Hash Browns, Fried Streaky Bacon, Poached Egg

A breakfast dish of streaky bacon with hash browns, poached eggs, some mushrooms, fried and grilled and fried tomato is what will get me out of bed. The hash browns, poached egg and streaky bacon was a challenge dish on Celebrity Masterchef in series 12 episode 4. It may on the surface seem an easy dish but hash browns are not straightforward. This was one that John Torode created to the contestant’s powers.

Serves 2

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Equipment:

• medium frying pan
• medium sauce pans
• peeler
• kitchen roll
• grater
• kitchen bowls

Ingredients:

• 4 rashers of streaky bacon
• 2 -3 floury potatoes, peeled – King Edwards and Maris Piper
• 2 finely chopped onions – medium white
• 4 fresh eggs

Preparation:

[1] The Bacon Rashers

Start off by placing the four rashers in a cold frying pan. If you add oil the rashers will not become crispy and so it is a case of rendering out the fat in the process. Heat the pan and let the rashers start frying. 

Take the rashers out before they look like they are going to fry fully as they will continue to cook. It stops them getting too dry and even burning because of all that residual heat in the rasher. Place on a paper towel to absorb the fat.

[2] Hash Browns

Cook the potatoes in their skins, check they are cooked through by inserting a knife which should move in freely and then peel.

Grate the potato into a bowl using a hand grater.

Add the chopped onion and mix thoroughly.

Make a fist shape sized ball of the potato and onion mix and then fry in the bacon fat. There is no need to add oil but use some rapeseed oil if there is not enough fat to go around. Turn with a spatula to get an even fry on both sides.

Whilst the hash browns are frying add a knob of butter to give extra flavour. As John Torode said “oil for heat, butter for flavour”. The butter also makes sure the hash browns are crispy.

[3] Poached eggs

A big pot of hot simmering water which is almost boiling  and a tablespoon of vinegar but as J. Torode says salt is the enemy here so none of this near that pot as it disintegrates the white.

Crack an egg into the pot. No stirring ! The egg sinks and hits the bottom where it splays out. They will cook for just two minutes.

To plate up, put the hash browns on first, then the bacon and then take the egg out with a slatted spoon and place to the side.