Sweet Potato-Chicken Hash with Poached Eggs and Green Chile Hollandaise

Hi.  I missed you.  Actually, not really.  Is that bad?  Should I just lie about things like that?  Ok, I kinda did.  But not enough to cry about it.

I apologize for my vacay from the blog.  I was having a blast.  Which apparently can be very distracting.  I have about 85 recipes to post in order to catch up.

Here is one of them.  I made this for Scot's birthday brunch.  There was no doubt in my mind that he would love the heck out of this brunch dish.  After he took his first bite, and proclaimed his love, I booyeah'ed at least 3 times in my head.  It is important to stay grounded.

I would explain what is in this, but actually Bobby's title says it all.  It is a perfect sweet potato dish for me too.  I like when sweet potatoes are savory with a hint of their natural sweetness.  And adding spice is ideal.  I guess this is a brunch item at Bobby Flay's restaurant, which is why it uses 160 pots and pans and also why there is tons of prep.  It is definitely a restaurant type meal, but nice to make for a special occasion.  I didn't patty the hash up, like it says in the recipe.  In fact, the hash is particularly patty-able.  I just cooked it all loose in a big skillet and served it in mini cast irons skillets.  Makes sense.  

Sweet Potato-Chicken Hash with Poached Eggs and Green Chile Hollandaise

by Bobby Flay via FoodNetwork

2 large sweet potatoes

3 boneless, skinless chicken breasts

2 scallions, thinly sliced

1/4 cup cilantro, coarsely chopped

1/4 cup canned chipotle peppers

1 tablespoon honey

Salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste

2 tablespoons olive oil

3 cups water

1 tablespoon white wine vinegar

4 eggs

To prepare the hash: In a medium saucepan, cover the potatoes with cold water and bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce the heat and simmer until tender, about 25 to 30 minutes. Drain the potatoes, peel and cut into 1/2-inch cubes. Season the chicken breast with salt and pepper and place in a saucepan of simmering water. Poach for 10-12 minutes or until cooked through. Cut each breast into 1/2-inch cubes. Place the potatoes, chicken, scallion, cilantro, chipotles and honey in a large bowl and mix gently until combined, season with salt and pepper. Form into 4 equal-sized patties. Heat the oil in a large saute pan until just smoking. Season the patties with salt and pepper to taste and saute the patties on each side until golden brown. Keep warm.

To prepare the poached eggs: Heat the water and vinegar until simmering in a large frying pan. Break each egg into a cup and gently add to the water. Poach for 4 to 5 minutes, or until the yolk is nearly cooked. Remove the eggs from the pan with a slotted spoon to drain the liquid and top each hash patty with 1 poached egg.

Green Chile Hollandaise

3 large egg yolks, lightly beaten

1/4 teaspoon kosher salt

Pinch white pepper

1 large poblano pepper, roasted, skinned, seeds removed and finely chopped

1 stick unsalted butter, melted until foamy

Place the yolks, salt, pepper in a blender and mix until smooth. Slowly, drop by drop add the warm butter to the mixture and blend until emulsified. Place in a bowl and fold in the chopped poblano peppers. Serve immediately or place the bowl over a pot of simmering water to keep warm, stirring occasionally.

(Servings: 4, Prep time: 1 hr., Cook time: 30 min., Difficulty: Intermediate)

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foodforscot Ratings:  

Shanon (taste) :  9/10
Scot (taste):  10/10
Effort:  4/5
Dishwashing Effort:  4/5

Salmon Cakes with Latkes and Asparagus

Here we are. I was honestly so excited about this dish. And, I think I still am. But isn't that plate just dying for a sauce??? Hollandaise would be soo soo yummy. Well, as I mentioned before. I ruined the hollandaise. I am not sure I want to show the horrible-ness of it. But, I will. :(

People still put it on their plates. What nice friends I have. It actually tasted decent. Like lemon and butter.

A few friends and Scot were helping me in the kitchen throughout the process. And, sitting on the counter was a 4 cup measuring cup. With 7.5 sticks of butter. And that....is what Scot is deathly afraid of. Now, it was way more hollandaise sauce than I needed, even for 12 people. I just wasn't sure. So I tripled the recipe that I found. I am pretty sure that the original recipe would be perfect for 12 people. Which would have only been 2.5 sticks of butter. Much less scary. Whoops. Anyways, I am going to make Eggs Benedict in a few days. Redeem myself.

