Leftover breakfast

By: 
Keith Bryant
 What a nice day on Sunday with the time change and a little sunshine, I was able to get out in the yard and get some cleaning done and pull out the inflatable hot tub for spring.  
 Early in the morning, around 8 a.m., Sharon stumbled in the living room and told me she was craving breakfast. She has this habit of seeing what other people eat and wants it for herself.  
 Last weekend she was out at Lazy Bear Ranch working for Tim and saw him eating home fries and talked about it all week and that is what she wanted.
 I piped up and said I got it. Now making home fries or hash browns can be a daunting task if you don’t know which potato to use or what temperature to cook it at. Now I know people that just take potatoes and cut them up and put them in a skillet, but this will not yield a crispy home fry.   
 I start with a nice russet potato and dice it up as close as I can to all being the same size. I boil the cubes in a little salt water and vinegar for a few minutes to release the starches in the potato and allow them to crystalize.   Rinse and let cool a bit.   
 When we made French fries on the boats that I worked on we would double fry them to give them a crispy outside and tender inside instead of a soggy potato.   
 After that you add the onions and pepper to the hot pan then add the potatoes.  It is much easier this way and the end result will yield a crispy home fry you can be proud of.  
 The other thing on the menu in the morning besides eggs was a leftover chicken Sharon had made earlier in the week.    
 Here are both the recipes I used to make breakfast.  
Crispy Home Fries
Ingredients
1 medium fresh bell pepper 
1¼ pounds Russet Potato
Kosher salt
1 tablespoon distilled white vinegar
¼ cup vegetable oil, divided
1 small red onion, diced
2 teaspoons minced fresh thyme
Freshly ground black pepper
Small handful minced fresh cilantro or parsley
Directions
 Place potatoes in a pot and cover with 2 quarts of cold water. Add 2 tablespoons kosher salt and vinegar. Bring to a boil over high heat and boil until potatoes are tender, about 5 minutes after they reach a boil. Drain. As soon as potatoes are cool enough to handle, split into quarters and toss with 1 tablespoon vegetable oil in a bowl.
 To Finish: Heat 2 tablespoons vegetable oil in a large nonstick or cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering. Add potatoes and cook, tossing, until crisp and golden brown on all sides, about 6 minutes. Return to bowl.
 Add remaining tablespoon oil to skillet and add red onion and peppers. Cook, tossing occasionally, until softened and lightly browned, about 6 minutes. Add thyme and cook, stirring, until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Return potatoes to skillet and add roasted pepper strips, if using. Toss to combine and season to taste with plenty of salt and pepper. Add cilantro or parsley and toss to combine. Serve immediately.
Chicken Chile Verde
Ingredients
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 large onion, peeled and chopped
6 cloves garlic, peeled and minced
4 poblano peppers, seeded and chopped
1-2 jalapeno peppers, seeded and chopped
1-pound tomatillos
1 tablespoon ground cumin
1 tablespoon ground coriander
1 tablespoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon salt
1 bay leaf
2½ pounds boneless chicken (breasts, thighs, or both)
4 cups chicken broth
½ cup chopped cilantro
Directions
 1. Peel and wash the tomatillos so they are not sticky. Then cut the tomatillos into quarters. Prep the remaining
vegetables.
 2. Set a large 6-quart stock pot over medium heat. Add the oil, onions, garlic, and chopped peppers. Sauté for 5-8
minutes.
 3. Stir in the tomatillos. Then add the whole raw chicken pieces to the pot. Add all spices and seasoning. Pour in the broth. Stir and push the chicken pieces to the bottom of the pot.
 4. Simmer the chili for 25-30 minutes, until the largest piece of chicken is cooked through. Use tongs to move the chicken pieces to a cutting board.
 5. Remove the bay leaf. Then use an immersion blender to puree the vegetables and broth base. It does not have to be totally smooth, but the chunks of tomatillos should be blended in.
 6. Meanwhile, use two forks to shred the chicken. Then stir the chicken shreds back into the chili.
 7. Taste, then salt and pepper as needed. Finally, stir in the chopped cilantro
 

 

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