By Any Other Name

When I read the word "rumbledethumps," it was a forgone conclusion that I would have to make the dish. I mean, really, how could you not make a dish with a name like that? So Harry Potterish!  I loved it on first hearing.

A little research taught me that rumbledethumps is a Scottish dish, a mixture of boiled potatoes, cabbage, onions and cheddar cheese. Now, those are all ingredients dear to my heart, so I was eager to try it for two reasons, the delightfully rolling name as well as the imagined tastes.

So, I bought and cubed my spuds, boiling them just until tender, shredded my cheese and cabbage (I used purple cabbage for color and because I had it in the fridge), and sliced my onion. I sautéed the cabbage and onion together in a little butter, mashed the potatoes and mixed them in with half of the cheese and the rest of the ingredients, packed it into a gratin dish and topped it with the rest of the cheese. Into a 350 degree F oven until the cheese bubbled and browned slightly.

And sat down to a tasteless disappointment. 

Even My Beloved, who normally can be counted on to take seconds of just about anything I make, held up his hands defensively, palms out. No, thanks. And, of course, I had made two batches.

Rather than throw away the rest, I decided to tart it up a bit. When I heated the second batch, I added butter and more salt and pepper. Enriched with the butter and zinged with salt and pepper, it was a whole different dish. The salt woke up the other flavors and the pepper added some spice, while the butter added a layer of richness that the original recipe lacked. Now, it was a very nice side dish or, in my case, a warming winter lunch.

I'm convinced that rumbledethumps by any other name wouldn't be nearly so much fun.

Doctored Rumbledethumps

3 russet potatoes
6 Tablespoons grated cheddar cheese, divided
1 onion, thinly sliced
1/4 head purple cabbage, shredded
3 Tablespoons butter, plus 1 Tablespoon for sautéeing the onion and cabbage
Salt and pepper to taste

Wash and cube the potatoes. Boil them in water until a sharp knife slips in. Drain and mash with the 3 Tablespoons of butter, salt and pepper to taste. Add 1/2 of the cheese and mix together until the cheese begins to melt.

While the potatoes cook, sauté together in the 1 Tablespoon of butter the cabbage and onion. When the potatoes are done and mashed (as described above), add the cabbage/onion mixture and press it all into a gratin dish. Top with the other half of the shredded cheese and bake for about 20 minutes in a 350 degree oven, until the cheese bubbles and browns a little.