Potato & Bacon Hash with Cheesy Beans from Kitchen Sanctuary

By Erin Brown
Related Categories: Cookbook Confidential

“This is a bit of a breakfast-for-dinner type meal. A simple seasoned potato hash with crispy bacon, served alongside good ol’ baked beans that have been given a big flavour boost with smoky paprika, warming white pepper and creamy cheese. I love this for a comforting dinner, or a relaxed weekend brunch.” Nicky Corbishley, author of Kitchen Sanctuary

Serves 4

500g (1lb 2oz) potatoes, peeled and chopped into 1.5cm (5/8in) cubes

2 tablespoons oil

8 rashers (strips) streaky bacon

1 small onion, peeled and chopped into small chunks

¼ teaspoon salt

¼ teaspoon ground black pepper

¼ teaspoon garlic powder

For the cheesy beans

2 x 400g (14oz) cans baked beans

1 teaspoon smoked paprika

1/8 teaspoon white pepper

100g (1 packed cup) grated (shredded) mixed cheese (I use red Leicester, Cheddar and mozzarella, bought ready grated/pre-shredded)

To serve

A good pinch of ground black pepper

2 spring onions (scallions), finely chopped

Place the potatoes in a pan and cover with cold water. Set over a high heat. Bring to the boil, then reduce the heat and simmer for 5 minutes.

Meanwhile, heat . tablespoon of the oil in a large frying pan (skillet) over a medium–high heat. Add the bacon and fry for 5 minutes, turning once, until crisp. Remove from the pan and place on a chopping board.

When the potatoes are par-boiled, turn off the heat and drain them.

Add the remaining oil to the frying pan you used to cook the bacon. Heat over a medium heat.

Add the drained potatoes to the pan in a single layer and cook for 4–5 minutes. Try not to move them around too much, so they brown nicely, but keep an eye on them to ensure they don’t burn.

While the potatoes are cooking, add the beans, paprika and white pepper to a saucepan over a medium heat and stir occasionally until hot. Then reduce the heat to very low, to keep the beans warm.

Use a spatula to turn the potatoes over in the pan. Add the onion, salt, black pepper and garlic powder. Cook the potatoes, turning occasionally, for a further 5 minutes until the onion softens.

Chop the bacon into small pieces and add to the pan with the potatoes. Stir together and cook for a further 1–2 minutes to heat the bacon through. Then turn off the heat.

Add half of the cheese mix to the beans. Stir together, then turn off the heat. Divide the potato mixture between plates and spoon the beans on the side. Sprinkle the remaining cheese on top of the beans. Finish the dish with a sprinkling of black pepper and spring onions, then serve.