Morning after potatoes
Irish or not it’s tempting to indulge in this weekend’s holiday spirit. Getting over the celebration can be just as Irish.
Today’s dishes will help you remember the fun and erase the headache.
Hangover Hash
There are a million variations to this recipe. My favourite is spicier than the original, I suspect, but focuses on the potato. If you know you’re coming home late tomorrow from a party, plan ahead and boil some extra potatoes for supper tonight.
This recipe serves four.
1 lb. breakfast sausages 1 tbsp. butter or margarine 2 lbs. yellow or red potatoes, peeled and boiled until tender then diced
1 medium yellow onion, diced 1 small red bell pepper, diced 1 clove garlic, minced
1 cup bottled green salsa ½ tsp. freshly ground black pepper
2 cups grated old cheddar cheese
4 eggs
Remove sausage casings and cook in a non-stick frying pan until cooked through, breaking up the meat thoroughly along the way. Remove from pan and set aside. Discard all but a spoonful of fat in the pan.
Add butter to pan and when it sizzles add the potatoes and onion. Allow to fry over medium heat without stirring until bottom layer is golden brown. Flip as best you can to move the brown bits to the top and let it brown on the underside.
Add red pepper and garlic and cook until pepper is starting to soften. Stir in salsa, pepper and cheese. Allow to come to a bubble then make four divots in the surface. Break in the eggs, cover and cook until the whites are set but the yolks are still runny.
Serve with pickled jalapenos, more grated cheese, or chopped fresh cilantro, or all three.
Potato Quiche
No one is in the mood to fool with pastry on a rough morning after, so this crustless quiche is just the ticket.
Like the previous recipe, this is perfect with leftover veggies from supper the night before, but you can pop the potatoes in the oven and they’ll be done by the time you’ve had your shower.
Substitute as you like for the broccoli. Green beans, asparagus or cauliflower would all work just fine.
This is a two-serving quiche but doubles well.
2 cups diced potatoes, washed and unpeeled
1 head broccoli, broken into florets
1 small red onion, thickly sliced
2 cloves garlic, coarsely chopped
2 tbsp. melted butter
½ tsp. each salt and freshly ground black pepper
4 eggs
½ cup whipping cream
1 cup grated old cheddar cheese, or other melting cheese you like
2 tbsp. chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
Toss potatoes, broccoli, onion and garlic with butter. Spread out on a greased or foillined baking sheet and sprinkle on the salt and pepper. Roast at 400 degrees F until potatoes are tender. Set aside to cool.
Whisk together eggs and cream and stir in cooked potato mixture, cheese and parsley. Pour into a greased baking dish and bake at 350 degrees F 20 to 25 minutes, until puffed up and golden brown on top.
Mashed Potato Enchiladas
You’re thinking the name of this recipe is a typo but let me assure you these make the most fabulous morning-after breakfast you can imagine.
As spicy or cheesy as you like, and fantastic with bacon, ham or sausage or no meat at all, these are just as delicious for supper.
This is plenty for four. 1 medium yellow onion, diced 1 tbsp. olive or vegetable oil 2 jalapeno peppers, seeded and minced
2 cloves garlic, minced
½ tsp each salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 cup thawed frozen kernel corn
2 cups leftover mashed potatoes
½ cup sour cream or plain yogurt
1 cup grated Monterrey jack cheese
8 small corn or flour tortillas 1-1/2 cups rinsed and drained black beans
2 green onions, green and white parts, finely chopped
¼ cup chopped fresh cilantro, divided
2 cups red or green enchilada sauce
Fry onion in oil until soft. Add jalapenos and garlic and cook a minute or so, until fragrant. Cool a bit then stir in salt, pepper and corn.
Combine mashed potatoes, sour cream and cheese. Stir in onion mixture.
Lay out the tortillas and divide the potato mixture among them, spreading nearly to the edges. Top with black beans, green onions and about the half the cilantro. Fold over to encase the filling.
Put half the enchilada sauce in the bottom of a casserole dish and place the filled tortillas on top. Don’t overlap them. Cover with remaining enchilada sauce—there doesn’t seem to be much sauce, but you don’t want these soupy. Bake at 350 degrees F 20 minutes or until hot through and the edges of the tortillas are crispy. Sprinkle remaining cilantro on top and serve. Pass lime wedges at the table.