately 2 minutes. Remove and drain on kitchen towel

1000ml of vegetable oil

Divide the risotto onto plates and arrange a crispy egg on top. Finish with some chopped tarragon and a little olive oil. Serve immediately

6g of tarragon
1 dash of olive oil

First published in 2015

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Paul Ainsworth

Southampton-born Paul Ainsworth got his break courtesy of Gary Rhodes, whom he worked for three years. After that, he moved to Gordon Ramsay's organisation, working first at his flagship Royal Hospital Road restaurant and then with Marcus Wareing at Petrus.

Bubble and squeak risotto with crispy egg

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