This festive Red Flannel Hash is a healthy and delicious brunch option on a cold winters day. Peppers, sweet potatoes, onions, and beets are roasted to perfection, serving as a colorful bed for poached jammy eggs.
Happy First Day of Winter! I could not be more excited.
With this season’s arrival, comes all the comforting things:
- Hot Cocoa
- Layers and layers of ALL the blankets
- Fireside snuggles (yep, that definitely happens)
- And FLANNEL
Did that just remind anyone else of a certain seasonal movie where a certain elf outlines all the major food groups?
YEP! You guys. ‘Tis the season!
And….’tis the season for this insanely delicious, beautifully pigmented, super simple Red Flannel Hash.
Why Red Flannel you may ask? Well….just look at it! The colors of all that beautiful veg are arguably the colors you’ll find in your favorite plaid button down in your closet. And by “favorite”, I mean the one you wear the most out of the 12 flannel tops you own (like me…).
And, have I mentioned how HEALTHY this little brekky is? I mean, come on.
Sweet potatoes, beets, red and green peppers, onions, and garlic are roasted right in a cast iron pan, meaning you could technically chop everything up, toss in olive oil, season, pop it in the oven, and forget about it for a solid 40 minutes.
My kinda breakfast.
Then when you’re just about ready, get those eggs a-poaching.
Poaching eggs is a serious art. I reference an amount of time that you “should” poach an egg, but honestly? You may have a different definition of “simmer” than I do, which means you could totally overcook your eggs. Which is NOT ok when you’re poaching eggs.
When lifting your egg out of the water using a slotted spoon, gently press it with your finger. It should gently give – but it shouldn’t be super…liquidy? Does that make sense?
Think about that glorious moment when you dig in to a poached egg – the pressure you need to use with your fork to pierce the egg, allowing the yolky, jammy goodness to spill out, is the “feel” your eggs will have when they’re done cooking.
So, outside of touching your eggs next time you’re out for brunch with friends, I would suggest practicing poached eggs at home to find out what level of doneness you prefer. Not very scientific, I know. But what I may think the “perfect poached egg” means, may differ from what you think.
BUT HOW COULD YOU DISAGREE WITH THIS:
I’m not a fan of the term “food porn”, but these photos make a believer.
Sound like a brunch you’d be in to? Let me know how it turned out in the comments below!
Red Flannel Hash
Ingredients
- 1 Tbsp olive oil (additional as needed)
- 1 medium beet, scrubbed and chopped
- 1 medium sweet potato, scrubbed and chopped
- 1 small onion, chopped
- 2 garlic cloves minced
- 1 Red pepper, chopped
- 1 green pepper, chopped
- 4 eggs
Instructions
- Add olive oil to a large cast iron skillet or sauté pan. Add chopped beet and sweet potato. Sauté for about 15 minutes, stirring every so often, until sweet potato and beet give slightly when pricked with a fork. They will continue to cook, so be sure not to cook them too much.
- Meanwhile, fill a large pot with water for the poached eggs. Allow to come to a simmer while you prep the other ingredients.
- When sweet potato and beets are just about tender, add the onion, pepper, and garlic. Sauté, stirring often, until all vegetables are cooked through. This should be another 10 minutes or so.
- When water for eggs is simmering, add a good glug (about 1 tablespoon) of distilled white vinegar. I find that this helps the whites of the eggs set. Crack 1 egg in to a small dish. Use a slotted spoon to stir the water, creating a vortex. Gently pour the egg in to the water, allowing the egg to swirl into itself. Continue with other eggs, but be sure not t overcrowd the pot.
- Poach eggs for 3-4 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, remove egg and press gently with your finger. The egg should slightly give; you want the yolk "jammy", not runny or over cooked.
- To serve, dish hash on to 4 plates, topping each with a poached egg. Garnish with rosemary for a festive touch, and serve with a variety of hot sauces.