BUBBLE AND SQUEAK

Sunday night calls for comfort food and bubble & squeak is the perfect solution. Even though spring has just about sprung, Sundays still get dark too early - what we need is something in a bowl to eat in front of the Antiques Roadshow. I like it buttery, green and whipped to a soft-focus blob.

DREAMY BUBBLE & SQUEAK

Serves 2

1 leek, topped and tailed
Half a head of cabbage (Savoy is good but Pointy Hispi works too and white is fine if pushed)
1tbsp butter
7-8 medium potatoes
1tbsp double cream
3tbsp milk
Salt and pepper

Peel, chunk and boil the potatoes until they break apart. Set aside in a colander to drain. Warm the butter in the same pan, and add the leek and cabbage (both finely shredded for fast-cooking).

Stir-fry briskly, allowing to brown in places, until glossy and wilted. Turn the heat right down and tip in the cream and milk. Put the potatoes through a ricer directly into the pan. When they're all in, season generously and beat everything together with a wooden spoon. Beat, beat, and beat a bit more (get help if bored). Put lid on and get plates ready.

Dish up. Ta-da!! Dinner Supreme. Serve with onion gravy, sausages or beans (all optional - this tastes good ALL ON ITS OWN.)

Lick the pan clean.

For pudding we ate strawberry ice-cream with chopped banana, but it's no good - strawberries just aren't in season yet, no matter how much I want them to be. The ice-cream came out pallid and meek - more vanilla than strawberry - but the bowls still came out clean (of course).