Hash

I live on hash.  I live for hash.  Unchallenging, plain-jane, anything works.  The best thing about hash, in my opinion, is you can add vegetables to it.  Fennel, chard, spinach, celery, carrots, beets and so on.  Then the protein--leftover roast beef, leftover chicken, turkey, tofu, tempeh, ground lamb, ground pork. You can even add dried fruit.  Raisins, cranberry, dates, prune.  And seasonings--think, now how your protein would go with the seasonings and the adjunct vegetables.  Hash is a lovely vegetarian dish--use any meat substitute you like, and carry on the same as for meat.  I like the mushroom protein stuff a lot.

How do you use hash?  For taco and burrito filling, a platform for eggs, in sandwiches, on a pizza, in salad, and best of all, on a plate with mayonnaise.  Or as a curry! Yay!

Tonight we had pork hash with braised fennel.  Harissa mayonnaise. (wow.)

Serves 2 hungry individuals.
1 russet potato, diced in 1/2 inch pieces--peel if you must, but I don't.  I just scrub the heck out of it.
2 ribs celery, diced finely
1/2 large onion, diced finely
1 large clove garlic (or more if you like), diced finely
1 lb ground pork
salt and pepper to taste
Olive oil, just to cover the bottom of a 10-12 inch skillet--cast iron is the best for this dish.

Saute the aromatics in the olive oil just until shiny and slightly moist.  Add the potatoes and meat, stir to blend and get the meat distributed throughout, over medium high heat.  Cover and lower the heat, and check on it frequently.  Allow the bottom to get really brown and crispy, then turn.  Takes about 20 minutes to get it just right.

Flavored Mayo-- 1 tbsp mayo, 1 tsp ( or to taste) harissa.

You can add a sauce to this--the above mentioned curry, leftover gravy, or a little broth.  I always serve this with the vegetables of virtue--chard, kale, fennel.