The other night I was watching an old episode of the British version of “Kitchen Nightmares with Gordon Ramsey.” It was fun to watch Ramsey back when he was still ebullient, and not just abrasive. As a restaurant owner struggled to simplify his menu, Gordon bounced up and down then shouted “Bubble and Squeak!”

“Bubble and Squeak?” I thought to myself. “Has Bob Geldof had twins?”*

But a quick Google search brought me the definition of the term. It's a British/Scottish potato/vegetable pancake. Good old-fashioned peasant food. And it sounded delicious.

I knew we had potatoes, brussels sprouts and onions on hand. But, I wanted gravy to go on top of the bubble and squeak.

I thought about the contents of our refrigerator, and mentally landed on the andouille in the crisper, and the beer on the 3^rd shelf.

What would be better on a stormy Sunday night than potato pancakes with a sausage beer gravy?

*I shouldn't really mock Bob Geldof. He brought ska and punk together in The Boomtown Rats, and he founded Live Aid. I might still have a crush on him.

[Jedd's note: I don't mind that Launie still holds a candle for Bob Geldof, but ska influenced a lot of British punk bands, not the least of which was The Clash. No knock on Geldof and the Rats. Just a little note.]

[Launie's note: You know I love The Clash. I'm making a “Boomtown Clash” mix for the kitchen i-Pod.]

[Jedd note, addendum: That's good cooking music. I will listen to that.]

Bubble and Squeak

3 medium potatoes

Salt

1 small onion, finely diced

6 brussels sprouts, cooked and diced

1/3 cup of milk

3 tablespoons of butter

3 teaspoons of seasoned salt, divided

1/3rd cup of flour

1/3rd cup of peanut oil

Chop the potatoes and bring to a boil with enough salted water to cover them. When potatoes are easily pierced with a fork, drain and mash with milk, butter and 2 teaspoons of seasoned salt. Add flour to a plate and add reserved teaspoon of seasoned salt. Add onion, and brussels sprouts to potatoes. Add oil to a non-stick frying pan and heat until the oil is hot but not smoking. Quickly form mashed potatoes into patties and dredge through seasoned flour. Drop into the heated oil and cook for at least 8 minutes a side, or until the patties develop a firm crust. (Depending on their size it could take up to 12 minutes a side.)

Andouille gravy

1 andouille sausage link, diced

1 onion, diced

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 tablespoon flour

1 12 oz bottle of beer (I used Switchback APA)

1/3rd cup of chicken broth

1 bay leaf

Salt and pepper

In a large frying pan on medium heat add andouille, onion and olive oil. When andouille and onion are brown add the flour. Stir the flour for 1 minute. Add the beer, broth and bay leaf.  Stir occasionally until gravy has reduced by half, approximately 8 minutes.

Serve gravy on bubble and squeak.

(Note: bubble and squeak doesn't hold well, so serve as quickly as possible.)

Serves 4.

(Photo by Launie Kettler)