Preston Kwei may be only 9 years old, but he’s been cooking for his family for the last three years. This hearty, high-brow poached egg and Yukon gold hash recipe started it all. He learned to make it during a cooking class at Oakland’s Sprouts Cooking Club when he was just six, but the experience — right down to making his own glistening hollandaise — stayed with him. This is his custom version.
Poached Eggs with Hash
Serves 2 to 4
Ingredients:
½ pound ground pork sausage
3 to 5 Yukon gold potatoes
1 yellow onion
1 green and 1 red bell pepper
4 eggs and 4 egg yolks, divided use
Juice of 1 lemon
1 stick butter, melted
Chives for garnish
Directions:
- Cook ground pork sausage, using a spatula to break sausage up into bite-size chunks, until cooked through (no hint of pink). Set aside in a bowl.
- To make hash, cut potatoes into even bite-sized pieces. Dice yellow onions and bell peppers into bite-sized pieces, as well.
- Add a little oil to a sauté pan set over medium-high heat, and cook the potatoes, onion and bell pepper for 8 to 10 minutes, until potatoes are golden brown and tender. Add salt and pepper to taste. Stir cooked sausage into the hash.
- To make poached eggs: In a small pot, bring the water to a simmer (a boil will be too hot and overcook the eggs). Add a splash of vinegar to the water (this prevents the egg whites from dispersing into the water). Crack an egg into a small bowl, then gently slide the egg into the water. Repeat with remaining eggs. Let cook for 3 to 4 minutes. Use a slotted spoon to gently lift the eggs out. Set aside. Leave the pot on the stove.
- In a stainless-steel bowl, whisk 4 egg yolks and the lemon juice, beating until thick. Place the bowl over, but not touching, the simmering water. Whisking briskly, add the melted butter and continue to whisk until the hollandaise thickens. Turn off the stove, but keep the bowl in place until ready to use.
- Place a serving of hash on each plate. Top with 1 or 2 eggs and drizzle with sauce. Garnish with chopped chives.
— Recipe courtesy of Preston Kwei, age 9