Brussels Sprouts Hash

I love brunch as much (or possibly more, if you check my Open Table history) as the next person. It’s the perfect meal — early enough to embrace the wonders of breakfast food (ie. bacon and eggs) but late enough for such indulgences as french toast, hollandaise and a bloody Mary.

But some mornings are so lazy that even the idea of waiting for a table — or leaving the apartment, to be honest — is too much work. While I’ll admit that I’ve gone the “delivery omelette” route, at best they’re meh and at worst … well, congealed eggs surrounding limp, overcooked vegetables with a side of soggy potatoes are a terrible way to start a day. Those days demand easy recipes, like frittatas, baked eggs and french toast.

To add to that list: this brussels sprouts hash. If you buy your sprouts pre-shredded, there’s no work at all, and even if you don’t, a good cup of coffee and a sharp knife are the only things you need to make this recipe happen. Brussels sprouts are tossed with crispy diced potatoes, with a touch of onion for sweetness and some bacon for salty, porky goodness. Balsamic vinegar adds a little punch at the end, enough to jolt you out of your morning daze. With a runny egg yolk* and buttered toast, it is brunch perfection. And you didn’t even have to put on pants.

*Please ignore the fact that my egg yolk is a mess. I have yet to figure out a way to transfer a fried egg from pan to plate without breaking the yolk 75% of the time. Still delicious.

Brussels Sprouts Hash
Adapted from Tyler Florence
Serves 4

– 4 ounces bacon, diced

– 1/2 small yellow onion, diced

– 1 pound fingerling potatoes, scrubbed and cut into 1-inch cubes

– 1 pound Brussels sprouts, shredded

– 1/4 teaspoon dried rosemary

– 1/4 teaspoon dried thyme

– 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar

– 4 large eggs (optional, but strongly recommended)

– salt and pepper, to taste

1) In a large skillet, cook the bacon on medium-high heat until crisp. Remove the bacon pieces and set aside on a paper towel-lined plate.

2) Lower the heat to medium-low and add the onions. Saute until softened and slightly browned, 10-12 minutes. Then increase the heat a bit and add the diced potatoes. Cook on 1 side until browned, about 5 minutes.

3) Toss and add the Brussels sprouts, rosemary and thyme. Cook for an additional 10-12 minutes, tossing once or twice, until the potatoes are cooked through and the sprouts have crisped. Toss the sprouts with the balsamic vinegar, diced bacon, salt and pepper.

3) If you’d like to add eggs (again, total must): Create four wells in the hash and crack one egg in each well. Partially cover the skillet and cook the eggs until the whites are opaque but the yolks are still runny, 3-5 minutes. Serve immediately, with wedges of buttered toast (this is particularly good with sourdough).