A happy {sweet potato} hash worth waking up for

It is really easy for me to get stuck in a breakfast rut — often it’s a “peanut butter toast with honey or jam” rut. I’ll branch out into oatmeal, quinoatmeal or other more hearty things for a while, but, in the end, my old ways win out and it’s back to my trusty favorites.

The only break in my habit tends to be the weekends. Finally I have the time and motivation to create something a little more involved. This breakfast is one I whipped up a few weekends ago. It was so good I’ve brought it back for several encores.

I think the part I love the most is how the flavors in the pork sausage combine with the sweet potato in such a perfect “tastes like fall” type of way. The sausage is actually one I made myself — much easier than it may sound — and contains onions, shredded apples and sage. It seems like pork, apples and sage should be their own holy trinity, especially this time of year. It’s really hard to go wrong with that combination!

The hash doesn’t play second fiddle though — its crispy in parts and slightly sweet from the caramelized sweet potato and onion. Take all that, put an egg on it (in true Portland style) and dig in to a breakfast so good you’ll wonder why you didn’t make it sooner.

Personal pan of happiness (or breakfast for one).

 

Shredded Sweet Potato & Onion Hash

Adapted from Nom Nom Paleo

Serves 2

• 1 large sweet potato (or yams), peeled and shredded (I’ve used both a box grater and a food processor for this)
• 1/2 onion, grated
• Oil/Fat of choice (Around 2-3 TBS)
• Sausage of your choice, fully cooked (I used the recipe below)
• 2 eggs
• Salt & Pepper
• Parsley, sage, chives (optional)

Method:

In a large skillet (I prefer my enamel Le Cruset for this), heat oil over medium heat. Add onion, season well and stir often so it doesn’t burn. Once the onion is fairly soft, add the sweet potato. Keep stirring to prevent burning or sticking and to make sure everything is coated in fat. Turn down heat or add more oil if necessary.

Cover and cook until the mixture is tender. Check for seasoning. Add herbs.

Add sausage – I crumbled mine to better spread the sausage love around.

Adjust heat to low, form two wells in the bottom of the pan, add a touch of oil and then the eggs. Cover and cook until eggs are set and the bottom of the hash has a nice crispy crust.

Top with more herbs and enjoy!

Apple & Sage Pork Sausage Patties

Makes 8 each two-ounce patties

• 1 pound of lean ground pork (you could also use ground chicken or turkey)
• 1/4 cup minced yellow onion
• 2 cloves of garlic, minced
• 1 TB finely chopped sage
• 1 Granny Smith apple, peeled, cored and shredded
• EVO or butter

Method:

Sauté the onions in oil or butter until tender over medium-low heat. Once the onions are tender, add the garlic and cook until fragrant. Then add the shredded apple and the sage, cooking for another few minutes. Remove from heat and chill.

Once the mixture is cold, add it to the pork, mixing gently. Season with salt and pepper. If you like, cook off a little bit to check the seasoning.

Then portion out the mixture into 8 equal patties. You can keep them uncooked for another few days but I prefer to just cook them all at once to make things easier later on. Once cooked, they also freeze really well.

You can also avoid making patties and just add the pork and the end and cook until done.

Either it’s sure to be delicious!

Dig in!