Loaded Hash Browns

 

What a day!  We were startled by an alarm at the Cape Cod condo.  Some friends who were staying there had set the alarm to stay and forgot and opened the sliding door to the deck to check the weather.  Then, as soon as we fell back asleep the doorbell rang with a FedEx envelope.  We were due down the street to get our toes done.  Ok, fine, our talons cut.  At that point we said what the heck and got up.  After our toes Connie had to take Abby the dog to the vet for an ear infection – better, an eye infection – much better, and a potential urinary tract infection – don’t ask me about the urine collection we’ve got to do.  I dug in to my office work for a few hours until it was time to go get my eyes checked.  I LOVE visiting with Paige. She’s just one of the nicest human beings ever.  While we were on Cape Cod I broke my ONE pair of glasses.  The good folks at Lenscrafters managed to cobble them back together so other than the daily headaches from them not setting exactly where they should, I’ve been fine.  After Paige we headed a block north to Goodwill.  Let’s see if I can remember the highlights…  A Belgian cookbook, a Martha Stewart Light, one on margaritas, one from the Culinary Institute of America, and a couple of others.  Then, we were off to Costco to order our new glasses and to shop for the Girls Night Out party this coming Saturday.  We’re doing chicken green bean casserole and salads.  Two friends are bringing appetizers, one each is bringing homemade rolls, a pasta dish and a dessert.  I’ve also got some cheese to put out.  I just had to look at the cookbooks at Costco. There were only three selections.  I had two of them.  What I didn’t have was Gina Holmoka’s Skinny Taste Simple.  That problem got solved poste haste.  Then, on our way out of Castleton we made our first visit to Saraga International Market.  And, fell in love with the place.  Goodness.  I can’t even begin to remember what all we bought.  I can remember that I didn’t see arugula, baby endive or escarole.  Or, rolled anchovies with capers or consommé soup.  Otherwise, we found all kinds of things we’ve either had to go over to Cincinnati to shop at Jungle Jim’s or we’ve had to order online. Connie who always shops with a list and doesn’t really buy anything that isn’t on the list literally walked every aisle with me.  We found ground duck, garlic paste, Kewpie mayonnaise, teff flour…  A long list of happiness! 

On the way home I started reading Gina’s cookbook.  The plan for dinner had been some fish from the freezer with a tomato salad with pecan pesto.  Something about starting pesto at 7pm didn’t quite appeal to either of us.  Connie made an Agave Maria from our new margarita cookbook.  I was vacillating between Meridian Hills Special Salad, chili stuffed baked potatoes and a new recipe from Gina’s cookbook.  Gina won out.  We’d put green onions in our cocktails as a garnish so they were ready to be chopped.  I had two slices of bacon I wanted to use up.  You’re right.  The bacon isn’t in the original recipe.  And, there were a couple of wedges of cheese that needed to be used up.  Plus there’s a big bag of Yukon Gold potatoes hanging out in the kitchen…  Loaded waffled hash browns it was.  Except I didn’t want to dirty yet another piece of kitchen equipment so I went for her alternative and made a big hash brown patty.  Connie who is not particularly fond of potatoes exclaimed it one of the best potato dishes he’d ever had.  We both rated it a five on a scale of one to five.  Alongside we had once again sliced tomatoes with shallots, basil and a Dijon mustard vinaigrette.  YUM!

Loaded Waffled Hash Browns

Serves two

Ingredients:

1 large Yukon Gold potato, not peeled

2 green onions, finely chopped

2 eggs

¼ cup shredded cheese, cheddar or something else assertive

2 strips thick cut bacon (my addition)

 

Directions:

Brown, drain and finely chop the bacon.  While that’s getting happy, grate the potato on the large holes of a grater.  Plop the grated potato in the middle of a towel, head to the sink and squeeze all the liquid out.  Toss the potato with the chopped green onion.  You can either make waffled hash browns or you can coat a non-stick skillet with olive oil and make one large hash brown patty.  Gorgeous or pretty.  Tougher to make and keep warm or super simple.  Your choice.  

As soon as the hash brown patty has been flipped – that is once the bottom is nice and brown and you CAN flip it, you’ll want to crack two eggs into the pan where you cooked the bacon. Yes, you’ll want to drain the bacon fat first.  Just leave a thin coating in the pan.  Enough to flavor the eggs…  Top the eggs with the shredded cheese then put a lid on the skillet and cook the eggs until the whites are done but the yolks are runny and the cheese is melted.  

To assemble you’ll cut the potato pancake in half and slide it onto a plate.  Top that with one of the eggs then sprinkle the bacon over the top.  Repeat and you’ve got dinner.  

Super simple and super good.  We loved the green onions in the potato pancakes.  The whole dish was just fabulous and will be a regular around here.

 

Adapted from SkinnytasteSimple by Gina Homolka