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Jul 23, 2023

Amanda Stone: Hash was born of leftovers

Amanda Stone Hash originated as a way to use leftovers, so the recipe is

Amanda Stone

Hash originated as a way to use leftovers, so the recipe is flexible on the ingredients. Courtesy | Amanda Stone

When the rational angel on one shoulder wins over the impulsive, more fun angel on the other, I follow her lead. Who doesn't love an underdog?

Recently, I ordered a Cobb salad at Blackstone Gastropub knowing full well it would be topped with pork belly, smoked chicken, egg salad, blue cheese crumbles and fried onions, yet I was still shocked at the mountain set before me. Blackstone never disappoints. I decided the chunks of uber-flavorful pork belly could be pushed to the side for another meal altogether. It was a tough decision but a practical one. Score one for the underdog.

So as I boxed up my chunks of flavor, I voiced that I had no idea what I was going to do with them, but I knew they had a lot of potential to make a future dinner pretty exciting. The family wasn't going to know what hit them. My aunt, seated across the table, mentioned they’d be perfect in hash. I agreed, got some tips, and that was that.

What I didn't voice was that I have never made hash and was not entirely clear on what it is. A quick internet search helped me realize the rest of the world is just as hazy.

All you really need to know is that "hash" comes from the French word "hacher," which means to chop. And it originated as a way to use leftovers. It's somehow comforting to know that finding ways to make leftovers into a whole new dish has been a monkey on the back of cooks since they were able to refrigerate leftovers. I get it. I love leftovers cold, straight from the fridge, but I understand that's not for everyone. But coming up with a new way to serve the same food is kind of sneaky, so I’m all for it.

And so hash was born. Typically, leftover meat goes in a hot cast-iron skillet first with a little oil if needed. Any meat will do. If you liked it once, you’ll like it again. Cast iron, because it will help make everything crisp, plus aesthetics. Hash goes with cast iron like pickles go with pizza. No? Like peanut butter goes with jelly. Like peas and carrots. Choose your perfect pairing. Hash and cast iron are like that.

Cook the meat until crisp, transfer to a dish and leave the drippings in the pan. Next, add onion or garlic and a chopped potato or sweet potato. It's your hash. Then cook until they’re a bit crisp. Season with salt and pepper or whatever your hash heart desires. Then add chopped veggies — you guessed it, anything will do. Cook until the vegetables are as done as you want them to be, stir the meat back in and make divots for eggs if you’d like. Crack them into their hash nests, put a lid on the pan and turn the heat to low to allow the eggs to set. Or pop them in a hot oven to finish cooking. Top with a sprinkle of fresh herbs. Done. You’ve hashed.

Try these recipes if you need a little more structure with your hash.

3 tablespoons olive oil, divided

1 medium yellow onion, chopped

1 medium red bell pepper, cored, seeded, and cut into 1/4-inch pieces

1 1/2 pounds sweet potatoes, cut into 1/4-inch pieces

2 teaspoons smoked paprika

1 teaspoon ground coriander

1 1/4 teaspoons kosher salt, divided

1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1 small crown broccoli, chopped into small florets

Finely grated zest from 1 medium lemon

4 large eggs

2 scallions, green parts only, thinly sliced

Heat 2 tablespoons of the oil in a 10-inch or larger cast-iron skillet until it shimmers. Add the onion and pepper, and cook, stirring occasionally, until soft, about 5 minutes. Add the sweet potatoes, paprika, coriander, pepper and 1 teaspoon of the salt. Cook, stirring occasionally, until almost tender but there's still slight resistance when pierced with a fork, about 8 minutes. Add the broccoli, lemon zest and remaining 1 tablespoon oil. Stir to combine.

Using the back of a spoon, press down into the vegetables to make four shallow divots for the eggs. Crack one of the eggs into a small bowl or ramekin without breaking the yolk, and pour into one of the divots. Repeat with remaining three eggs. Season the eggs with the remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt.

Cover the skillet and cook for 7 to 8 minutes for runny yolks, or 10 to 11 minutes for firm yolks. Top with the scallions and serve warm.

source: thekitchn.com.

1 pound pork belly, cut into 1/2-inch pieces and sprinkled with salt and pepper

2 tablespoons sunflower seed oil or peanut oil

1 yellow onion, roughly chopped

2-3 jalapeños, sliced

1 1/2 pounds medium potatoes, unpeeled and diced into 1-inch pieces

1 teaspoon kosher salt

1 teaspoon black pepper, freshly ground

1 teaspoon smoked paprika

3/4 pound Brussels sprouts, cleaned and halved

4-5 green onions, roughly chopped

1 pound oyster mushrooms, rinsed

1 tablespoon unsalted butter

1 to 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

1/4 cup fresh parsley, finely chopped

4 eggs

1/4 cup fresh parsley, finely chopped (for garnish)

1 teaspoon smoked paprika (for garnish)

Salt, to taste

Heat one tablespoon oil in an ovenproof cast-iron or stainless steel skillet over medium-high heat. When the oil is shimmering, add pork belly and cook for about 10 minutes until the bits become crispy and golden brown. Stir occasionally. Remove the pork bites from the pan and transfer them to a paper towel-lined plate or a wire rack. Add the rest of the oil to the skillet.

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Add onion to the skillet. Cook for 3 minutes. Add jalapeños and cook for another 2 minutes. Add potatoes and sprinkle with salt, pepper and one teaspoon smoked paprika. Continue cooking for 5 more minutes stirring every now and then. Add the Brussels sprouts. Cook for 10 minutes and then add green onions, mushrooms, butter, lemon juice and quarter cup parsley. Cook for 5-7 more minutes. Toss and stir occasionally.

Remove skillet from the heat. Toss in the pork belly bits and gently stir. Crack the eggs on top of the hash and place the skillet in the oven. Cook for 10-15 minutes until the eggs are cooked to your favored consistency. 10 minutes baking will yield a runny egg whereas 15 minutes will get the egg cooked all the way through. Sprinkle with the rest of the parsley and smoked paprika. Taste and adjust seasoning. Serve hot.

source: gourmetcubicle.com.

Amanda Stone is a food and gardening columnist for The Joplin Globe. Email questions to [email protected] or mail her c/o The Joplin Globe, P.O. Box 7, Joplin, MO 64802.

Amanda Stone

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