I can’t lie. Life right now feels a bit like hash. A little bit of this and that all mushed together in a pan – messy, indistinguishable, and undefined. But here’s the thing. In the end, all of those little pieces of this and small bits of that end up creating something quite lovely. A delicious meal. Something that nourishes even amidst the messy. A life for which to be grateful even on the days that are not as easy as one would hope.
In this video, I walk you through making hash with leftovers, which is exactly what hash should be. This means that in my house, no two hashes will be the same as we rarely, if ever, have the same combination of ingredients. That said, and for those who need to follow directions, here’s a recipe to help guide and/or instruct depending on your personality. I bet you can guess mine. 🙂
There’s a story that lives in this office about hash. It’s a family memory, but it’s not a pretty one, and when this post came up in conversation, the family memory came up too. It involves a grandpa, a daily ritual, two eggs over easy, toast with butter and hash, otherwise known as __ap-in-a-can apparently. Not my words, mind you, but evocative all the same. It got me thinking about when something is handmade or homemade how different it might be from what is found in a can. It’s almost unfair to call them by the same name, as that is where the similarities remain.
I created this meal after making Grilled Pork Loin with Rosemary and Sage for guests (when we did that sort of thing). It then became a brunch the following morning but could easily have become a family dinner.
Pork, Squash and Potato Hash with Thyme
4 to 5 cups cubed red-skinned potatoes, about 3 large potatoes
3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
2 cups peeled, seeded and cubed butternut squash, 1/2 pound
1 1/2 cups diced onions, about 1 medium onion
1 1/2 pounds cooked pork loin, cubed
2 tablespoons fresh thyme, leaves removed from stem
salt and pepper will vary depending on how the pork was seasoned
1 to 2 teaspoons Worcestershire to taste
8 eggs
Bring a medium stock pot of salted water to a boil. Add the potatoes and cook for 10 to 15 minutes or just until the potatoes are fork tender. Drain and set aside. Meanwhile, in a large skillet, heat the olive oil and add the squash and salt and pepper. Sauté for 8 to 10 minutes or until the squash begins to brown and become tender. Add the onions to the pan and sauté until the onions are translucent and the squash is tender. Add the potatoes, thyme, salt, pepper and Worcestershire.
Once the hash is done, set aside with a lid. If your poaching contraption only cooks 4 eggs at a time, fill a large, ceramic mixing bowl with hot water and set by the stove. This will hold the eggs at a warm temperature until they are all finished cooking. To poach the eggs, use an egg poaching pan or silicone poaching pods. Bring a small amount of water to a simmer in the bottom of the pan and add the eggs in their poaching cups. Cover with lid and poach for 3 to 4 minutes or until the whites are firm and the yolk is still runny. Remove the eggs from their cups by running a dull knife around the edge and turn them out into the now warm water. When all the eggs are done, plate the hash up individually and top with two eggs. Serve immediately.
Serves 4
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