Sweet Potato Hash with Carmalized Onions, Chorizo and Eggs

Its about that time to start thinking about the holidays and what you are going to be making for holiday dinners and gatherings! Its the best time of year. I wish I had a bit more time to think and plan these things, but honestly school has really gotten the best of me.

My mom doesn't know it yet, but Thanksgiving dinner is all hers this year. Usually I claim things. By things I mean every single holiday that calls for a meal. What I will lay claim to is breakfast the morning after!

This here hash is the perfect make-ahead breakfast for a crowd. Its more creative than your standard egg bake too. Really wow your guests. I actually made this on a Thursday night and then cooked 2/3 of it on Sunday morning for friends that were visiting.

Who doesn't love a runny eggs?! Crazy people. No offense, but seriously! I will never understand how you couldn't like a runny egg yolk. It acts like a magical dressing for whatever it sits on top of. Delicious, silky, greatness. Food porn at its finest.

For those who prefer a hard cooked egg, don't worry. Your eggs can take a trip into the oven for an extra five minutes. After five minutes, take out the hash and add the rest of the eggs for another 10 minutes.

The meat and potatoes are also very flexible. I think a nice breakfast sausage, with sweet or russet potatoes would be delicious, maybe will a little bacon and maple syrup. For a more smoky take you could use andouille sausage.

The chorizo that I used here makes your kitchen smell divine. A sort of sweet, peppery and smoky party for your nose. I think it is the paprika, which might be my newest spice obsession.  I got my chorizo at Whole Foods, if you can't find it you could substitute any other sausage you see fit.

The preparation of the hash is a bit labor intensive but totally worth it! Reheating the hash with the eggs is what really makes the hash special. Its bottom layer gets super crunchy, but the top layer of taters are still soft. Sweet, with a little hint of spice. I think chorizo and sweet potatoes were made for eachother.

Because I only served 2/3 of it to my friends, I cooked up the rest for these here photos and ate it for lunch the next two days. If you don't have a huge crowd to feed, still make the whole batch and treat yourself throughout the week to a special breakfast.

You, you're guests and bellies will not regret this. It is a must make for the upcoming holiday season and will make your house smell delicious!

xo
April


Adapted from The Kitchn
Serves 5-8
Ingredients:
for the hash:
2 large onions, thinly sliced into half-moons
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
Kosher salt
1 1/4 pound fresh chorizo

3 pounds sweet potatoes, about 3 large potatoes, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
6 large garlic cloves, minced
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon kosher salt, plus more to taste if necessary
Freshly ground black pepper

To serve:
Large eggs
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

Instructions:
To make the hash:
Heat the oven to 450°F. Place the sausage in a large skillet and brown over medium-high heat, chopping it up into fine crumbles with a spatula. Cook the sausage for about 10 minutes, or until it is browned and beginning to crisp. Drain the sausage, reserving 1 tablespoon fat and set aside, in a large bowl (large enough that you can mix everything together before it goes onto a baking sheet and into the oven).

While the sausage cooks, peel the onions and cut them in half lengthwise, then cut them into thin half-moons. Cut the half-moons in half. In the same skillet, melt the butter with the drippings, over medium-high heat. When it foams up add the onions and sprinkle lightly with salt. (Don't worry if they are crammed into the pan; they will rapidly cook down.) Lower the heat slightly and cook the onions for about 20-30 minutes, stirring occasionally, and lowering the heat if they seem to be burning. Cook them until they are dark brown.

While the onions are cooking, chop the unpeeled sweet potatoes into cubes that are about 1/2-inch to a side. Finely mince the garlic and toss it in a large bowl with the sweet potatoes and sausage. Toss with the olive oil, kosher salt, and a generous helping of black pepper.

When the onions are dark brown, stir these into the sweet potatoes as well. Line a large baking sheet with foil or parchment paper, and spread out the sweet potatoes evenly, depending on the size of you baking sheets you may need to use two. Roast the sweet potatoes for 30 to 45 minutes (roasting time depends on the size and uniformity of the sweet potato chunks, as well as the variety of sweet potato you buy) or until they are soft and browned.

Refrigerate the cooled hash for up to 5 days.

To serve:
Heat the oven to 425°F. Spread a relatively thin layer of the (already cooked) sweet potato hash in a baking dish, such as a cast iron skillet or a 9x13-inch baking dish (I've done it with both). You can also bake in individual ramekins. Make small wells in the sweet potatoes and crack in large eggs. Sprinkle lightly with salt and pepper.

Bake for 12 to 15 minutes for a runny yolk and 15 to 20 minutes for a hard cooked egg. (Test the eggs by prodding them with a fork to check the firmness of the white and the yolk; baked eggs are deceptive in that the white often looks much less cooked than it really is.)