Skillet Hash Browns

Yuuuuuuummmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm!

This is another idea I got from our subscription to Bon Appétit magazine.  I'm a pretty visual guy when it comes to recipes.  And sometimes I see something that just jumps off the page and says, "Make me! I'm delicious."

We had our family over last weekend and I was looking for breakfast ideas.  Timing is a really hard thing when cooking; so it's nice to have something you can set for a while and work on other dishes.  This is the easiest way to make an excellent hash brown dish I have come across.  Normally they take quite a lot of work and attention.  This one lets you focus your efforts on something else.

When I order hash browns at a restaurant I usually ask for them to be "crispy" ... but they almost never are.  It just takes too long. This is a great way to get a beautiful crispy crust without constantly watching them.

This is super easy if you have the shredding disc attachment to a food processor.  Peel 5 russet potatoes and then cut them in half lengthwise.  Attach the shredding disc and the lid, then feed the potatoes down through the attachment and let the machine do all the work.  Transfer your shredded potatoes to a colander, rinse thoroughly and drain.

Potatoes are really starchy, and you want to rinse some of that off.  Toss in a generous amount of salt and pepper, mix it all together, and then press it all down to drain out the rest of the moisture.  The salt will extract a lot of moisture, so be sure you let it drain before transferring everything to your hot oil.

Slice two bunches of green onions or scallions all the way down through the white ends.  Separate the whites from the greens.  Add 6 tbsp oil to a heavy non-stick pan over medium-high heat.  Add half of your shredded potatoes, then top with the whites from your onions/scallions, and then cover with the remaining half of the potatoes.  Press it all down, and leave it alone for 10-15 minutes.

Carefully slide it out onto a cutting board, flip your pan over top of the hash browns, and then lift the cutting board and the pan and flip it all over together.  Now your hash browns should be inverted with a nice crispy side up top and the uncooked half on the bottom of your pan.

Pour 2 more tbsp of oil around the edges of the pan allowing it to drip down underneath your potatoes.  Top everything with the greens from your onions/scallions, and let it cook for another 10-15 minutes.

Slide it out onto your cutting board again, and then slice it like you would a pizza or a pie.  It can be served with crème fraîche,  sour cream, salsa, or hot sauce.  It's also delicious as is.  The outside is crispy & salty, and the inside is soft and warm with the little bite of onions running throughout.  This is a fantastic little dish.  And I'm sure I'll be making it again.