Traditional Scottish Rumbledethumps

 

Rumbledethumps.  How is that for a tongue twister of a name. Rumbledethumps is a traditional Scottish side dish that historically was made from the leftovers of a dinner.  Potatoes, swede, cabbage, onions or leeks, cheese.

The Irish have their Colcannon. The English have their Bubble and Squeak.  The Scottish have their rumbledethumps. This is a traditional Scottish dish, said to come from the Scottish Border regions. It is economical and it is delicious.

 

I have seen it made without turnips (rutabaga/swede) and I have seen it made with bits of ham added.  I have also seen it made with leeks included.  The most traditional way however is just with potatoes, cabbage, butter and cheese.  I have added onion because I like onions and had some to use up.

Traditionally it would have utilized leftovers, but today I am making it with ingredients that have been cooked from scratch.  The potatoes are boiled in lightly salted water and mashed.

The cabbage and onion are sauteed in butter until softened without browning and then stirred into the potatoes before the whole thing is turned into a baking dish, slathered with some grated cheese and then baked until light golden brown.

The name is said to come from the noise that the wooden spoon makes as it hits the side of the saucepan when you are mixing the potatoes and cabbage together.  

I can tell you it is delicious.  Soft, comforting, buttery and cheesy. With or without swede.  This is pure and simple Scottish comfort food.

 

WHAT YOU NEED TO MAKE TRADITIONAL SCOTTISH RUMBLEDETHUMPS

Very simple ordinary everyday ingredients. Humble fixings put together in the most delicious way.

• 1 pound (1/2 kg) floury potatoes (potatoes good for mashing)
• 1/4-pound (125g) cabbage, cored and thinly sliced
• 1 small onion, peeled and sliced
• 4 TBS butter, divided
• 2 ounces (56g) mature cheddar cheese grated (about 1/2 cup)
• salt and white pepper to taste

 

By floury potatoes I mean a potato that is good for mashing. It should cook up light and fluffy and a bit dry. It should fall apart when cooked and not be in the least bit waxy.  You want an old potato, a russet, a King Edward, a Maris Piper or a good all-rounder.  

You can use any kind of cabbage you wish to use for this.  All work well. Savoy, sweetheart, winter king, white.  I used white cabbage. You could use red as well, but it will turn a god-awful shade of purple/red and will not be very visually appealing. Just saying.

I used a regular brown skinned cooking onion. Peeled, cut in half and then the halves cut into half-moons.

I used the last of my Balderson's aged cheddar that I had gotten in for Christmas. Any well flavored sharp cheddar will do and will work best.

 

HOW TO MAKE TRADITIONAL SCOTTISH RUMBLEDETHUMPS

It's very easy.  You basically make mashed potatoes without the milk and fold it together with cabbage and onion, pile it into a dish, slather the top with some good cheese and bake.  Simple.

Peel your potatoes and cut them into equal sized pieces. (I make mine in 1 1/2-inch chunks.)

Place the potatoes into a saucepan and cover with lightly salted water. Bring to the boil. Cook for 15 to 20 minutes until soft.

Drain well and mash with 2 TBS of the butter. Season to taste with salt and white pepper. Keep warm.

Peel the onion, cut in half and finely slice into half-moons. Core and trim the outer leaves from the cabbage. Slice it roughly.

Melt 2 TBS of butter in a large skillet over medium low heat. Add the onion and cabbage. Cook, stirring occasionally, until it has softened and wilted down.

Mix the cooked softened cabbage and onion thoroughly into the potatoes.

 

Preheat the oven to 350*F/180*C/ gas mark 4. Butter a shallow baking dish large enough to hold your cabbage and potatoes.

Pile the potato mixture into the buttered dish. (I like to keep the top roughed up a bit.) Sprinkle the cheese evenly over top.

Bake in the preheated oven for 15to 20 minutes until the cheese has melted and turned golden brown in spots. Serve as a tasty side dish to your favorite meal.

