FARMERS' HASH

This is my favorite Sunday morning breakfast, especially this Valentine's Day for my valentine. You can make this hash with your choice of ham, corned beef, bacon, country sausage, or tofu. This recipe is made with a combination of Virginia ham and bacon. I buy organic free-range eggs from local farms. These hens have a diet of vegetables, grasses, and chicken feed. The yolks are a beautiful bright orange.

4 slices bacon, preferably applewood smoked, cut into pieces

1 large green bell pepper, diced

1 T avocado oil

4 Yukon Gold potatoes, chopped into bite-size pieces

1 cup cooked Virginia ham, diced

½ medium yellow onion, diced

2 cloves garlic, minced

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Place bacon in a large cast-iron skillet and cook over medium heat until crisp.

Remove bacon with a slotted spoon to a paper towel-lined plate and set aside.

Pour off most of the grease and discard.

Add the oil and potatoes, cover with a lid and cook over low heat for about 8 minutes.  

Remove lid and raise heat to medium and cook until golden brown and fork tender.

Add the diced bell pepper and onion and cook 3 to 4 minutes, stirring often.

Add the garlic and cook a couple more minutes.

Stir in the ham and bacon and heat through.
Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Cover with a lid and keep warm while making scrambled eggs.

Perfect Scrambled Eggs

6 organic free-range eggs

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

2 T butter

2 T minced fresh chives

Crack eggs in a bowl and whisk vigorously with a fork.

Season to taste with salt and pepper (you can use white pepper if you prefer).  

Melt butter in a non-stick skillet over medium heat just until the butter foams.

Pour in eggs and let sit for a couple of seconds and turn the heat down to low.

Using a wooden spatula or heat-resistant rubber spatula keep pulling the eggs towards the center of the pan for about 4 to 5 minutes.

Turn off heat and keep moving the eggs to the center of the pan until the desired doneness.

The eggs will keep cooking with the residual heat.

Divide hash between four warm plates or individual cast-iron pans and top with scrambled eggs and a sprinkling of minced chives.

Serves 4