Red Flannel Hash and Spring Asparagus Pancetta Hash: Double Trouble

A couple of things about my obsession with potato hash. First, friends and family send recipes and restaurant suggestions, which I enthusiastically embrace. Secondly, I occasionally go on a bender, apparently lacking the good sense to deny myself. This post is about the latter, a double-header of potato hash goodness, a double hashcapade, a.k.a Double Trouble at Chez Clark!

Red Flannel Hash
It all started out innocently enough as I read the upbeat e-mail from my nephew, Erik, suggesting a Red Flannel Hash (recipe further below). For the uninitiated, red flannel gets its name from the bright (I do mean bright) red color bestowed by grated red beats and red cabbage that resembles flannel cloth. See what I mean? Who knew iconic grunge wear tasted divine?

Red Flannel Hash ingredients eagerly awaiting a transformation.

Red flannel in a pan – who knew iconic grunge-wear tasted divine?

I have to say that I was rather shocked at the resulting dish. My eyes, specifically the rods that sense red, were over-saturated to the point of possible damage – this was truly seeing red! However, my taste buds were pleasantly surprised by the sweetness of the beets in counterpoint to the cabbage. So this is what all the fuss is about – I totally get it!

Red Flannel Hash a la Chez Clark

Red Flannel Hash Recipe

Ingredients

2 Tbs EVOO

1/2 lb top sirloin, 1/2″ dice

3/4 cup chipped red onion

1 tsp kosher salt, divided

3 cloves garlic, minced

1/2 head small red cabbage, shredded or grated

2 medium red beets (about 2 cups), grated

1/2 cup water

2 Tbs cider vinegar

1/4 cup crème fraîche

2 Tbs fresh dill, chopped

Steps

1) Bring large pan to medium high, add 1/2 EVOO, when oil starts to shimmer, go to next step

2) Add sirloin and cook for about 4 minutes, to medium rare, remove and set sirloin aside

3) Return pan to heat, add onion, salt and garlic and some pepper, saute for 5 minutes or so

4) Add cabbage, beet, water, vinegar and rest of salt, cooking for about 8-10 minutes, just until cabbage starts to wilt and water almost evaporates

5) Add the sirloin you said aside, juices and all to heat through, check seasoning and adjust if needed

6) Remove from heat, and plate hash, the top with dollop of crème fraîche and 1/4 of the dill

(Adapted from Cooking Light, March 2011)

Spring Asparagus Pancetta Hash
The bender part of this double-trouble hashcapade and its genesis may seem random, but I believe good food bloggers are interconnected in a web of culinary synergy. You see, I was checking out blog posts from Lindsay Strannigan because I wanted to make her Black Truffle and Chanterelle Risotto, Sadly, chanterelles are already out of season in Oregon and I wasn’t about to substitute dried mushrooms when black truffles were involved! But wait, her blog roll had Smitten Kitchen, which has recipes by season and I happily discovered Deb Perelman’s recipe – Spring Asparagus Pancetta Hash.

Simple ingredients yield fantastic results.

My favorite tool for asparagus is my trusty grill, which I use year-round.

Paired the asparagus pancetta hash with a gruner veltliner from Austria – sehr gut!

With the obligatory broken yoke adding yet more color.

This recipe is a keeper – crunchy asparagus and pancetta, soft egg and firm potatoes – super easy! For those who think wine doesn’t go with potato hash, think again. According to WineMonger’s Easter post, the svelte white wine is the perfect complement to asparagus, peas and just about any spring vegetable. Cheers!

Got other ideas for potato hash recipes?

Happy Hashcapades,
Clark

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Red Flannel Hash and Spring Asparagus Pancetta Hash: Double Trouble

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