Old Fashioned Baked Hash

 

Sorry more leftovers to share with you here today, but never fear, I promise you this is the last of them!  The roast beef is now finished . . .  but what a tasty way to go! 

I just love using up my leftovers!

 

I have often made pan fried roast beef hash with my leftover meat and potatoes. It makes for a quick and easy supper. J ust chop everything up and throw it into a hot pan with some fat.  Cook until crisp and browned.  Yummy!

 

This version of hash is a tad bit different in that it isn't really fried, but baked. Yes, you heard that right!  Baked, not fried.

 

It makes use of your leftover cooked roast beef, and any leftover potatoes you might have languishing in the refrigerator.  Or any other veg you want to use up as well.

Its so simple to make and incredibly delicious.

 

You begin by sauteing (without browning) some chopped onions, red and green bell peppers and celery in a bit of bacon fat.  Mmmm . . .  bacon fat . . .

 

I have always saved my bacon fat for just this purpose.  I keep it in a jar in the refrigerator. Don't worry if you have none. You can use butter or oil in its place, or even lard.

 

Do you save your bacon fat???  I have for years, and let me tell you it comes in mighty handy when it comes to things like this.  

 

You just strain it and keep it in a covered jar in the refrigerator. It will keep there for quite a while. 

 

  Bacon fat does make for a nice flavour in this, amongst other things. I remember my ex MIL telling me that her mother used to use bacon fat to make her gingersnaps with.

I was intrigued and so had to save up enough bacon fat so that I could try it out.  Hands down, the absolute best gingersnaps ever. EVER!

 

Once your vegetables have softened you can add your potato and your beef.  They cook for a few more minutes.  You won't be so much browning them as you will be heating them through.

 

At that point you will add your leftover gravy.  Don't worry if you haven't got any leftover gravy. You can use gravy made from gravy powder if you must.  

 

Or you can use a tin of soup. If you have gravy however, now is the perfect time to use it.

 

Into this mixture stir in some tomato ketchup, Worcestershire sauce and some seasoning. Taste it.  

 

Remember your gravy is probably seasoned already from when you had it the other night and your bacon fat will be a bit salty also.

 

So do taste it and if you think it needs more seasoning, then add it. 

 

This then gets spread into a buttered shallow casserole dish.  Mine is about 7 inches by 11 inches.

 

Slice some ripe tomatoes and place them on top in a decorative manner.  These also get seasoned lightly and sprinkled with some dried basil and dotted with butter.  Mmmm . . .

 

Into the oven it goes for a little less than half an hour.  Just about enough time for you to cook some vegetables to serve on the side or make a salad, or both!

 

I cooked some carrots today, seasoning them with a tiny knob of butter, salt, pepper and nutmeg.  I then chopped them up with an clean and empty tin can that I keep just for that purpose.  Works a charm

  

We also had some corn niblets.  This went down a real treat!

Yield: 4 - 6

Author: Marie Rayner

Old Fashioned Baked Hash

Simple and incredibly tasty. Your family is sure to love this tasty combination of leftovers and fresh vegetables.

ingredients:

• 2 TBS bacon drippings
• 1 small onion, peeled and diced
• 1 small green pepper, trimmed and diced
• 3 TBS finely chopped red pepper
• 1 stick of celery, trimmed and chopped
• 325g chopped cooked potato (1 cup)
• 300g diced cooked beef (2 cups)
• 360g leftover beef gravy (1 1/2 cups)
• 2 heaped dessert-spoons of tomato ketchup
• salt and black pepper to taste
• 1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
• 2 ripe tomatoes, sliced
• 2 TBS butter
• 1/4 tsp dried basil, crumbled

instructions:

How to cook Old Fashioned Baked Hash

1. Preheat the oven to 180*C/350*F/ gas mark4.  Butter a shallow casserole dish, or individual sized  casserole dishes.
2. Heat the bacon drippings in a skillet and saute the onions, green and red peppers and celery for two to three minutes.  Add the potatoes and meat and cook for about two minutes longer. Season to taste with salt and pepper.  Add the leftover gravy, tomato ketchup, and Worcestershire sauce.  Bring to the boil then pour/spoon into the prepared casserole dish.
3. Place the sliced tomatoes evenly over top of the meat and potato mixture.  Sprinkle with the basil, and more salt and pepper.  Dot with the butter.
4. Bake in the preheated oven for 20 to 25 minutes until browned.  Serve hot with your favourite vegetables, pickles or salad on the side.

Created using The Recipes Generator

 

Being able to create delicious main dishes with your leftovers turns your leftovers into delicious options that nobody turns their noses up at.  In fact my family always used to look forward to the leftovers.  With a bit of thrift and ingenuity you can make a silk purse from a sows ear! 

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