Sweet Potato Hash

It's been a while since I've been able to post a nice recipe. Life has gotten busier and busier, and needless to say, the creative juices flow a little less these days. I've been getting involved with Appa's a local sushi pop up, which has taken some time. I love getting to reach the locals, and I hope that I'll be able to continue to churn out fun recipes for everyone to read!

I think summertime goes hand in hand with clean eating. A few weeks back, I whipped up this delicious breakfast for my friend Grace when she stayed the night. I had planned to make regular hash browns, but I opened the drawer and saw a sweet potato, so I gave it a shot.

This hash is sweet with a herbal kick. I love the cinnamon and curry powder matched with the rosemary. It's beautifully fragrant and complex while maintaining familiarity. The flavor is deep and complex, while tasting clean, healthy, and hearty.

Sweet Potato Hash (Serves 2)
1 Sweet Potato

1/2 Onion 

3 strips Bacon

1/8 tsp Cinnamon

1/8 tsp Curry Powder

2 small sprigs Rosemary

1/4 tsp Salt

1/4 tsp Garlic Powder 

1/8 tsp Pepper

1 tbsp Butter

1 tbsp Honey

Handful of Greens (spinach and baby kale)

2 Eggs 

1. Rinse and peel the sweet potato. Then, use a mandolin with the shredder insert to shred the sweet potato. If you don't have a mandolin, you can cut the potato into a small dice. It will take slightly longer to cook this way.
2. Peel and chop the half of the onion to a small dice
3. Heat a skillet or medium sized frying pan and add the bacon. Allow it to cook. Then, remove the bacon from the pan and chop into small pieces.
4. Without draining the pan, add the sweet potato and onion and bacon to the pan. Allow to begin heating, and sprinkle in the spices and herbs.
5. As the potato begins to soften, add the butter to prevent any sticking, followed by the honey.
6. Add the greens to the pan and toss them until they are wilted.
7. Reduce the heat to medium-low. Move the sweet potatoes to create two wells in the pan.
8. Break the eggs into the wells and cover the pan.
9. Once the egg whites have cooked while the yolk is still runny, remove the cover and take the pan off of the heat.
10. Serve immediately.

I love pouring a little hot sauce over the top of this hash and breaking the egg yolk to let it mix in. The steamed egg is soft and pillowy on the top, while the bottom of the egg gets a beautiful crisp. It's the perfect morning pick me up.

The greens add some additional nutrients. I love spinach and baby kale, and they both go excellently with the potatoes. All in all, it's not a breakfast you should make every day, but it's a great way to make your guilty pleasure hash browns a little better for you, without sacrificing flavor! 

Butter Chicken Miso Ramen

Ramen is really one of the most amazing things ever created. Yes, the instant stuff is good, but the homemade ramen is even more amazing. There's just something about homemade broth that makes it extra special. Some miso adds depth, while butter adds richness. All this topped with a soft boiled egg makes for an amazing meal.

Unfortunately, when I made this, I didn't have ramen noodles. I prefer to use the frozen or refrigerated noodles for this. I couldn't find it, so I resorted to dry egg noodles. Unfortunately, I chose some that were on the thin side. It was still delicious, but some fresh ramen noodles would have been best. I recommend splurging on the good stuff, not the instant noodle. I am planning on making ramen noodles at some point, but haven't found the time yet. I'll let you all know whether or not it's worth the time.

 

We all love instant ramen, but this recipe is something great. Even though it does take some serious time, it is another league or noodles. I highly recommend taking the time, at least once. I made this for myself when I was sick (I know, a bold move for being sick), and it was the most comforting thing I could have eaten. The best part was that I didn't have to leave home to eat it. 

Butter Chicken Miso Ramen (serves 4)
1 Chicken Breast
6 cups Water
1/2 tsp Salt
2 tbsp Garlic
2 tbsp Soy Sauce
2 tbsp Mirin
1 tbsp Sesame Oil
2 tbsp Miso
4 bunches Frozen Ramen Noodles
2 Bok Choy
1 can Corn
4 Eggs
2 tbsp Butter 
Scallion

1. Boil chicken breast in a medium-large pot with water, salt, and garlic. Once it comes to a boil, let it simmer covered for 4 hours. Add water as needed to replace the evaporated water.
2. As the broth boils, use a small strainer or a spoon to strain out the foam that forms so that you can have a smooth, clear broth.
3. After the stock has cooked, remove the chicken and allow to cool. Do not get rid of the broth. Then, use your hands to shred the chicken. Lightly salt and set aside.
4. Add the soy sauce, mirin, sesame oil, and miso to the broth. Allow to boil and incorporate to a smooth soup. Keep hot.
5. In another pot, cook the ramen noodles until tender. Strain and cool slightly by rinsing the noodles. Separate into bowls.
6. Boil water in a pot. Once it boils, add the eggs into the pot gently. Allow to cook for 5 minutes. 
7. While you wait for your eggs, rinse and chop up bok choy. In a small saute pan, cook until just slightly tender.
8. Once the eggs are cooked, cool them quickly in cold water. Peel the eggs and set aside. Be very gentle, the yolk will be soft and runny, so you want to make sure you don't break the egg.
9. Pour your hot broth over the noodles. Add your bok choy, chicken, a big spoonful of corn, and a slice of butter. Top the bowl with your egg.
10. Garnish with scallion and sesame seeds and serve immediately.

This may not be a lazy day, quick recipe, but it's worth the work! The other great part of this recipe, is that it's affordable. I had most of this already in my house, and one chicken breast can feed the family. It's a simple grocery trip, with great results. I hope you can enjoy it as much as I did!