Corned Beef Hash

      Sadly, because of our work schedules, Mark and I don't get to spend as much time together as we would like.  So when we get to actually sit down and have a meal together I try to make it a little special whether it's breakfast, lunch or dinner.  Today I made Corned beef hash from scratch with a poached egg and a mustard cream sauce for breakfast.  If you've never had home made Corned beef hash before don't thumb your nose up at it.  This tastes nothing like the canned stuff that smells like dog food.  If you take the time to do it right is really is a nice treat.  When I make this for just the two of us it is a big hearty portion, and plenty for a full meal.  I usually buy a Corned Beef Brisket and cut it into thirds and wrap two of them up and freeze them for another meal. 
The night before your special breakfast set your slow cooker on warm and add
1 TBS Pickling Spice
1 Bottle Beer (use something light like a lager or ale)
10 oz Corned Beef Brisket
Cook for at least 5 hours or just over night: by morning is should be falling apart.  I usually cool it down a bit so that I can chop it.  Then in a small pot bring
1 Large red potato, small diced
to a boil, turn it off and strain, you really just want a quick blanch on them most of the cooking is going to happen in the frying pan.  Next finely chop
1/2 of a sweet onion
1/4 of a green bell pepper
1 cup mushrooms
      Now the real cooking begins.  Put one small pot on filled about 2/3 of the way with water and add about 2 TBS vinegar, this is going to be for your poached eggs.  Heat the water so that you are just getting a few bubbles floating up from the bottom.  REMEMBER: Poaching is a term for a temperature, not really a method of cooking.  You want your water to be between 160 and 180 degrees.
      While all your water is heating up get your skillet hot and add a couple table spoons of butter, or if you've got it laying around bacon fat certainly wouldn't hurt!  When your pan is hot (careful not to brown the butter though) add in your vegetables and blanched potatoes, stirring them occasionally so that they get a nice sear.  Season with
Salt
Pepper
Onion Powder 
Smoked Paprika and
A dash of Cajun Seasoning for some heat
      Next add in your chopped corned beef and continue to let it cook while you are  making Mustard Cream Sauce, once it gets a nice sear on it pull it out and plate it up before poaching the eggs. 
For the Mustard Cream Sauce, melt in a small pan
1/2 TBS Butter and mix in
1 tsp flour
Stir continuously and let it turn just a little brown, this will happen very quickly, so keep an eye on it.  Next stir in
1/2 cup cream
1 TBS stone ground mustard
a large pinch of salt and
a few grinds of fresh pepper
Let come to a boil and remove from heat
      Now I tried to take some pictures of poaching eggs for you, but the camera was unhappy with the steam on the lens, so I didn't get any good pictures, but if you have the temperature of the water right, and good fresh eggs, it is really easy.  I would suggest that you do this one egg at a time until you get some practice, then you can do more.  In a banquet kitchen I've done as many as 20 at a time in a large pot, but like I said, one at a time for now.  What you are going to do is take a large slotted spoon and start the water in a very slow swirl then drop your egg right in the center and let it be.  Some people will tell you that you need to take your spoon and push the white over the top of the yolk, but I find that messing with it just makes you break the egg up, it's best to just let it do it's own work.  After about a minute, minute and a half you will see that the whites are cooked, but your yolk will still be beautiful and runny.  Very gently pull it out of the pan with your slotted spoon and put it right on top of your hash.  Repeat for your second plate, or for as many eggs as you want on each.  The poached egg is especially beautiful because it kind of makes it's own sauce, and it's just a wonderful extra little pleasure to break that yolk on your plate before you dig in. 

 
      Finally you will top it all off with your mustard cream sauce and garnish with a few green onions.  Now enjoy a job well done!