Yam Breakfast Hash

Eggs make excellent binders, bringing together leftover bits and pieces and creating a whole new dish. Frittatas are a good example of how easy this can be, but so are breakfast hashes. Any kind of roasted vegetable and meat works well, but I like to make sure to have some potatoes or yams in there to make it extra filling. My brother dubbed these the perfect little brekkie bowls but they are good for any meal, any time of the day. When I was little and my grandparents took the family for weekend brunches I always chose the lumberjack breakfast with a combination of eggs, meat and hash browns- not having all of those items just wasn’t a proper brunch. I still feel that way but this is my healthier, nutrient dense compromise. The yams are full of complex carbohydrates, fiber and nutrients like vitamins A and C. The eggs are protein powerhouses with their own contribution of several vitamins and minerals. The bell peppers are the single food item with the most vitamin C, significantly more than oranges, plus being a vegetable they are also full of fiber, antioxidants and many other nutrients. The sausages’ nutrition is dependent upon the quality of what goes in- I used a maple Jack Daniels pork version from my local butcher that is primarily meat with some natural flavoring, and without cheap fillers, stabilizers and chemicals. It had a really light hint of maple and sweetness that complimented the yams and onions well. The caramelized onions are what brings this all together. If you do not regularly caramelize onions, starting so will add a new element to your kitchen skills and meals. It takes a while but the process draws out the sugars of the onions and the finished product can enhance many dishes from thick sauces like tapenades and chutneys to grain dishes to wraps and sandwiches to meat entrées (combined with sautéed mushrooms on a grilled steak it will get you marriage proposals).

This recipe requires two cooking periods- one for the onions, sausages and yams for the hash then a second one for the eggs in the hash. The first cooking period can be done a day or two in advance leaving the hash fully assembled so that this dish can then be prepared quickly and easily for hungry guests and/or loved ones.
Hash is more charming when it is rustic and slightly ugly and messy looking so don’t worry too much about presentation.

Yam Breakfast Hash
 
Prep time
Cook time
Total time
 
Serves: 8
INGREDIENTS:
  • 8 eggs
  • 1½ lbs breakfast sausage (around 8 standard links; I used a maple pork version)
  • 2 bell peppers, julienned
  • Optional: ½ - 1 cup salsa
  • Carmelized onions
  • 2 large yellow onions
  • 1 tablespoon cold-pressed olive oil or butter
  • ¼ teaspoon sea salt
  • Yams
  • 4 cups yams, diced (4 small or 2 medium sized)
  • 1 tablespoon cold-pressed olive oil
  • 2 teaspoons Italian seasoning
  • ¼ teaspoon sea salt
  • 1 dash of freshly ground black pepper
DIRECTIONS:
  1. Preheat oven to 400°. Heat up the oil for the onions in a very wide bottomed skillet over medium heat on the stove. Once warm add in the onions and stir them around until they are all coated with the oil. They will need 30-40 minutes to caramelize, sprinkle on the sea salt at the 10 minute mark. If they start to dry out near the end add in some broth, balsamic vinegar or red wine as needed. At medium heat they should cook at a pace that will not dry them out too much. Once they are all a golden brown color, similar to the shade of brown sugar, and have a sweet taste, remove them from the heat.
  2. Once the onions are on the stove set up 2 parchment lined baking sheets, place the sausages on one and bake for 20 minutes and place the yams (tossed with their accompanying ingredients) on the other and bake for 40 minutes, stirring them around and the 20 minute mark. The yams and onions should finish up at around the same time. Once the sausages are cooked leave them aside until they are cooled enough to handle, then slice them in half lengthwise and then slice them horizontally at ¼ inch increments.
  3. Once the onions, yams and sausages are ready combine them in a large bowl with the bell peppers. This is the hash- it can be made in advance and left in the refrigerator for a day or two. Spoon out the mixture into 8 ramekins or 4 small casserole dishes for double servings, or place it all in a very large casserole dish for a family style serving. According to how the hash is distributed make 8 small wells for the eggs then crack the eggs straight into their little holes. The egg white will seep down into crevices in the hash so make sure it is fairly packed together. Bake at 400° for 20 minutes, until the eggs are set.
  4. Serve hot out of the oven with salsa on the side as an optional condiment.

 

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