Red Flannel Hash

I LOVE THE NAME RED FLANNEL HASH. It sounds so appealing, cozy, and comfortable. Also bright and cheerful. I first heard of Red Flannel Hash from the fictional, smart-mouth tough guy with a heart of gold character, Spenser, a Boston based Private Investigator, in a series of books written by Robert B. Parker.

In many cases, while investigating, Spenser would get out of the rain, and of course he would be drenched (and remember tough guys don't use umbrellas) by going into a warm diner and ordering a steaming cup of coffee along with Red Flannel Hash. After this happened on more than one occasion, I started wondering, what the heck is Red Flannel Hash?  So I "investigated".

Red Flannel Hash is corned beef hash with the addition of beets. After my husband's favorite meal of Corned Beef and Cabbage, I usually make either Reuben sandwiches or Corned Beef Hash with the leftovers. After I learned about Red Flannel Hash, my hash changed forever. We love beets anyway and adding them to hash transforms its flavor and gives it such a beautiful color.

I don't think you need a hard and fast recipe for a dish called hash, but this is more or less what I did.

Red Flannel Hash

2 Tbsp. butter

1 Tbsp. olive oil

1 large onion, chopped

2 cups diced potatoes

2 cups chopped leftover corned beef

2 cups cooked beets, diced

Freshly ground black pepper

Melt butter and oil in a heavy skillet, preferably cast iron, over medium heat. Add in the chopped onion and potatoes. Cook and stir until they are tender. Toss in the corned beef and beets. Mix together and continue cooking until everything is hot and beginning to brown. Top with freshly ground black pepper. There should be enough salt from the corned beef, but taste and add some if you like.

Serve with eggs and some of your leftover Irish Soda Bread.