As for the other parts of the dish. The salmon cakes were nice. I ended up serving just one per person, which is the right amount. They are pretty rich. We have been eating the thousands that are left over over brown rice. The latkes are just my favorite thing ever. I wish they didn't get quite so crisp/dry, but things like that happen when things are mass produced. I had them in the oven staying warm for probably about 20 minutes too long. I made them with Migas not too long ago, and they were so good! I will make these all the time for breakfast now!

For the asparagus, I just boiled them for about 2 minutes and shocked them in cold, ice water. I served them cold/room temperature and I thought they were good. With hollandaise, they would have been amazing.

Salmon Cakes

by Melissa D’Arabian

2 strips bacon, cooked until crispy, crumbled, bacon fat reserved

1/4 cup chopped onion

1 egg

1/2 cup mayonnaise

2 teaspoons Dijon mustard

1/2 teaspoon sugar

1/2 lemon, zested

1 (14-ounce) can wild salmon, checked for large bones

1 baked or boiled russet potato, peeled, and fluffed with a fork

1/4 cup bread crumbs

2 tablespoons grated Parmesan

Freshly ground black pepper

1/2 cup vegetable oil

Heat 1 tablespoon of the reserved bacon fat in a small saute pan over low heat. Add the onions and cook until translucent. Cool the onions for a bit.

Mix the bacon, onion, egg, mayonnaise, mustard, sugar, and lemon zest in a bowl. Add the salmon and potato, mixing gently after each addition. Form the mixture into 12 small patties. In a shallow dish, combine the bread crumbs, Parmesan, and pepper, to taste. Coat the patties in the bread crumb topping. Heat 1/4 cup of the oil in a large saute pan over medium heat, and cook the salmon cakes in batches until golden, about 3 to 4 minutes per side. Add more oil, as necessary. Arrange on a serving platter and serve.

(Servings: 4, Prep time: 20 min., Cook time: 20 min., Difficulty: Easy)

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Potato Pancakes [Latkes]

by smitten kitchen

My formula is roughly this: a one-pound russet or baking potato to one small onion, a large egg, quarter-cup of flour, teaspoon of salt and a hefty pinch of black pepper. How many you yield has to do with how big you make them; I aim for small ones (approximately three inches across) and get about a dozen per batch.

But, if you’re not a formula person, here is a more official-like recipe:

1 large baking potato (1 pound), peeled

1 small onion (4 ounces), peeled

1/4 cup all-purpose flour

1 large egg, lightly beaten

1 teaspoon salt 1/4 teaspoon

freshly ground pepper

Peanut oil, for frying

In a food processor or on a box grater, coarsely shred the potato and onion. For longer strands, lay the potato sideways in the chute of your food processor. Transfer to a colander or wrap in a cheesecloth sling, and squeeze as dry as possible. Let stand for 2 minutes, then squeeze dry again.

In a large bowl, whisk the flour, egg, salt and pepper together. Stir in the potato onion mixture until all pieces are evenly coated.

In a medium skillet, heat 2 tablespoons of vegetable oil until shimmering. Drop packed teaspoons of the potato mixture into the skillet and flatten them with the back of a spoon. Cook the latkes over moderately high heat until the edges are golden, about 1 1/2 minutes; flip and cook until golden on the bottom, about 1 minute. Drain on paper towels. Repeat with the remaining potato mixture, adding more oil to the skillet as needed.

Do ahead: Latkes are a do-ahead-er’s dream. You can also keep latkes warm in the oven for an hour or more, if you’re waiting for stragglers to arrive. Cooked, they keep well in the fridge for a day or two, or in the freezer, well wrapped, for up to two weeks. Reheat them in a single layer on a cookie sheet in a 400 degree oven until they’re crisp again. Bonus: If you undercooked them a bit or didn’t get the browning on them you’d hoped for, you can compensate for this in the oven.

