Sweet Potato Corned Beef Hash

     So what could a  poached egg be put on top of tomorrow?  Since today is St. Patrick's Day, there might be a chance that somebody might want to make hash out of left over corned beef. Every Irish family has their own method of making corned beef.  My dad, whose name was Patrick, would actually wrap a brick in foil and place it on top of a baking brisket.  But, although I've included my recipe for corned beef brisket here, the real star of this post is the hash made out of leftovers. This one is made with sweet potatoes which blend so well with the savory, slightly salty meat, Dijon mustard and the hint of thyme.  It is just delicious with a poached egg on top and is really such a special treat, perhaps this hash made with left overs should be served for a weekend brunch instead!

Ingredients for Four Servings of Sweet Potato Corned Beef Hash:

1 cup corned beef (recipe below), chopped

1 cup cooked sweet potatoes, chopped 

1 medium onion

2 tablespoons butter

1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley

1 clove garlic, put through a press

1 teaspoon Dijon mustard

1/8 teaspoon dried thyme

1/8 teaspoon ground pepper

poached eggs (recipe below), how ever many you wish to serve

 Directions:

Dice the onion and saute it with the butter over medium low heat until tender.  Add the garlic and cook another 30 seconds.  Add the beef, potatoes, parsley, mustard, thyme, and pepper to the pan and combine. Over medium low heat, cook for about four minutes.  Then turn the mixture over with a spatula and cook another three to five minutes until the onions, sweet potatoes, and meat begin to brown.  Watch it carefully so that it doesn't start to burn.  Transfer the hash to service dishes and top with a poached egg or two. Recipes for corned beef and poached eggs are below.

Corned Beef

1 (3 lb. or so) corned beef brisket

2 bay leaves

3 teaspoons peppercorns (black, green, or one of those colorful mixtures)

2 teaspoons mustard seed

6 whole cloves

6 carrots

Small head of cabbage

6 large carrots

8 potatoes - new w/skins on or sweet potatoes

Preheat the oven to 300 degrees. Place one of the bay leaves, one teaspoon of the peppercorns, one teaspoon of the mustard seeds,  two of the cloves, and the brisket into a large pot.  Add enough water to cover it, but don't fill it up all the way to the top.  Turn the heat up to high and bring it to a boil.  Let it boil for five minutes, occasionally skimming off the "scum" that floats up to the top.  I use a slotted spoon and transfer the frothy stuff to bowl, then throw it away later.  While the corned beef is boiling, peel the carrots and cut each one in two. If you are using them, wash the potatoes, leave the skin on,  and cut each one in two.  Place the carrots, potatoes, and the remaining bay leaf, 2 teaspoons peppercorns, 1 teaspoon mustard seed, and 4 cloves into an oven safe 9 by 13 baking dish.  At the end of the boiling time, get rid of any remaining scum in the pot and transfer the brisket into the baking dish.  Pour the cooking water from the top into the baking dish, leaving an inch or two of space at the top. Cover the baking dish with foil, and carefully place it in the preheated oven.  Bake for 3 hours and 45 minutes.  Ten minutes or so before the baking time is over, Wash the head of cabbage and discard the bruised looking outer leaves.  Core and slice the cabbage into 8 wedges.  Place the wedges into a pot large enough to hold them and set aside.  After taking the brisket out of the oven, transfer the meat and vegetables to a serving platter.  Cover with foil to keep it warm.  Pour the cooking liquid from the baking pan over the cabbage wedges and bring the pot up to a boil.  Turn down the heat and simmer for 8 to 10 minutes or until cabbage can be pierced by a fork but is not mushy. Remove the cabbage from the pot and add them to the serving platter. Slice the corned beef across the grain and serve while everything is still hot.

Poached Eggs:

Bring at least 1/2 a pot of water in a sauce pan up to a boil. One or two at a time, crack the egg(s) onto a saucer. With a wooden spoon, give the water in the pan a swirl and slip the egg off the saucer into the middle of the swirl.  Turn the heat down to low and simmer for 3 minutes.  Using a slotted spoon, lift each egg out of the water and place it on a cloth dish towel until ready to serve.

Easy Autumn Meal

     My favorite go-to meal for autumn entertaining evolved out of a sweet potato salad. The salad was developed as a way to ease our cousins' distress - their dad was (and is!) addicted to sweet potatoes and made them several times a week, but always with mini-mashmallows.  I tried to invent some tasty but easy alternatives he could try.  The resulting sweet potato salad and four other recipes became one of the most visited Yates Yummies posts. Since then, I started serving the salad on a bed of baby spinach and then topping it off with sliced grilled chicken. So far this month I've served it at three different gatherings - it's that quick and easy to make. Before grilling chicken or pork is rubbed with a fall-festive blend of sage, garlic, and other spices; it's aroma is heavenly! I also like to skewer pears, apples, and cheese on cake pop sticks tied the end with raffia. Then I chop up the extra fruit and put it in the apple cider served in canning jars.  Hot Caramel Pears (or Apples) Delicious over ice cream is a great dessert to finish this meal off - you'll find it under September.

