Corned Beef Hash

Ingredients

Equipment Needed

• •Large heavy-based frying pan or 12-inch cast iron skillet
• •Small frying pan for the eggs
• •Sturdy spatula or fish slice

Instructions

1. 1

   Cook the potatoes

   Put the potato cubes in a pan of well-salted cold water. Bring to a boil, then lower the heat and simmer for eight to ten minutes until they're tender but not falling apart. You want them to hold their shape in the pan later. Drain them well and let them sit in the colander for a few minutes. Steam rising off them is a good sign. Dry potatoes crisp. Wet potatoes don't.

   Floury potatoes matter here. They break down slightly at the edges when fried, giving you those craggy, golden bits that make the whole thing worth eating. Waxy potatoes won't do the same job.
2. 2

   Fry the onion

   Melt the butter with the oil in a large, heavy frying pan over a medium heat. When the butter foams, add the diced onion and a pinch of salt. Cook for eight to ten minutes, stirring now and then, until the onion is soft and starting to turn golden at the edges. Don't rush this. Sweet, yielding onions are the backbone of the whole dish. If they're still sharp, everything built on top will be, too.

3. 3

   Build the hash

   Open the tin and break the corned beef into rough chunks with a fork. Don't mince it. You want some pieces the size of a walnut and some that have crumbled to nothing. Add the drained potatoes to the onions and toss them through the butter. Let them fry for a couple of minutes until they start to colour and catch on the edges. Now add the corned beef, a few good shakes of Worcestershire sauce, and some black pepper. Fold everything together gently. The corned beef will break up a bit more, and that's fine. Some pieces crisp, some melt into the potato. Both are good.

   Chill the tin in the fridge before opening. Cold corned beef holds its shape when you break it up. Warm corned beef turns to paste in your hands.
4. 4

   Press and crisp

   Here's the important bit. Press the hash down firmly with a spatula so it covers the base of the pan in an even layer. Then leave it alone. Don't stir it. Don't fidget with it. Let the underside develop a proper golden crust, which will take four or five minutes. You'll hear it: a steady, gentle sizzle that sounds like it's doing its job. When the bottom is crisp, break it up in sections, turn the pieces over, and press down again. Repeat once or twice more until you've got a good mix of crispy edges and softer middle. The whole thing should smell savoury and slightly caramelised and deeply like something you want to eat.

5. 5

   Fry the eggs

   While the hash is on its last crisping, melt a knob of butter in a small frying pan over a medium heat. Crack the eggs in. Cook them gently until the whites are set and the yolks are still soft and glossy. If you like, tilt the pan and spoon some of the hot butter over the tops of the whites to set them through without flipping. The yolk needs to run when you cut into it. That's not optional.

6. 6

   Serve immediately

   Divide the hash between two warmed plates, making sure everyone gets their share of the crispy bits. Slide an egg on top of each. Scatter some parsley over if you have it. Season the egg with a pinch of salt and a grind of pepper. Put the plate down in front of someone. That's it. That's the whole point.

Chef Tips

• •Use dripping instead of oil if you have it. Beef dripping in particular gives the hash a richness and a depth that oil can't match. It's old-fashioned and it's better. A jar of dripping costs next to nothing from a butcher.
• •The pan matters. A heavy, wide frying pan or cast iron skillet gives you the best crust because it holds its heat. A thin pan will have hot spots and the hash will burn in patches and stay pale in others. If the pan is too small, the hash steams instead of frying. Give it room.
• •Don't be precious about the corned beef. It's tinned. That's the point. This isn't a dish that asks for expensive ingredients; it asks for attention. A good crust, properly softened onions, a well-fried egg. Care is the luxury here, not the shopping list.
• •A splash of brown sauce on the side is no bad thing. HP, if you're asking. Some things don't need to be complicated.

Advance Preparation

• •The potatoes can be boiled, drained, and cooled up to a day ahead. Refrigerate them and they'll crisp even better when fried, since cold, dry potatoes fry beautifully.
• •The hash mixture can be assembled in the pan without the final crisping, then covered and refrigerated for up to a day. Reheat in a hot pan, pressing and crisping as instructed. Fry the eggs fresh.

Frequently Asked Questions

Nutrition Information

1 serving (about 450g)