Judging from the popularity of James Beard’s recipe for Roast Beef Hash, which has had 3801 pageviews, and that of Ina Garten’s Chicken Hash at 682, Hash has a special place on the tables of our readers. It certainly is at our house. Unfortunately, one of the downsides of writing a blog like this is that I virtually never make the same dish twice. This doesn’t really present a problem as the world is full of wonderful things to cook and wonderful ways to cook them. But it does mean that old favorites like the two hashes, once they are ready for their appearance on Chewing the Fat, seldom, if ever, appear on our table again. So when I came across Saveur magazine’s new take recipe on the dish, I was delighted.
Now hash is usually reserved for leftover chicken and beef. Not so with this recipe. It relies on cooking the chicken especially for the dish and preparing the potatoes before assembling the complete dish. Using boneless chicken thighs, it’s hardly a major task to get the chicken ready. A little salt and pepper, a slug of olive oil and in less than 15 minutes you have beautifully browned chicken. Mushrooms are then sautéed in the same Dutch oven picking up the chicken flavor and adding their own to the dish. With thyme for seasoning, chile flakes for a little heat, onion and garlic for flavor and some chicken stock to bind the dish together, you have the basis for a perfect hash. Simply shred the cooked chicken, add the crispy oven-fried potatoes and heat everything together and voila perfect hash! Now some may call it gilding the lily but the addition of a poached egg finishes the dish, adding another element of flavor and goodness. Scroll down for how to make a perfect poached egg. Do try this. And if you haven’t had a look at our other hash recipes, here are the links: http://chewingthefat.us.com/2012/01/james-beards-roast-beef-hash.html http://chewingthefat.us.com/2011/11/celebrating-35th-anniversary-of-truman.html
And here is the recipe:
Recipe for Chicken Hash with Poached Eggs from Saveur Magazine
1 ½ lb. Yukon gold potatoes, cut into 1″ pieces
½ cup olive oil
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
1 lb. boneless, skinless chicken thighs
8 oz. button mushrooms, cleaned and quartered
1 small yellow onion, thinly sliced
4 scallions, white and green parts, sliced 1/4 inch thick.
1 tbsp. thyme leaves, chopped
½ tsp. crushed red chile flakes
4 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
½ cup chicken stock
2 tbsp. finely chopped parsley
Poached eggs, for serving (optional)
INSTRUCTIONS
1. Heat an oven to 400°. Place potatoes on a rimmed baking sheet and toss with 3 tbsp. oil, salt and pepper; bake until tender, browned, and slightly crisp, about 40 minutes. Set aside to cool.
Heat 3 tbsp. oil in a 6-qt. Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Season chicken with salt and pepper, and working in batches, add to pot and cook, turning once, until browned and cooked through, about 13 minutes. Transfer to a plate and set aside.
Add mushrooms to pot, and cook, stirring, until browned, about 6 minutes. Add remaining oil and onion, and cook, stirring, until soft, about 4 minutes. Add thyme, chile flakes, and garlic, and cook, stirring, until soft and fragrant, about 2 minutes.
Shred reserved chicken and return to pot along with potatoes and stock. Season with salt and pepper, and cook, stirring occasionally, until all ingredients are warmed through, about 6 minutes.
Transfer to a serving platter and sprinkle with parsley;
serve with poached eggs.
How to cook the perfect Poached Egg
- Always use fresh eggs.
- Use either a non-stick skillet filled with no more than one inch of water or a deep saucepan filled with at least 3 inches of water.
- Always add either vinegar or lemon juice to the pan at a ratio of 1 tsp. per cup of water. Bring the liquids to a boil.
- Never break the eggs directly into the boiling water. Instead, break the eggs individually onto saucers, into custard cups or large spoons.
- Add the eggs to the pot or skillet. Remove from the heat and cover. The timing is in direct proportion to the number of eggs you are cooking. For 4 eggs, 6 to 7 minutes will yield a runny yolk. Longer, and you will achieve a less runny egg. More eggs will require more time. If you want to be absolutely sure that your eggs are cooked to your satisfaction, poach an extra egg or two so that you can see how well they’re cooked.
- Always remove eggs using a slotted spoon. You can poach eggs in advance, refrigerate them in ice water for up to 8 hours and then re-heat them in hot — never boiling — water.
I have to try this recripe. I I do not like any sort of mushroom. What do you suggest I use as a substitute?