 

This was very simple to make and exceptionally delicious. Simple ingredients done so well together. I have seen it with turnips/swede/rutabaga added and am keen to try it that way now. This was incredibly tasty.  I could have eaten a whole plate of this and nothing else!

It is most commonly served as a side dish along with something else. Baked beans, sausage, ham, etc. It is also a great main dish for vegetarians. This is a lovely comfort food, pure and simple!

 

 

I loved travelling in Scotland when I was over in the U.K. I loved the people and I loved the food.  Here are a few other Scottish dishes that you might also enjoy!

SCOTTISH DUNDEE CAKE - This is a traditional Scottish fruited Cake. You can either do it as one large cake or smaller cupcake sized cakes as I have done. It is a fruit cake, but not as heavy and rich as a traditional Christmas type of fruit cake. This is more of an "Enjoy with a hot cuppa" kind of a fruit cake!  Light in color and with a nice "citrus" flavor, it is one of my favorite fruit cakes. I does include plenty of dried currants and raisins and candied citrus peels of course! This recipe also includes the finely grated zest of on orange.  YUM!

SCOTTISH OAT CAKES - I am not sure how authentic these are as I got the recipe from an episode of Martha Bakes, but I can promise you they are terrifically tasty!  Crisp, buttery, loaded with plenty of oats, inside and out. Beautiful with a bit of cheese or a hot cup of tea. The oats for these are toasted before grinding into flour in a food processor to make the cakes, giving them a really nutty flavor. Moreishly oaty, crisp and delicious!

Yield: 2 - 3 servings

Author: Marie Rayner

Traditional Rumbledethumps (small batch)

Prep time: 10 MinCook time: 40 MinTotal time: 50 Min

A fabulous Scottish side dish using simple ingredients, creamy mashed potato, sauteed cabbage and sometimes onions. These get stirred through together, piled into a baking dish and topped with cheese before baking to tasty perfection in a moderate oven!

Ingredients

• 1 pound (1/2 kg) floury potatoes (potatoes good for mashing)
• 1/4 pound (125g) cabbage, cored and thinly sliced
• 1 small onion, peeled and sliced
• 4 TBS butter, divided
• 2 ounces (56g) mature cheddar cheese grated (about 1/2 cup)
• salt and white pepper to taste

Instructions

1. Peel your potatoes and cut them into equal sized pieces. (I make mine in 1 1/2-inch chunks.)
2. Place the potatoes into a saucepan and cover with lightly salted water. Bring to the boil. Cook for 15 to 20 minutes until soft.
3. Drain well and mash with 2 TBS of the butter. Season to taste with salt and white pepper. Keep warm.
4. Peel the onion, cut in half and finely slice into half moons. Core and trim the outer leaves from the cabbage. Slice it roughly.
5. Melt 2 TBS of butter in a large skillet over medium low heat. Add the onion and cabbage. Cook, stirring occasionally, until it has softened and wilted down.
6. Mix the cooked softened cabbage and onion thoroughly into the potatoes.
7. Preheat the oven to 350*F/180*C/ gas mark 4. Butter a shallow baking dish large enough to hold your cabbage and potatoes.
8. Pile the potato mixture into the buttered dish. (I like to keep the top roughed up a bit.) Sprinkle the cheese evenly over top.
9. Bake in the preheated oven for 15to 20 minutes until the cheese has melted and turned golden brown in spots.
10. Serve as a tasty side dish to your favorite meal.

Did you make this recipe?

Tag @marierayner5530 on instagram and hashtag it #TheEnglishKitchen

Thanks for visiting! Do come again!! 

 If you like what you see here, why not consider signing up for my newsletter and/or subscribing/following me on Grow. You can also bookmark my recipes via the Grow platform. Check out the heart on the right hand side of the screen.

Also, if you have not checked out my YouTube Channel yet, do give it a gander. I would really appreciate it, and if you want to subscribe that would be even more appreciated!  Thank you so much!  It is not really fancy like some people's channels. I am very much learning as I go along, but what you get is authentic at least! There is nothing fake there! No filters, bells or whistles. Filmed in real time and unedited!

