Vegetarian Sweet Potato Hash

Dan hosted a brunch in Bloomfield this morning. Since he was making french toast, I decided to bring something savory. I decided to use a Sara Foster hash recipe and make it vegetarian friendly. I have posted the original recipe below, but I will warn you that I barely followed it.

I woke up early and prepped the ingredients with an unfortunately dull chef's knife. I was doubling the recipe and noticed that my skillet was way too small, so I decided to cook the components separately.

I cooked the onions and peppers and transferred them to a large roasting pan. I should have added more oil; there wasn't enough when I added the veggie sausage and it sortof crusted on the bottom of the pan. Everything was overheated and scorching.

Dismayed, I switched skillets and left that one to soak. I cooked the potatoes, which didn't brown nearly as nicely on the non-stick surface. In the end, I put it under the broiler until everything looked crisp and brown.

I guess I haven't sauteed anything in a very long time. I usually stick to roasting, broiling, and boiling. Everything turned out okay though! The hash was a delicious, lighter alternative to typical brunch dishes. I'm glad I made it, even though the cooking process was a little frenetic.

The brunch was great. There was challah french toast, granola and yogurt, fruit salad, vegetarian bloody marys (sans vodka), potatoes, apple rum raisin bread, lemon cookies, lemon madeleines, a frittata, orange juice, homemade gingerale, and coffee.

Vegetarian Sweet Potato Hash
adapted from Sara Foster's The Foster's Market Cookbook
serves 4

1 sweet potato, peeled and diced
1 tbsp unsalted butter
2 tbsp olive oil
1 red onion, chopped
1 red bell pepper, cored, seeded, and diced
1 pound vegetarian sausage (or skinless cooked turkey breast)
Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
4 large eggs
1 tbsp chopped fresh chives
1 tbsp chopped fresh parsley

1. Place the diced potatoes in a saucepan and add enough water to cover by 1 inch. Bring to a boil and cook 3 to 4 minutes, until the potatoes are just barely tender; they should still be firm and hold their shape. Drain well and set aside.

2. Heat the butter and 1 tbsp olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the onion and red bell pepper and cook, stirring occasionally, 4-5 mins, until light brown.

3. Add the potatoes and cook 6-7 minutes, stirring occasionally, until potatoes are crispy. Add the remaining olive oil and the soysage/meat/etc. Season with salt and pepper and cook 1 to 2 minutes more, stirring occasionally.

4. Make four 3-inch holes in the hash and break an egg into each hole. Reduce heat to low, cover, and cook 4-5 minutes, until the eggs are cooked to the desired degree of doneness. Sprinkle with the chives, parsley and additional salt and pepper, if desired. Use a spatula to divide into portions and serve immediately.

Variations: Use chicken, smoked turkey, smoked trout, or sausage. Substitute red potatoes, yukon gold, or other potatoes and try other peppers instead of bell peppers.