Sweet Potato Hash
Memorial Day is coming. Yeah, a three-day holiday. That usually means people will be coming. What to fix? What to fix for a crowd? What’s easy? Brunch.
Brunch usually involves hash browns. Then I started thinking about what Jamie Oliver said about white potatoes. He said treat them like chocolate. What? He said you should eat them, but judiciously; they are high in carbs. So what to exchange and still feel like you had a nice brunch. Something that won’t make you feel like you have to wear your oompa loompa pants. So I decided to make sweet potato hash.
I saw this hash made years ago on Foodnetwork. They had a couple of guys that were party planners. They were making brunch. The recipe rattled around in my head for years. Then one day I decided to make it and have made this recipe many times since. I like to try to work in sweet, spicy, and salty into a recipe. It ticks all the taste buds. The recipe will feed 8 to 10 people. So if you are having a crowd for brunch these are excellent and a little different that the ubiquitous hash browns. If you are just cooking for 2, this works, just adjust accordingly. A potato the size of your fist will more than feed you, so adjust per guest. This dish also works for dinner with a pork chop and a green salad.
I highly recommend these; they are healthy, they are pretty, they pass the presentation test, and they are good for you. And you won’t need a nap after you eat them, or your fat pants.
So thank you Jamie Oliver for the good advice, and all you have done with the Food Revolution. I love you even if L.A. School District does not. Thank you Dan Smith and Steve McDonagh for this great recipe, even after all this time I have not forgotten you.
I am anxious for some quality control from my nephew because he is a big fan of sweet potatoes.
Even after all my preaching about gathering all the ingredients, I see too late that I forgot to add the red pepper flakes and oil to my ingredients photo. At least I remembered to include them while cooking. Please do better than me.
Pssst… If by chance you have any leftovers, this is pretty good with some black beans in a tortilla, with all the usual accouterments.
- ¼ cup vegetable oil
- ¼ cup vegetable oil
- 1 red onion, small dice (about 2 cups)
- 1 red onion, small dice (about 2 cups)
- 1 red bell pepper, diced (about 2 cups)
- 1 red bell pepper, diced (about 2 cups)
- 2 pounds sweet potatoes, small cubed
- 2 pounds sweet potatoes, small cubed
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin - or to your taste
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin - or to your taste
- 2 teaspoons salt
- 2 teaspoons salt
- ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes
- ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes
- ½ cup green onions, white and green tops
- Mise en place ~ Gather your ingredients.
- Pour the oil into a large skillet; place over medium high heat.
- Add the white of the onion, red onion and bell pepper; sauté, 2 to 3 minutes.
- Add the potatoes, cumin, salt and red pepper flakes
- Lower the heat to medium; stirring every 3 - 4 minutes until tender.
- When they start to soften the potatoes will begin to stick or caramelize;continue to turn with a spatula until tender.
- Garnish with tops of scallions.