Rumbledethumps

Rumbledethumps, must have the best name of any classic Scottish dish, the name comes from how they are made, rumbled means mixed and thumped means bashed and that’s exactly how they are made mixed and bashed.

This is a super easy dish to make and it a scots version of the Irish Colcannon there is also a version using kale called kale-cannon.

Ingredients

3Ib                                            Potatoes, Yukon Gold or russet work well for this

1 small                                     Savoy cabbage or 1 Ib Kale

2 Med                                      Onions, chopped

2oz                                           Butter

Bunch                                      Chives, chopped

10oz                                         Smoked cheddar

1tsp                                          Black pepper

1 cup                                        Heavy cream

1 tsp                                         Salt

Instructions

1. Your first task is to wash and peel your potatoes.
2. Next cut the potatoes so that they are all an even size, I find if you keep the potatoes large they cook much better and are less starchy.
3. Top the potatoes up with cold water and add your salt, slowly bring to the boil. If you bring the potatoes up to the boil slowly it gives the whole potato a chance to heat up at the same time this stops the outside of the potato cooking first and over cooking by the time the inside is cooked.
4. Meantime, shred your cabbage, bring a large pot of salted water to the boil and blanch the shredded cabbage in the water for about 90 seconds, strain the water out and cool immediately in cold water, this possess is known as blanching and refreshing and will help keep the cabbage nice and green throughout all of the cooking processes it goes through.
5. Next take your chopped onion and pop in a pan with the butter and on a low heat soften and cook the onion.
6. Once your potatoes have cooked, strain through a colander and allow them to steam out for a couple of minutes.
7. Preheat your oven to 350˚F.
8. Next pop the potatoes back into the pot add the onions, cabbage, salt, black pepper, the chopped chives and the double cream and now “rumbledthump” them, stir and bash until all the ingredients have combined.
9. Next double check the seasoning and then pour into an oven proof dish and top with the smoked cheddar cheese.
10. Place into a hot oven for 30 minutes until the cheese is caramelized and golden.