Corned Beef Hash

Always start with high-quality cooked corned beef, never canned. I prefer hash without the traditional crust that results from overcooking. If you feel differently, cook on one side until brown and crusty, invert, and cook the other side until crusty. Hash is one dish that I enjoy with tomato catsup.

Ingredients

• 1 pound boiling potatoes, unpeeled
• 2 tablespoons canola or other high-quality vegetable oil
• 1/4 cup (1/2 stick) unsalted butter
• 1 cup sliced onion
• 2 red sweet peppers, stems, seeds,
• and membranes discarded, cut into
• narrow strips
• 1 teaspoon minced garlic
• 3 to 4 cups cooked corned beef
• brisket, thinly sliced, then cut into
• narrow strips
• 1 tablespoon minced fresh thyme, or
• 1 teaspoon crumbled dried thyme
• 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce, or
• to taste
• Salt
• Freshly ground black pepper or
• ground cayenne
• 1/2 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
• 4 to 6 poached eggs
• Fresh parsley or thyme sprigs for
• garnish

Directions

Place the potatoes in a saucepan and add water to cover by about 2 inches, then remove the potatoes. Bring the water to a boil over medium-high beat, return the potatoes, and cook until just tender when pierced with a wooden skewer or small, sharp knife, 15 to 45 minutes, depending on size. Drain well, then return the potatoes to the pan, place over the beat, and shake the pan until excess moisture evaporates and the potatoes are dry to the touch. Set aside to cool. As soon as the potatoes are
cool enough to handle, peel them, cut into narrow strips, and set aside.
In a saute pan or skillet, heat the oil and 2 tablespoons of the butter over medium heat. Add the onion and sweet pepper and cook, stirring frequently, until the vegetables are very soft but not browned, about 10 minutes. Stir in the garlic and cook about 1 minute longer. Add the remaining 2 tablespoons butter, the reserved potatoes, corned beef, thyme, Worcestershire sauce, and salt and pepper or cayenne to taste. Cook until the meat and potatoes are heated through, about 8 minutes. Stir in the chopped parsley.
To serve, distribute the hash evenly on 4 to 6 warmed plates. Top each serving with a poached egg and garnish with parsley or thyme sprigs.

Submitted 3/23/06.
Source: James McNairs Favorites
Submitted By: Lionel Mandrake

Corned Beef Hash