Rumbledethumps

Tonight I made Rumbledethumps based on the recipe in Maw Broon’s Cookbook (U.K. link). Oh my goodness! It was delicious! Rumbledethumps is a cousin of Colcannon and a few other regional dishes, all of which are based on potatoes and cabbage. I had never made, let alone tasted Rumbledethumps before tonight. But both Chuck and I found it delicious and satisfying.

Before cooking, I Googled Rumbledethumps and Colcannon to see about the range of variations. There are many! But the following is what I did:

One pound of Potatoes - boiled, drained and mashed

One pound of Cabbage - cored and sliced finely
one large Onion - sliced finely
a little crushed Garlic (that’s all me!)
Olive Oil
Butter
Crumbled Bacon
Salt
Pepper
a splash of Light Cream

Grated Cheddar Cheese

While the potatoes are going in one pot, start the onions and garlic in a large open fry pan with some olive oil, butter and a pinch of salt. Add the finely sliced cabbage. Cover and cook until wilted. Add some crumbled bacon to the cabbage and onion mixture. You don’t want the veggies to brown nor do you want them to be soggy, so let them finish cooking with the lid off. Season with pepper and salt to taste.

Drain and mash the potatoes along with some butter, salt, pepper and the splash of cream. Combine the mashed potatoes with the cabbage mixture. Spread the potatoes and cabbage in a baking dish. Cover with grated cheddar cheese (or cheese blend of your choice). Bake in a hot oven (I set mine to 450 degrees F on convection) until the cheese on top is golden.

I had been wanting to try this hearty cold weather dish ever since I first read it in Maw Broon’s. I am so glad this afternoon came in unseasonably cool and drizzly!