We has an early visitor in our backyard this morning: a coyote! As you can imagine, our dog went crazy. I dragged myself out of bed to settle him down and by the time he was calm again, I was wide awake. So, I decided to make breakfast.
While I usually save the more time-intensive dishes for weekends, I had these ingredients just sitting in my refrigerator, so I gave it a whirl. If you want to make this but are rushed for time in the morning, you can make the hash up to three days before and just add the eggs and bake it in the morning. This will cut the time down to about 15 minutes.
This recipe is also very versatile. You can omit the sausage or trade it for bacon or pancetta. You can also add bell peppers or another vegetable of your choice.
Sweet Potato Hash with Eggs, Sausage and Kale
2 large yellow onions
1 tablespoon unsalted butter or oil of your choice
1 pound sausage (I used organic, nitrate-free chicken sausage)
3 sweet potatoes, peeled and chopped into small cubes
2 sprigs fresh rosemary
1 cup chopped kale
Olive oil
1 tablespoon kosher salt, plus more to taste if necessary
Freshly ground black pepper
4-8 large eggs
To make the hash:
Heat the oven to 450°F. Peel the onions and cut them in half lengthwise, then cut them into thin half-moons. Cut the half-moons in half. Melt the butter in a skillet over medium-high heat. When it foams up add the onions and sprinkle lightly with salt. Lower the heat slightly and cook the onions for about 30 minutes, stirring occasionally, until they are brown and caramelized. A few minutes before they are done, throw in the kale and cook until wilted.
Meanwhile, put the sausage in another skillet and brown over medium-high heat, chopping it up into fine crumbles with a spatula. Cook the sausage for about 10 minutes, or until browned and beginning to crisp. Drain away any excess fat.
While the onions and sausage are cooking, chop the unpeeled sweet potatoes into cubes that are about 1/2-inch to a side. In a large bowl, toss the sweet potatoes with the olive oil, chopped rosemary, kosher salt, and a generous helping of black pepper.
Line a large baking sheet with foil or parchment paper, and spread out the sweet potato mixture evenly. Roast the sweet potatoes for 30 to 45 minutes (roasting time depends on the size and uniformity of the sweet potato chunks, as well as the variety of sweet potato you buy) or until they are soft and browned.
Mix the onion mixture, the sausage and the potatoes. If not serving immediately, cool the hash and refrigerate for up to 3 days.
To serve:
Heat the oven to 425°F. Spread a relatively thin layer of the (already cooked) sweet potato hash in a baking dish, such as a cast iron skillet or oven-proof pan. Make small wells in the sweet potatoes mixture and crack in large eggs. Sprinkle lightly with salt and pepper.
Bake for 10 to 20 minutes, or until the hash is hot and the eggs are baked through. (Test the eggs by prodding them with a fork to check the firmness of the white and the yolk; baked eggs are deceptive in that the white often looks much less cooked than it really is.)