Red Wine Braised Brisket

 

I had picked up a Brisket of Beef prior to Christmas and popped it into the freezer.  I decided to cook it the other day. I had originally planned to do sort of a BBQ type of recipe such as this one, but in the end, I decided against that.

I remembered a recipe that I had in my Big Blue Binder for braised short ribs that was delicious. It was a recipe shared with me about 50 years ago by an older friend that lived in Olds, Alberta. Her name was Cathy, and she ran a small cafe.  Her recipes were always delicious.

I decided to cut my brisket into largish chunks and oven braise them as per Cathy's recipe, with excellent results I might add! 

 

 

I often think back to the fine ladies through the years that have had such a positive influence on my cooking skills.  Women like Cathy and her mom. My sister and I were just talking about this the other day. We were both blessed to have had some really talented and special mentors in the kitchen.

Our mother was not somebody who wanted anyone helping her out in the kitchen.  Anything we learned from her we had to learn from a distance and by asking questions. I wish it had been different, but that is just the way it was. Mom could not abide anyone dirtying up her hob or her oven. It drove her bananas.  We could never clean it good enough for her and she hated cleaning up behind people. True fact, nothing in mom's kitchen was ever "seared!"

I really have to give a lot of credit to a number of women (friends/relatives, etc.) through the years that were very forthcoming in sharing their recipes, talents and skills with me.  They truly helped to make me the good cook that I am!! It was the same with my sister. We were both blessed thus.

Anyways, I applied Cathy's method for cooking short ribs to this brisket and it turned out gorgeous! I hope that you will be inspired to want to give it a go!

 

WHAT YOU NEED TO MAKE RED WINE BRAISED BRISKET

Other than the wine you will probably have everything you need to throw this simple dish together.

• 2 1/2 pounds (1kg) beef brisket, trimmed and cut into large cubes (about 2 -3 inches square)
• salt and black pepper to taste
• 1 TBS light olive oil
• 1 medium onion, peeled and finely chopped
• 1 large carrot, peeled and finely chopped
• 1 stalk celery, trimmed and finely chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, peeled and minced
• 1 TBS tomato paste (tomato puree)
• 1 1/4 cup (300ml) red wine
• 1 1/2 cup (360ml) beef stock
• 1/2 tsp dried thyme
• 1/2 tsp dried rosemary
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 TBS Worcestershire sauce
• 1 TBS good balsamic vinegar

 

The original recipe used beef short ribs.  Brisket is a meat with very similar qualities, both texture wise and taste, but without the bone. I have never had a problem using the two interchangeably. I had bought a slab of brisket at the Sobeys and had originally planned to roast it, but when the time came decided to cut it into smaller chunks and oven braise it.

Everything is pretty self explanatory. You may not have any wine, or you may not want to buy wine, maybe you don't want to use wine.  Here are some options for what you can use in its place.

THE BEST SUBSTITUTE FOR RED WINE

Consider replacing one-for-one with one of the following:

 Alcohol-free red wine 

Beef broth 

Chicken broth 

Red wine vinegar (use ½ vinegar and ½ water for similar flavor results) 

Cranberry juice

Pomegranate juice

 

HOW TO MAKE RED WINE BRAISED BRISKET

This really is a very simple entree to make. Don't stint on browning the meat.  This gives incredibly flavor to the gravy, as does sautéing the veggies. Both are steps I would not leave out!

You will need an oven-proof Dutch oven. Preheat your oven to 325*F/165*C/gas mark 3.

The pan I used for this was a 3QT (3 liter) Cast Iron Dutch Oven by Martha Stewart that I bought on Amazon. This is the perfect size for me, a singleton living on her own. It is large enough so that if I want to make a slightly larger pot of soup I can, but not so large that I find myself with tons of leftovers.  It works really well in smaller sized recipes such as this one and it cleans up very easily.

