Asparagus-Potato Hash With Goat Cheese and Eggs
Adapted from Lidey Heuck
Notes from the author:
This colorful one-pan breakfast can be easily adapted to use up whatever vegetables you have in the crisper: Use shallots or yellow onion instead of leeks, or substitute green beans, snap peas or even broccoli for the asparagus. Just make sure everything is diced into 1/2-inch pieces so the vegetables cook evenly and quickly. Serve as part of an elegant brunch spread, with toast for a hearty (and vegetarian!) weekend breakfast, or eat it straight from the skillet with a glass of white wine as a quick, clean-out-the-fridge dinner.
3 tablespoons olive oil, plus more as needed
1 ¼ pounds potatoes, scrubbed and diced into 1/2-inch pieces
Kosher salt and black pepper
½ large fennel bulb, diced into 1/2-inch pieces (about 1 cup), fennel fronds reserved
1 leek, trimmed, halved lengthwise and sliced 1/4-inch thick (about 1 cup chopped leeks)
½ pound asparagus, trimmed and cut into 1/2-inch pieces
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice, plus lemon zest and more juice for serving (optional)
4 large eggs
3 tablespoons crumbled plain goat cheese
1 tablespoon chopped fresh dill, mint or parsley
Heat the oven to 400 degrees. In a large (12-inch) ovenproof skillet, heat the olive oil over medium-high. Add the potatoes, spreading them out into an even layer, and season with 1/2 teaspoon salt and a few grinds of black pepper. Cook, tossing occasionally and scraping the bottom of the pan, until potatoes are nicely browned, 7 to 9 minutes.
Lower the heat to medium, add the fennel and leek, and cook, tossing occasionally, until leeks are translucent, 3 to 5 minutes. If the skillet looks dry at any point, add a splash of olive oil.
Add the asparagus, along with 1/2 teaspoon salt and a few more grinds of black pepper. Cook, tossing occasionally, until the asparagus, fennel and potatoes are tender, about 5 minutes.
Off the heat, add the lemon juice and toss, scraping up any brown bits from the bottom of the pan.
Use a spoon to create 4 small hollows in the hash. Carefully crack an egg into each, season the eggs with salt and pepper and bake for 5 to 7 minutes, until the egg whites are just set. (Don’t overcook.)
Sprinkle with goat cheese, herbs, fennel fronds and lemon zest, if using. Sprinkle with additional lemon juice, if desired, and a pinch of salt, and serve hot. (A spatula works best for serving.)
