Last May, I made a tasty baked eggs and potato hash recipe, perfect for hosting a brunch or feeding out-of-town guests. In June, we dove into our 6th and final IVF session for Operation Baby, which was all-consuming and pretty stressful. I kept putting off sharing the recipe. Then we found out the joyful news that our baby-making efforts had finally succeeded- we had an Oden bun in the oven! It’s safe to say that my entire focus in life shifted.
I promptly forgot all about this tomato-chile pan of deliciousness until I came across the folder of photos recently. The hash looked so good, my tummy started growling! There are all sorts of interesting flavors going on in this dish- spicy chiles, salty capers, tart lemon, fresh herbs. The eggs settle into a nest of potatoes and veggies and happily bake away. I started by draining some capers and chopping red bell pepper, onion, jalapeno chiles, and garlic. To make my life a little bit easier, I thawed a handful of frozen potato wedges and chopped them into chunks. (You could easily chop up a raw potato and cook it longer.) I heated some oil and started sautéing the veggies and capers. The kitchen smelled fantastic!
While the veggies did their thing, I zested a lemon and added it to the pan. When the onion was just about translucent and the veggies were starting to become tender, I added a can of diced green chiles and diced tomatoes. Next came a big old handful of dried oregano. I let everyone get acquainted in the pan while I chopped fresh basil and parsley. I love the brightness that fresh herbs bring to any dish!
After a few minutes, I added the chopped potato and fresh herbs to the pan. I love colorful food, and the mixture was hearty and chunky. When the potatoes had warmed through, I spooned the hash into a baking dish and hollowed out some little beds for my eggs. I dropped four raw eggs into the hash, topped the whole thing with fresh grated Parmesan cheese, and baked it until the white part of the eggs was cooked through. Beautiful!
To serve, I simply scooped out a section of hash with an egg in it and topped it with more fresh herbs. The eggs continued to cook a little bit after I removed the dish from the oven, so the yolks were a little more set than I would have liked. But even a year after I made this recipe, I can remember the big flavors in every bite. The bell peppers still had a bit of crunch to them. The green chiles and jalapenos brought two kinds of heat. The capers change everything, adding that pop of salty deliciousness. The fresh herbs bring a bit of lightness to an otherwise hearty dish. It’s a unique twist on a traditional breakfast casserole. It’s meat-free, but you could add chorizo for a spicy protein.
Doesn’t this breakfast look fantastic? It’s hard to believe it’s taken me this long to share the recipe, but life steered me in another direction for a while. And even though Oden’s arrival has changed my ability to cook on a whim, I think it’s time I make this tasty hash n’ eggs again!
Tomato-Chile Hash n’ Eggs (inspired by this recipe)
You’ll need:
- Olive oil
- ½ red onion, chopped
- ½ bell pepper, chopped
- 1 jalapeno, chopped (remove seeds for less heat)
- ¼ cup capers, drained
- 2-3 garlic cloves, chopped
- Heaping tablespoon dried oregano
- Zest of one lemon
- 1 can diced tomatoes (I used the basil, garlic, and oregano flavor)
- 1 tablespoon fresh chopped basil
- 1 tablespoon fresh chopped parsley, plus more for garnish
- 1 ½ cups thawed frozen potato wedges, cut into chunks
- ½ cup grated Parmesan cheese
- 4-6 eggs
Heat the oven to 400 degrees.
In a skillet, heat a few swirls of olive oil on medium heat. Add the onion, bell pepper, jalapeno, garlic, and capers. Cook about five minutes, or until the veggies start to become tender. Add the lemon zest, then the green chiles and diced tomatoes. Add the dried oregano and allow to simmer for a few minutes. Add the potatoes and fresh herbs and simmer for a few more minutes until the flavors have blended and the potatoes are hot.
Spoon the tomato-chile hash into a baking dish and make little wells for the eggs. Crack an egg into each well and top the whole dish with the Parmesan cheese. Bake until the white parts of the eggs are cooked through and the yolks are as set as you like them, 8-10 minutes. Serve a big spoonful of hash with the egg in the middle and top with a little bit of parsley. Cheers to rediscovering a delicious recipe, one year later! Yum.
Hungry for more? Check out the collection of recipes on the FOOD BLISS page.
One year ago: A photo walk through the backyard.
the usual bliss 