 

Heat the oil in the Dutch oven over medium high heat. Season the pieces of brisket all over with salt and black pepper. Sear on both sides in the Dutch oven. Remove to a plate.

Add the vegetables to the pan. Sauté over medium low, stirring occasionally, until they begin to soften. Add the minced garlic and the tomato paste. Cook for several minutes longer.

Pour in the red wine. Bring to a simmer, scraping up any brown bits from the bottom of the pan. Add the beef stock, herbs, balsamic vinegar and Worcestershire Sauce, combining everything well together.

 

Return the pieces of beef to the pan, along with their juices, nestling them down into the liquid. Cover tightly.

Oven braise, covered for 2 hours. Uncover and braise for an additional half hour until the meat is tender and the juices have reduced.

Skim any fat from the pan and discard.  Serve the meat with that delicious sauce spooned over top.

 

This was exceptionally delicious.  The meat was falling apart, and that gravy was stupendous. I did think of pureeing the vegetables in it, but then I decided to leave it just as is for interest and texture.

I did skim off all of the fat.  First with a ladle and then with some paper towels. 

Served with some mashed potatoes and green beans on the side this made for a really beautiful dinner!  I really enjoyed it. Rice would also go, but I am a potatoes gal and so I made a quick pot of mash. Delicious!

 

I love beef brisket in any way shape or form, but it is especially delicious when braised until it is tender and falling apart.  Here are two other delicious ways to cook it that are sure to be enjoyed!  

SLOW BRAISED BRISKET SANDWICHES - Melt in the mouth pieces of tender and juicy brisket, with a flavor-filled au jus, served tucked into some crisp fresh baguettes with some quick pickled red onions. Altogether this is one very tasty sandwich! mmm Now I am hungry!

BRAISED BRISKET WITH STOUT AND ONIONS - Brisket is one of my favorite cuts of beef and is beautiful when prepared this way. Cubes of brisket are floured and browned and then braised in a delicious mix of stout and onions, until it is beautifully tender. The juices make the most delicious gravy!

Yield: 4 servings

Author: Marie Rayner

Red Wine Braised Brisket

Prep time: 30 MinCook time: 2 H & 30 MTotal time: 3 Hour

This oven braised stew is a hearty and delicious comfort food meal, featuring large chunks of beef brisket cooked in a rich, savory red wine sauce that is fabulous spooned over mashed potatoes.

Ingredients

• 2 1/2 pounds (1kg) beef brisket, trimmed and cut into large cubes (about 2 -3 inches square)
• salt and black pepper to taste
• 1 TBS light olive oil
• 1 medium onion, peeled and finely chopped
• 1 large carrot, peeled and finely chopped
• 1 stalk celery, trimmed and finely chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, peeled and minced
• 1 TBS tomato paste (tomato puree)
• 1 1/4 cup (300ml) red wine
• 1 1/2 cup (360ml) beef stock
• 1/2 tsp dried thyme
• 1/2 tsp dried rosemary
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 TBS Worcestershire sauce
• 1 TBS good balsamic vinegar

Instructions

1. You will need an oven-proof Dutch oven. Preheat your oven to 325*F/165*C/gas mark 3.
2. Heat the oil in the Dutch oven over medium high heat. Season the pieces of brisket all over with salt and black pepper. Sear on both sides in the Dutch oven. Remove to a plate.
3. Add the vegetables to the pan. Sauté over medium low, stirring occasionally, until they begin to soften. Add the minced garlic and the tomato paste. Cook for several minutes longer.
4. Pour in the red wine. Bring to a simmer, scraping up any brown bits from the bottom of the pan. Add the beef stock, herbs, balsamic vinegar and Worcestershire Sauce, combining everything well together.
5. Return the pieces of beef to the pan, along with their juices, nestling them down into the liquid. Cover tightly.
6. Oven braise, covered for 2 hours. Uncover and braise for an additional half hour until the meat is tender and the juices have reduced.
7. Skim any fat from the pan and discard.
8. Serve the meat with that delicious sauce spooned over top.

