Sweet Potato Hash

Breakfast: The most delicious time of the day! I had a few sweet potatos lying around last week and couldn't figure out just how I wanted to use them. I was aiming for a dinner option but when Sunday morning rolled around and my stomach started growling, I knew I needed some kind of hash browns and eggs.

There's a couple of little tricks to this dish as well as some helpful tools. I would recommend, in life, to own a 12" or larger cast iron skillet. They're actually pretty inexpensive (as far as cookware goes) and they last FOREVER as long as they're well maintained.

Sweet Potato Hash Browns

Prep Time: 10mins | Cook Time: 35mins

Ingredients:

2 Large Sweet Potatos chopped into 1/2" cubes, skin on

1 Red pepper, diced

1 Sweet Onion, diced

1 Poblano pepper, diced

2 tsp kosher salt

1 tsp pepper

Chives a couple of stems chopped for topping

4 Strips of bacon (Leave out for vegetarian/vegan)

4-6 Eggs

1/2 stick or 4 Tbsp of butter (or coconut oil for vegetarian/vegan)

Sriracha (if you're into that kinda thing)

Directions:

1. Turn the cast iron skillet to medium and wait for the pan to heat up. Add 1 Tbsp of butter and place the bacon in the skillet. Fry the bacon for 6-8 mins on each side, or until desired texture is acheived. I like mine crispy so I keep them on for awhile. Once finished, transfer the bacon to a paper towel to drain. Reserve bacon fat in the pan.

Alternative Vegetarian/Vegan Option

1. Skip the bacon! Heat up the skillet to med heat and wait until the pan is warm. Add 2 Tbsp of coconut oil and continue the recipe as follows.

2. Add the sweet potatos to the cast iron skillet and layer them in a flat surface. Pack them down so they are all pretty flat against the bottom of the pan. DO NOT TOSS. Let them cook on one side for about 5 mins, then, using a spatula, flip the sweet potatos onto the other side. Let cook for another 5 mins. After the 5 mins, add 1 tsp of salt all over the top and 1/2 tsp of pepper. Flip the sweet potatoes one last time. Divide 1 Tbsp of butter into smaller pieces and place them around the top of the sweet potatoes (skip for Vegan). Cover the cast iron skillet with a lid and let sit for 10-15mins or until the sweet potatoes are fork tender.

Note: To acheive the crispy sides to hash, you have to let them sit on one side for a long time. If you toss the sweet potatoes a bunch, they will still cook, but you won't get that delicious crispy edge that makes a hash fantastic. Also, if you don't have a lid for your cast iron skillet, just find any lid that fits over the skillet. The key at this point is to steam the potatoes so they cook to the center. We cooked them on the outside, now we have to get them on the inside. Fork tender mean, if you poked the potato with a fork, the fork would go all the way through with little, to no resistance.

3. Remove the sweet potatoes from the cast iron and place in a large bowl. If the pan is looking dry, add 1 Tbsp butter or coconut oil. Add the red pepper, onion, and poblano pepper to the skillet. Cook until all vegetable are soft, about 6-8 mins. Add remaining 1 tsp salt and 1/2 tsp pepper.

4. Once the vegetables are cooked, add the sweet potatoes back into the cast iron and toss with the vegetables. Divide remaining 1 Tbsp of butter and place all over the top of the hash (skip for Vegan).

Skip Step 5 for Vegan Option

5. Time for the eggs! While the sweet potato hash is finishing grab a small skillet. You can cook the eggs however you like them; scrambled, fried, poached, sunny side up, it doesn't matter. I like mine sunny-side up when the yolk is still nice and runny. To do that, bring a smaller skillet to med heat. Add 1/2 Tbsp butter or coconut oil and let it melt. Add the eggs to the pan and cook for about 4-5 mins. Sometimes I place a lid over the eggs for the last minture just to make sure the whites are cooked on top.

Note: They key to cooking great eggs in a skillet is LOW HEAT. A lot of people cook eggs too hot and they get tough and dry quickly. Patience is the key here. If you let them cook slowly you'll have a creamy result rather than a fried, burnt, or dried result.

I also got these super amazing eggs from the market from one of my favorite shops, Mint Creek Farm!

6. Plate up! Add a layer of hash to a plate and lay your finished eggs on top. Add the chopped chives for a little more color as well as onion flaver and sriracha if you love a little spice.

Enjoy!