(Servings: 3, Prep time: 30 min., Cook time: 20 min., Difficulty: Easy)

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Oatmeal Raspberry Scones with Fruit Smoothies

My initial motivation for brunch was to have a multi-course meal. I soon realized that brunches are not really good for multi-course meals. But, I did it anyways because I am stubborn like that.

I was initially just going to do smoothies. Then, I was thinking there needed to be something to nibble on. Nibble. I wanted to make mini muffins or scones. And something I could make in advance. Turns out, I loved these way more right out of the oven. Shoot. That always happens. They are still good the next day. But, the next day...not so good. But, the whole point was I wanted something I could make totally ahead of time. And I didn't have oven time available for these babies the day of. Need more ovens.

Anyways, they were good. And they are really quick to make. They weren't that mini. I got 15 out of the recipe below. I cut them like biscuits, which worked nicely until I had to reshape to cut more. The raspberries kind of exploded during the reshape. It turned out fine though.

For my smoothies, I always use frozen fruit. I think frozen fruit makes for a much better consistency. Alton Brown agrees with me, so you know it has to be right. My typical smoothie is: 1 banana, ~1 cup of orange juice, ~1 cup vanilla yogurt, and fill the rest of the blender with frozen fruit. And I put everything in the blender in that order. It always blends best with the liquid on the bottom. For the brunch, I did some with all strawberries and raspberries. Some with a mixed fruit of pineapple, mango, strawberries and grapes. And some with some combo of the two.

I don't know anyone who doesn't love a fruit smoothie.

Oatmeal Raspberry Scones

from Annie’s Eats

1 large egg

1/2 cup cold buttermilk

1 2/3 cup all-purpose flour

1 1/3 cups old-fashioned oats

1/3 cup sugar

1 tbsp. baking powder

1/2 tsp. baking soda

1/2 tsp. salt

Pinch of nutmeg

10 tbsp. cold unsalted butter, grated on a large grater or cut into small pieces

3/4 cup fresh or frozen raspberries

Preheat the oven to 400° F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat.

Combine the egg and buttermilk in a liquid measuring cup. Stir together; set aside.

Whisk together the flour, oats, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, salt and nutmeg in a large mixing bowl. Add the butter to the bowl and toss. Cut the butter into the flour mixture with a pastry blender or fork until the mixture so that the mixture is crumbly. Pour the egg and buttermilk mixture into the dry ingredients and mix with a fork just until incorporated (the mixture will be sticky). Fold in the berries just until incorporated (be particularly gentle if using fresh berries). Gently knead the dough 6-10 times, just until it comes together into a sticky dough. Portion the dough out into 8-12 scones, depending on the size you prefer, and transfer to the prepared baking sheet. (A large dough scoop is a good tool, but not necessary.)

Bake for 20 minutes or until golden brown. Transfer to a cooling rack and let cool for at least 10 minutes before serving.

(Servings: 8, Prep time: 20 min., Cook time: 20 min., Difficulty: Easy)

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Spring Brunch Menu

The sis-in-law was in town to do some pre-wedding celebratory things. Showering. I had her and her friends over for a brunch. Kind of like a low key shower for a low key bride. Lots of good girl talk and a really easy brunch. If you want a good make ahead menu, this is it.

Scot was the only boy around. So he was our slave. He served us and also kept our water classes magically filled. What a wonderful brother/husband!

Please excuse the series of bad photos. I was hosting, you know, no time to take food photos. Even though I just told you that Scot did all the hosting, that is still my excuse.

Btw, I love brunch. I love hosting a brunch. I can't wait for Easter.

The Menu:

Spinach Artichoke Dip

Salad with Craisins, Almonds, Goat Cheese and a Balsamic Vinaigrette

Broccoli Cheese Soup

Austrian Raspberry Shortbread Bars

Potato-Bacon Torte with Green Salad

Pie and salad? Yes, that is basically what this is. I guess Melissa D'Arabian is taking over my blog for the time being. She does do a really nice job of creating recipes that are actually affordable. This torte is just a basic pie crust, filled with potatoes, swiss cheese, bacon and heavy cream. Believe it or not, the salad is key. The torte is rich and creamy and it tastes best when each bite has a little salad in it. The acid from the balsamic dressing cuts into the heaviness of the torte perfectly. This version of a balsamic vinaigrette is one of my favorites. I might make it my staple balsamic vinaigrette recipe.

