Cheesy Potato Hash with Eggs

CHEESY POTATO HASH

Serves 30

• 12 lbs frozen potato wedges or steak fries (we like Trader Joe's Crinkle Cut) 
• 4 TBS unsalted butter
• 1/4 cup canola oil
• 3 lbs yellow onions, diced
• 10 assorted bell peppers, diced OR X oz frozen, diced bell peppers 
• 2 lbs sharp cheddar cheese, grated
• Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
• 1/2 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley

Preheat flattop grill to medium-high heat.  Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Place a full-size hotel pan on a warming shelf to preheat.

Prepare peppers and onions as described above.  Add butter and canola oil to flattop grill and heat until bubbles have subsided.  Add peppers and onions to grill top and saute until lightly caramelized, about 15 minutes. Transfer the pepper mixture to the preheated hotel pan and cover tightly.  Keep warm.

While peppers and onions are cooking, arrange potato wedges in single layers on several sheet pans, being careful not to crowd the pans.  Roast potatoes until the edges have become browned and crispy.  Remove pans from the oven and transfer potatoes to a clean, dry cutting board.  Working in batches with a large chef's knife, roughly chop potatoes into thirds and immediately transfer to the hotel pan with the pepper mixture, forming a layer of potatoes on top of the peppers. Top the potatoes with the shredded cheese and recover the pan.  Keep warm.

Just before serving, mix potatoes and cheese into the peppers until well combined.   Return uncovered pan to the oven if necessary to briefly reheat.  Serve steaming hot, topped off with a pair of eggs (recipe below) and sprinkled with a garnish of fresh parsley.   Be sure to offer a bottle or two of hot sauce at the table.

EGGS in a BASKET

Makes 64 eggs, or 2 per person

• Olive oil and basting brush OR non-stick cooking spray
• 64 large eggs, cage-free
• 64 slices of bacon, nitrate-free
• Sea salt and pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. 

Spray the inside of (6) 12-count muffin tins with non-stick spray or brush the compartments with olive oil making sure to get full coverage on the pans.  Line the sides of each muffin slot with a slice of bacon.  The bacon will form a ring around the interior of each muffin slot.  Transfer pans to hot oven and cook until bacon has begun to crisp.  Cooking time will vary depending upon your oven.

Remove pans from oven and break one egg into each muffin slot.  Season each egg with salt and pepper.  Return pans to oven and bake until egg whites are set and yolks have reached your desired degree of firmness.  Cooking times will vary greatly depending on your oven, but will probably range from 10-15 minutes.  (We've found that it's a good idea to offer eggs cooked to different degrees of firmness as preferences vary.)

Remove pans from oven and allow eggs to rest for several minutes.  Using a butter knife or very small spatula, loosen the bacon from around the edge of the muffin slots and gently remove bacon-wrapped eggs with a spoon.  

Serve immediately aside the hash or transfer eggs to a pre-heated, covered hotel pan to keep warm until ready to serve.

[One note:  you may have to BYO muffin tins as many shelter kitchens will not stock the pans, but it's well worth the effort.]