Traditional Hash Browns 21 Club Recipes

CLASSIC HASH BROWNS

Steps:

• Shred potatoes into a large bowl filled with cold water. Stir until water is cloudy, drain, and cover potatoes again with fresh cold water. Stir again to dissolve excess starch. Drain potatoes well, pat dry with paper towels, and squeeze out any excess moisture.
• Heat clarified butter in a large non-stick pan over medium heat. Sprinkle shredded potatoes into the hot butter and season with salt, black pepper, cayenne pepper, and paprika.
• Cook potatoes until a brown crust forms on the bottom, about 5 minutes. Continue to cook and stir until potatoes are browned all over, about 5 more minutes.

TRADITIONAL HASH BROWNS `21' CLUB

Steps:

• Peel potatoes and cut into 1/2-inch cubes (there should be about 3 cups). In a large saucepan of boiling salted water parboil potatoes 5 minutes. Drain potatoes and cool. In a skillet heat oil and 1 tablespoon butter over moderately high heat until hot but not smoking and sauté onions, stirring occasionally, until soft and caramelized. Cool onions and in a bowl combine with potatoes, stirring vigorously to partially break up potatoes. Hash browns may be prepared up to this point 1 day ahead and chilled, covered.
• Preheat oven to 350°F.
• In a 10-inch non-stick skillet heat remaining 2 tablespoons butter over moderate heat until foam subsides and cook potato mixture, packing it evenly in skillet with back of spatula to form a cake, until underside is golden, about 10 minutes. Invert a plate or baking sheet without sides over skillet and carefully invert potato cake onto it. Carefully slide potato cake back into skillet and brown other side. On baking sheet bake potato cake 10 minutes.
• Sprinkle hash browns with pepper and salt to taste and cut into wedges.

CLASSIC HASH BROWNS HOMEMADE

Steps:

• The potato can be grated by hand like cheese or shredded in an appropriate blender. The onion can be roughly chopped by hand or in a blender but try to avoid large chunks as much as possible as these will affect the flavour and the way in which the hash browns hold together.
• Place the shredded potato in a sieve or fine colander and press down with kitchen paper to remove as much moisture as possible.
• Ensure the onion is well broken up and not layered, then add all of it, plus all of the dried shredded potato to a medium sized bowl and combine well.
• Lightly whisk the egg then add to the potato and onion mixture.
• Add the salt and pepper - amounts are an estimate and depend on personal taste, but seasoning is essential. Other flavourings such as cheese, chilli, spices or herbs can be added here.
• Heat the oil in a frying pan. Note: the oil MUST be hot so that the hash brown begins to cook as soon as it hits the pan. Otherwise it will absorb the oil and the flavour and crispness will be affected.
• Take about a 1/4 cup of mixture and drop carefully into the pan, flattening immediately with the back of a fish slice (commonly mistaken for a spatula, so if you don't think you have a fish slice use what you think is your spatula). If you're not sure what a 1/4 cup is, divide the mixture into 4 and you're about right.
• Cook each side for 2-3 minutes. Slide the fish slice under slowly when intending to flip it over just to check it has been cooked long enough on that side. If it hasn't, it won't hold enough to allow itself to be flipped.
• Hash browns keep well in a warm (but off) oven so if you're planning them as part of a fry-up breakfast I'd recommend doing them first and keeping them in a warm oven while you cook everything else.