Did you make this recipe?

Tag @marierayner5530 on instagram and hashtag it #TheEnglishKitchen

Thanks for visiting! Do come again!! 

 If you like what you see here, why not consider signing up for my newsletter and/or subscribing/following me on Grow. You can also bookmark my recipes via the Grow platform. Check out the heart on the right hand side of the screen.

Also, if you have not checked out my YouTube Channel yet, do give it a gander. I would really appreciate it, and if you want to subscribe that would be even more appreciated!  Thank you so much!  It is not really fancy like some people's channels. I am very much learning as I go along, but what you get is authentic at least! There is nothing fake there! No filters, bells or whistles. Filmed in real time and unedited!

Meals of the Week, January 26th - February 1st, 2025

 

Hello everyone and welcome to my Sunday Meals of the Week Post.  This is the day that I share all of the deliciousness that was my main meals over the past seven days with you.  That's seven days of tasty main meals along with recipes and menu suggestions.

This is one of my favorite posts to write each week, and by all counts, it is also one of your favorite posts to read. 

As a single person on a senior's budget cooking delicious and nutritious means presents a particular challenge. I don't like to waste food, but neither do I want to end up eating the same thing for days and days on end. I also don't ever want to resort to eating takeaways, frozen dinners or ultra processed foods.  They are usually loaded with fat, salt and sugar.  Not to mention preservatives.

I also happen to enjoy cooking and so each week I try to cook myself a variety of nutritious meals that fall within my budget so that they are also fairly economical.  I have always been a happy meal planner.

This is only my main meals.  I do have a healthy breakfast, usually a protein shake I make myself or sometimes oatmeal or granola (homemade.)  I will have my main meal in the early afternoon most of the time and then at supper time I will have something light like a salad, or sandwich, fruit, toast, etc.  Sometimes I do enjoy a cheeky bowl of cereal, especially when I am feeling rather lazy or nostalgic.  Cereal in the evening was a real treat for us when we were growing up.

This week was particularly challenging as we have had a week of nasty weather and lots of snow, so I haven't been able to get out to the shops, not at all.  Usually, I will have Sunday dinner at my sister's and a meal out with dad. I did not get to my sister's this week, but we did have a meal out together on Thursday with dad.  

And so without waffling on any further, here were my meals of the week for the past seven days. I hope there is something here that will inspire you to want to cook for yourself! 

SUNDAY, January 26th - Crock Pot Ham, Beans & Potatoes

Usually on Sundays I will go to my sister's for supper, however the weather was very bad this week and so I stayed home. I had a chunk of ham frozen in the freezer and so I took it out and threw it into the crock pot with some potatoes and green beans to make myself this delicious, really comforting crock pot supper.  It wasn't the largest piece of ham, but it was enough for me to enjoy on the day and then have some leftover ham for a couple of days later.

This tasty dinner is such a simple thing and yet so incredibly delicious. I highly recommend!  I wish we had ham hocks here where I live, but alas we do not so I just used what I had to hand.

MONDAY, January 27th -Mary Berry's Fast Quiche   

This was something which I had been keen to try for a while.  I love all of Mary Berry's recipes and it promised to be very simple to make.  There is no conventional crust needed in this quiche.  Just a large flour tortilla.  It is used to line an 8-inch cake tin and then I took the opportunity to crisp it up a bit in the oven before filling it.

A mix of onions and mushrooms goes on the bottom, along with some cheese and then a cheesy egg custard is poured over top. The whole thing gets baked to perfection.  This may be the easiest quiche you ever make. It certainly was delicious. I enjoyed with a salad on the side and shared it with my next-door neighbor.

TUESDAY, January 28th - Ham and Cheese Bow Ties 

I used up the leftover ham that I had from Sunday and made Ham and Cheese Bow Ties. This is a small batch recipe, but can easily be doubled.  With diced ham and bow tie pasta (you could use any pasta) In a creamy garlicky cheese sauce. This is delicious.  There are no two ways about it.

