Eggs are potatoes’ true love
Goodness doesn’t get much simpler than eggs and potatoes. The combination works for breakfast, lunch and dinner.
On a recent trip to Kalamazoo, Mich., I was thrilled to see corned beef hash on the breakfast menu at Anna’s House.
For just about any hash, I prefer to par-cook small potatoes to shorten the cook time and to retain moisture. The microwave cooks the potatoes quickly and makes cleanup easy. For crispness, pull out the cast-iron pan and heat it thoroughly before adding some fat to lubricate everything and promote browning. Start with a sweet onion to caramelize it, then add the par-cooked potatoes in a single, uncrowded layer — leaving space around the potatoes promotes the browning.
Once the potatoes and onions are perfectly golden, you can go in a million directions: Serve them as is with salt and freshly cracked pepper. Crush them lightly with a potato masher, and add cooked meats or vegetables to make a kind of hash to top with eggs. Add beaten eggs, and scramble together with diced avocado for a vegetarian taco filling.
The breakfast skillet that follows is delicious topped with softly poached eggs that add yolky richness. Fried eggs with a runny centre taste great here too.
For the corned beef, I simmer a small roast in water with spices on the stovetop until it is fall-apart tender.