From last week's TV binge. Rube has to mark Angus Cook for the big one...meanwhile, he wants his corn beef hash done "right;" and my Rube standards, that means crispy with an egg on top. Rube's order shows a fried egg at first, but...Cook, who just won't pass over after the big one, scolds Rube who has taken over as fry cook at Der Waffle Haus, as to how to properly poach an egg. Each egg that is over done, he tells Rube, is like a fallen soldier... Well corned beef hash it turns out is often served in fried cakes. Here's a recipe that uses real corned beef (I really, really hate the canned stuff! RIP to my father, who LOVED it!).
Most hash is a mish-mash of left over meat and potatoes. My husband is from New England and no-one, but no-one does breakfast hash like he does! Of course, to have "Corned Beef Hash" you have to have corned beef. I like to make stuff like this out of left over real corned beef, since the deli stuff is sliced so thin; but the deli meat will work as well. Although these can easily be jazzed up with herbs and spices, the basic recipe is a simple meat and potatoes fare.
1 medium potato, boiled or microwaved until just done (not mushy)
2 cups chopped or shredded corned beef
1 small onion, finely chopped
1 tbsp. oil
Salt and fresh pepper to taste (take it easy on the salt, corned beef is already salty)
1 tsp. flour
1 egg, beaten
More oil for frying
1. Heat oil and saute the onion until translucent. Meanwhile, chop the potato into small cubes and set aside.
2. Transfer the onion to a mixing bowl, add in the corned beef, potatoes, some salt and plenty of fresh ground pepper and mix.
3. Sprinkle in the flour and mix, pour in the egg and mix to combine completely. Heat oil in a heavy skillet and then shape the mixture into cakes the size of a sausage patty, fry each until crisp on the outside, and moist on the inside, just the way Rube likes it! Top with a fried egg or poached egg and serve.
VARIATIONS
Again, the basic recipe is just that: basic. So there are a number of variations on this, the first being the spicing of the cakes. Any spices that you like can go in. Nutmeg or mace are good additions. Cumin and/or ground coriander are also very good. Additionally, spice up with Cayenne or other chili powders or mustard powder (or whole grain mustard). Even curry powder provides a good change.
Herbs make a great addition. Fresh cilantro or parsley are good, as are fresh chives. Dried oregano, rosemary, marjoram, or powdered bay all work--so does basil.
Some recipes include leftover mashed potatoes instead of potato cubes. You can vary the kind of potato used as well....I'm sure they would look pretty funky with blue potatoes! Also, the type of onion can be varied, red onion or green onions are good changes.
These can be served as an appetizer, with some sort of sauce or fruit preserve or chutney. Or they can be served as a vegetable side dish at a meal other than breakfast. They go great with any green vegetable.
Add extra stuff, like chopped sweet or hot peppers, chopped carrots or celery, or greens that "bite" like mustard greens.
The starch can be changes out. Use cassava or yuca or boniato or sweet potatoes. True yams can also be used.
Make them smaller and use as a base for Hors d'oeuvres, like a cracker.
That's the one for me. I'm a simple meat and poatoes man.
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