If you have made pie crust before, this is a piece of cake to make. If you haven't, the most important thing when making pie crust is to keep the dough (mostly the butter in the dough) really cold. That is why the recipe says to use ice water and to keep putting the dough in the refrigerator. This is a great recipe for first-time pie crust makers, so give it a shot. I also recommend that you use a mandolin (1/16 inch setting) or food processor to slice the potatoes (for consistency), if you have one. I didn't because I was too lazy to get anything out.

Lastly, this would be a great brunch meal but worked for dinner too. It looks kind of dainty, but the photo is what I ate and I was completely satisfied after eating it for dinner. I was worried about Scot, but he had twice as much torte and probably 4 times as much salad and was also satisfied. I always avoid making meals like this for Scot because he needs a lot of carbs to fill him up, but this worked.

Recipe courtesy Melissa D'Arabian

Ingredients

• 4 strips bacon
• 3 sprigs fresh thyme
• 2/3 cup heavy cream
• 2 Pie Crusts, recipe follows
• 3 medium baking potatoes, peeled
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1/4 cup grated Gruyere cheese
• 1 egg yolk, whisked with a splash of water

Directions

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.

In a skillet over medium heat, cook the bacon until just crispy. Drain on paper towel lined plate and set aside. Crumble the bacon when cool to the touch.

Meanwhile, in a small saucepan, heat the thyme and cream over low heat to a bare simmer. Turn off the heat and let steep for about 5 minutes. Remove the thyme sprigs.

Remove the pie pan from the refrigerator. Slice the potatoes in half lengthwise and then finely slice the potatoes. Working in circles, arrange the potato slices in the pie crust, stopping to season each layer with salt, pepper, and about 1/4 of the crumbled bacon. Continue layering until the pie pan is nearly full. Top with an even layer of the cheese and gently pour cream around and over the entire pie, allowing it to seep down between the potato slices. (You may not use all the cream.)

Roll out the remaining disk of refrigerated dough. Cover the pie with the dough and crimp the edges closed. Brush the top and edges of the crust with egg wash. Make a few slits in the center of the top crust, for the steam to escape, and put the pie pan on a baking sheet. Bake the torte until the crust is browned and crispy and the potatoes are cooked through, about 50 to 60 minutes. If the crust edges get too brown, cover them with some strips of aluminum foil. Remove the pie from the oven and let rest at least 15 minutes before cutting into wedges and serving.

Pie Crust:

• 1 cup butter (2 sticks), cubed and chilled
• 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 8 to 10 tablespoons ice water

Put the butter, flour, and salt in the food processor, and pulse lightly just until the mixture resembles wet sand. Add the water, 1 tablespoon at a time, pulsing briefly after each spoonful of water. Keep adding water until the dough just begins to gather into larger clumps. Transfer equal amounts of the dough into 2 resealable plastic bags and pat each into a disk. Let rest in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes. Remove 1 of the disks from the bag to a flour coated surface. Using a rolling pin, roll the dough out to a 10-inch round. Gently fit the rolled dough into a 9-inch pie pan, and refrigerate while you prepare the torte ingredients.

Yield: 2 (9-inch) pie crusts

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Salad and Dressing Recipe

Ingredients

Mustard Vinaigrette:

• 1 garlic clove, sliced in 1/2
• 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
• 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
• Small splash soy sauce
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 3 tablespoons olive oil

Directions

3 cups mixed greens, the darker the better (not iceberg)

Rub the inside of a large wooden bowl with the garlic clove and then either discard it or save it for another use. Put the mustard in the bowl and whisk in the balsamic vinegar and soy sauce (a French secret!) vigorously for about 10 seconds to get a creamy consistency. Season with salt and pepper, to taste. Drizzle in the olive oil as slowly as possible with 1 hand while whisking as quickly as possible with the other hand to emulsify. Lay the salad greens on top of the dressing and toss just before serving.

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PS: Here is a pic of the entire torte. I didn't measure the cream and put a little too much in. It exploded over the sides, but that's fine. UPDATE: Actually, my genius friend pointed out the real reason it exploded...I forgot the steam holes!!!