The Menu:

     Sage Thyme Grilled Chicken

     Sweet Potato Salad on Baby Spinach

     Skewered Fall Fruit and Cheese

     Apple Cider

Sage Thyme Grilled Chicken

Ingredients:

4 to 6 chicken breasts

2 cloves garlic, minced or put through a press

1 sprig fresh sage

1 teaspoon dried thyme

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 teaspoon kosher salt

1 teaspoon lemon pepper

1/4 teaspoon black pepper

Directions:

Cut the sage leaves off their stem and chop them up.  Blend them with the rest of the ingredients to make a paste.  Rub the mixture on the front and the back of the breasts.

Grill them over medium low for about 7 minutes a side.  Or, bake them at 350 degrees for about 50 minutes.  Let them rest about 5 minutes before you slice them to put on the salad.

Skewered slices of fall fruit and cheese make a great accent to this autumn entree salad. 

Autumn Sweet Potato Rice Salad

Ingredients:

2 large sweet potatoes

1 cup uncooked wild rice

2 Granny Smith apples

2 stalks celery, diced

1/4 cup minced red onion

1/2 cup olive oil

1/4 cup apple cider vinegar

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon pepper

1/4 teaspoon garlic powder

Directions:

Peel and cut sweet potatoes into 1/4 inch cubes. Cook them in salted water until tender, but not overdone. Cook rice according to package directions. Put sweet potato cubes, rice, apple, celery, and onion in bow.  Whisk vinegar, oil, salt, pepper, and garlic powder together. Pour vinegar and oil mixture over ingredients in the bowl and gently toss.

Cider with the extra cut up fruit is just a bit more fun served in Ball glass canning jars!

 



Sweet Potatoes - Beyond Mini-Marshmallows

    A few months ago, the extended Yates family had a pitch-in type meal together.  I was lucky to be seated at a table with one of my nieces, Madison, and my nephew Dustin who happens to be her brother. Their dad, Uncle Russell, is super fit and into healthy eating in a big way. He had brought a sweet potato casserole to share and it was really good, but the kids didn't have any of it on their plates. When I asked them why, Dustin said, "I just can't do it.  Ever since Dad heard Dr. Oz say that sweet potatoes are one the healthiest vegetables, he has made them every night. He only knows two ways to do it, plain or with marshmallows." Maddie agreed saying, "We just can't take it anymore!"  Since then, it's been on my mind to come up with some varied sweet potatoes recipes that would make Uncle Russell happy and that Maddie and Dustin would love.  I eagerly took the challenge of coming up with yummy dishes where sweet potatoes were the most important ingredient and the steps were quick and easy. I have been trying these out and testing them on Roy and the girls.  My favorite is the Spicy Sweet Potato Tacos. They are great on a Friday night with a beer - or in my case a non-alcoholic malt beverage! Roy loves the The Sweet Potato Side Salad is also in Easy Autumn Meal post. It received good reviews from all who tried it- no one refused to put it on their plate :)!

Smoky Sweet Potato Soup - serves 4

2 sweet potatoes                                                                  
1 medium onion, diced
2 celery stalks, diced
2 tablespoons of olive oil
2 (15 oz.) cans of chicken broth
1 (15 oz.) can cannellini beans (white kidney beans)
3/4 teaspoon smoked paprika
2 tablespoons tomato paste
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
Peel and cut the sweet potatoes into 1/2 inch cubes.  Set them aside.  Rinse, drain, and set aside the beans.  Saute the onion and celery in the olive oil until they are soft.  Add the sweet potatoes, beans, and the rest of the ingredients and bring to a boil.  Turn down the heat and simmer until the sweet potato pieces are done.  Ladle into bowls and enjoy!

Sweet Potato Side Salad-serves 4 to 6

2 large sweet potatoes
1 cup uncooked wild rice
2 tart green apples, diced
2 stalks of celery diced
1/4 cup of finely diced purple onion
1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
1/2 cup olive oil
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
Peel and cut sweet potatoes into 1/4 inch cubes.  Cook them in salted water until tender but not overdone.  Cook the rice according to the package directions.  Put the sweet potato cubes, rice, apple, celery, and oinion in a bowl.  Whisk the vinegar, oil, salt, pepper, and garlic powder together. Pour the vinegar and oil mixture over the ingredients in the bowl and gently toss.  This is refreshing chilled or equally as good at room temperature.

Spicy Sweet Potato Tacos - makes 12 tacos

2 large sweet potatoes 
1 pound package of bulk chorizo
1 (15 oz.) can of black beans, rinsed and drained
1/4 cup chopped cilantro
12 corn taco shells
16 oz. package of queso fresco cheese
Peel and cut the sweet potatoes into 1/2 inch cubes.  Cook in salted water until tender, but not mushy! Drain and set aside. Brown and thoroughly cook the chorizo, breaking it up as it cooks. Drain any grease from the chorizo. In a large bowl, gently combine the sweet potatoes, chorizo, black beans, and cilantro. Spoon the mixture into taco shells and top with crumbled queso fresco cheese.  If desired, provide lettuce, tomatoes, and sour cream on the side.