For His Master's Veneration: Tea Rattle Tea Bang

Monday, January 1, 2018

Tea Rattle Tea Bang

The name for this dish comes from a very old song taught to me by my great-grandmother. (born in 1876) It was about a “tinker” named jolly old Rodger who lived in a garret in New Amsterdam!

Most cultures have a variation of this dish for using up left-overs and stretching the food budget. Irish have their “Colcannon”, the English love their “Bubble & Squeak”, and the Scots call theirs “ rumbledethumps”! For this combination produces a unique sound as it is fried up.

Use up these holiday vegetables, mashed potatoes and what ever left-over meat for this great easy dish. Some serve it with an egg on top, others use it as a side dish.

Ingredients:

3 slices bacon
½ lbs left over chicken
6 tablespoons butter, unsalted

½ cup onion (finely chopped)

1lbs mashed potatoes

1 cup leftover vegetables, cabbage, swede, carrots, peas, Brussels Sprouts, finely chopped (here used a broccoli slaw mix)

Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
¼ cup shredded cheese – optional
4 eggs – optional

Directions:

Do your cutting. Chop up the onion.

For this dish, I used fresh chicken breasts and a broccoli slaw mix.

Fry up the bacon till it renders grease, remove to paper towel for use latter.

Cook the chicken 6 minutes per side until done. Remove to paper towel.

Add the onion and stir in.

Let cook until starting to go translucent (about 5 minutes). Add the slaw mix and stir in. If necessary, add a little chicken broth to steam and wilt the mix, about 6 minutes.

Cut up the chicken into bite sized pieces.

Stir the mashed potatoes and chicken into the skillet. Mix well. Let cook until edges are starting to brown, pressing the mix down. You will hear the distinctive sounds!

Optional: sprinkle some cheese and crack open the eggs to cook on top.

Cover for about 4 minutes.

Now serve as you like: it can make a nice main dish for tea or brunch.

An alternative is to mix the potato and vegetables and form into small patties then fry as above. Bubble and squeak cakes also make a great side dish for any roast meats, or as here, topped off with a poached or fried egg.