I like to use the pasta with the extra fiber added, and I enjoyed with some steamed vegetables.  I also had a cheeky piece of bread and butter on the side. 

WEDNESDAY, January 29th - Beef and Vegetable Stir Fry with Rice

Due to inclement weather continuing, I was not able to go on my usual Wednesday night supper with Dad.  I was also not able to get to the shops so I made a simple 5 Minute 5 Ingredient Stir Fry Sauce.  I took a small piece of steak from the freezer and cut it into strips and marinated it in some of the sauce for about half an hour and then I quickly stir fried the steak along with some bagged stir fry veggies I had in the refrigerator, adding more of the sauce at the end and heating it all through.

This made a quick and delicious supper which I enjoyed along with some steamed rice. I shared this with my next-door neighbor as well. She was most appreciative.  Because of the bad weather nobody had been able to get into see her.  I also had some chocolate chip cookies I had baked which I took over to her. 

THURSDAY, January 30th - Dinner out with Dad

It stopped snowing long enough and the roads were cleared enough that my sister and I were able to go out to dinner with our father. This time we went to Angie's which is just around the corner from where I live.  We all had fish. I had the whole piece of fish with some chips and coleslaw.  Dad and Cindy had the Haddie Bits and Chips, which are like chunks of haddock battered and fried, also served with coleslaw.

The photo above is of some fish and chips I had down in Eastbourne in the U.K. at Harry Ramsden's. It was okay.  Mushy peas are the best. As is a chip butty.  (A slice of buttered white bread wrapped around hot chips.)

In it's place I am sharing my recipe for Beer Battered Cod and Chips. My recipe is so good that the Canadian version of Hello Magazine featured it in an article on British Food a few years back.

FRIDAY, January 31st - Simple Scottish Tattie Soup

Back to snow, rain and cold temperatures on Friday.  It was a bit of a nasty day.  I decided to enjoy some soup for my supper.  Simple Scottish Tattie Soup. This has become a real favorite around here.  It is heart warmingly delicious and perfect for a cold winter's day! Potatoes, onions, carrots and leek in a simple broth.  Tasty, tasty!

I accompanied it with some Rustic Bread that I had made in my bread machine, spread with lots of butter. This is one of my favorite loaves to make. I had made myself a Tortilla omelet earlier in the day for a bit of a heartier breakfast/brunch, so I didn't really feel the need for a huge supper. 

SATURDAY, February 1st - Beans on Toast

Another snowy but very busy day here around the house. I just made myself a simple supper of beans on toast.  A nice, toasted slice of my bread machine bread topped with some tasty Sprague Baked Beans, and a handful of good cheddar cheese grated. 

 

I love Beans on Toast.  It's one of my favorite quick fix suppers.  I don't always have cheese on top, but I had some cheese which needed using up and thought why not! If you have never tried scattering grated cheese on top of your beans, you really need to try it. It's fabulous!

All of this snow is getting a bit tiresome now. I am going stir crazy.  My sister and I both have mammograms set for Wednesday in Kentville (an hour away) and guess what?  It's supposed to snow. These have been standing appointments we have had for over six months now. We can't afford to give them up. It could be another six months before we can get one. I am hoping the snow won't be so bad so that we can get to Kentville and back safely.

And there you have it. My meals of the week for the past seven days. Things were quite limited due to the nasty weather and mostly of a store cupboard nature, but it's that time of year innit! I think I did really well considering!

Thanks for visiting! Do come again!! 

 If you like what you see here, why not consider signing up for my newsletter and/or subscribing/following me on Grow. You can also bookmark my recipes via the Grow platform. Check out the heart on the right hand side of the screen.

Also, if you have not checked out my YouTube Channel yet, do give it a gander. I would really appreciate it, and if you want to subscribe that would be even more appreciated!  Thank you so much!  It is not really fancy like some people's channels. I am very much learning as I go along, but what you get is authentic at least! There is nothing fake there! No filters, bells or whistles. Filmed in real time and unedited!