Rumbledethumps (Provided photo — Yvona Fast)

A plant-based diet has four cornerstones: Vegetables, fruit, whole grains and legumes. I have featured lentils and buckwheat in my last two columns.

Now it’s time for veggies — and one of the local veggies still available in winter is cabbage. Most Americans know cabbage from the St. Patrick’s Day Irish fare, corned beef and cabbage. Another traditional Irish comfort food is colcannon — made with mashed potatoes, cabbage, and garlic. Still another is champ. In England, Bubble and Squeak is made with fried potatoes, cabbage and whatever leftovers one has on hand.

Cabbage dishes are common throughout Europe. In Poland and eastern Europe, fried potatoes with bacon and cabbage, or noodles with cabbage, onions and apples, are two easy skillet suppers.

In Scotland, it is rumbledethumps — Savoy cabbage, mashed potatoes, cheese and chives or onions, mixed together and baked or grilled. Rumble is an old Scots word for pounding or mashing. Potatoes and cabbage are thumped and rumbled together. This dish makes a great vegetarian main dish; it is also a good accompaniment for ham, sausage or cold cuts.

Like many traditional dishes, there are many ways to make it. The basic ingredients are potatoes, cabbage, butter, cheddar cheese and salt. Other things like chives, onions, bacon, ham or kale can be added if one desires.

It just so happens that this dish is served on Burns Night — a day honoring Scotland’s poet, Robert Burns, on his birthday, Jan. 25.

Robert or Rabbie Burns (1759-1796) is Scotland’s most famous poet. In addition to writing poetry, he also adapted folk songs. He is best known for “Auld Lang Syne,” often sung during the Christmas and New Year holidays, “Love is like a Red, Red Rose,” “Tam o’ Shanter,” “The Selkirk Gracef” and the love song, “Ae Fond Kiss.”

In 1801, just five years after Burns’ death, his friends got together for a supper to celebrate his life. That was the first Burns Night.

Today, Burns Night is celebrated throughout Scotland with music, dance, poetry, spirits and food: Soup as a first course, haggis and rumbledethumps is the main course and a traditional Scottish dessert. A special grace is said:

“Some hae meat an canna eat,

And some wad eat that want it;

But we hae meat, and we can eat,

And sae the Lord be thankit.”

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Burns Night Rumbledethumps

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Ingredients:

2 large potatoes

Salt and pepper

2 strips bacon (optional)

1 onion

1/2 head savoy cabbage

3 Tablespoons butter, divided

1/2 cup chicken stock or milk

2-3 Tablespoons sharp Cheddar cheese

Directions:

Peel and dice the potatoes. Place in a large pot, add salt and water. Bring to a boil, lower heat to a simmer, and cook until tender, about 20 minutes.

While potatoes cook, in a large skillet, crisp the bacon; remove to a paper towel. Peel and slice the onions, add to the bacon drippings, cover and cook on low 5-10 minutes to caramelize.

While potatoes and onions are cooking, wash, core and slice the cabbage. Add a tablespoon of butter to the skillet, and the cabbage. Cook, stirring, until wilted down and soft, stirring occasionally.

When the potatoes are done cooking, drain and mash with a tablespoon of butter and a little chicken stock or milk.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Butter your baking dish or casserole.

Stir the cabbage and onion into the mashed potatoes. Place into the prepared dish. Taste and season with salt and pepper as needed. Sprinkle with the shredded Cheddar cheese and bake about 20 minutes, until heated through, cheese is melted and top is golden brown.

Option: Cook turnips along with potatoes and mash together.

Option: Substitute kale for the cabbage, or use a combination of both.

If desired, top with sour cream and parsley when serving.

To serve: Serve rumbledethups as a side dish. To make into a main dish, serve with a fried egg on top, or with ham, pork or chicken. You can also stir cooked meat into the dish before baking.

Serves 5-6.

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Author of the award-winning cookbook “Garden Gourmet: Fresh & Fabulous Meals from your Garden, CSA or Farmers Market,” Yvona Fast lives in Lake Clear and has two passions: writing and cooking. She can be found at www.yvonafast.com and reached at yvonawrite@yahoo.com or on X, the social media network formerly known as Twitter: @yvonawrites.