Boxing Day

I’ve always preferred Boxing Day to the big day just before it. There’s a hell of a lot less cooking and prepping for one thing, and the whole pace of the day is mellow and relaxed. A lie-in till seven and some quiet time to relax before the rest of the house stirred around nine… very welcome indeed.

Boxing Day brunch has become a family tradition… I make Bubble & Squeak cakes. These are a bit like large fishcakes or potato cakes but full of the leftovers from Christmas dinner: turkey, gammon, bacon, sausages, lamb, and duck, with roast potatoes and chunks of stuffing… all diced and sizzled with paprika and turmeric. I add some extra sprouts, leeks, and parsnips, then packets of mashed potato, breadcrumbs, flour, and eggs to bind the cakes together. They are baked in the oven until crispy and golden brown and served with a fried egg on top.

They’ve become a massive hit with the boys, so I always have to make them—but they do take a bloody long time to prepare, and we ended up having brunch at about 2 p.m. today.