Hash Freak-Out

The intelligent host knows better than to judge a food by its name; he recognizes that hash--the kind you can serve your guests without fear of a bust--has no rival, be it creamy potage or luscious crepe, in providing sustained gustatory comfort. Certain foods, such as the tender green stalks of the year's first asparagus, are a joy to the eye; some, such as wild rice or Italian white truffles, are craved for their unusually exquisite flavor. But the right hash can encompass all these things and provide assurance, especially around the month of March, that all's right with the world--at least when hash is served. To men sloughing off the aftereffects of the night before, what finer balm could possibly be offered than a hot chicken hash simmered in cream and oloroso sherry? At midnight suppers, hash is invariably the first food to be enjoyed. It's one of the dishes that guests find equally manageable in standing, sitting or lounging positions. Hosts, alert to their guests' appetites, always make sure to provide second and third helpings for a hash-hungry crowd around a buffet table. As a dining custom, hash antedates the brunch by centuries, flourishing long before the invention of the fork. But as brunches these days become more and more a way of weekend partying, hashes are offered in ever-richer variety on cozy Sunday-morning tables.

Over the years, hash has miraculously survived its ill-chosen name to become one of the great kitchen classics. The word--from the French hache, meaning hatchet or ax--at one time was the signal for the cook to perform a hatchet job on all odds and ends in his larder, tossing scraps together into a hybrid mixture that seldom could be analyzed. Joseph Addison, a man not normally at a loss for words, writing in the Tatler in 1709, told how "I ... passed my Eye over several hashes, which I do not know the names of," implying that his palate would have been equally mystified.

Today, hash is a delightful concoction usually made from a single meat, poultry or seafood. No master hand in the kitchen will try to come up (continued on page 171)Hash Freak-Out(continued from page 150) with a lamb hash, for instance, as a clearinghouse for last week's roast mutton, leftover pork chops and fragments of veal, all of which may look like lamb but which no spice, herb or sauce can possibly convert to lamb to the taste buds. Even two such similar meats as turkey and chicken, when heated in a rich cream sauce, will each give the sauce its own unmistakable flavor and aroma. Ironically, Frenchmen, who gave the misbegotten word hash to the world, are also responsible for offering more creative recipes on the subject than cooks elsewhere. The 29 recipes in the Larousse Gastronomique could easily be doubled or tripled by today's Gallic hash connoisseurs.

All hashes, by definition, are made from a previously cooked viand; but when you're plotting a party, the first counsel for perfection is to create your cooked dish, rather than to passively wait for the leftover to occur. The best meat is boiled rather than roasted. If you're planning to serve a turkey hash, your best bet is to boil a turkey small enough to fit comfortably into a pot, or boil a turkey breast, always letting the meat cool in its own cooking liquid. Prepared turkey roll, purchased at the deli counter, or so-called baked turkey is, for hash purposes, usually superior to the browned roast turkey that may have been succulent when it was freshly carved but which usually becomes dry after several days in the refrigerator.

An elegant variety of freshly cooked and sliced meats can be picked up at gourmet take-home food counters everywhere. The best sources of supply are usually the busiest. If you're buying cooked corned beef, the more expensive brisket is better than the drier corned-beef rump or round. Freshly boiled lobster for hash is now a standard offering at first-class seafood vendors.

In dicing meat, skill with the carving knife is all-important. Meat should be cut into cubes that are a quarter of an inch thick and never, under any circumstances, mangled in a meat grinder. The strictly uniform size of the cubes is what gives hash its sumptuous feel in the mouth. With this in mind, remember that if you're buying cooked meat to be sliced by machine, the slices should be a quarter of an inch thick. In dicing the meat later, use a heavy French knife with a keen edge; simply cut the slices into quarter-inch strips and then cut crosswise at quarter-inch intervals to make cubes. Remember also that meat that is excessively soft will turn to shreds under a dull knife; run your blade over a knife steel or an electric sharpener frequently, so that it keeps its edge razor sharp.

Accompaniments and garnishes sometimes count for as much as the hash itself. If you're serving wild rice with hash, it should be flavored with shallots and simmered in mellow chicken broth rather than tap water. The purée of split peas formed into a border around turkey hash should be buttery smooth and carefully shaped with a pastry bag and tube. (If you haven't mastered this minor art, you can always practice on a batch of mashed potatoes, putting them through a large rosette tube and repeating the process for as long as you care to rehearse.) When hash is to be gratinéed, the cheese for the topping should be taken from a chunk of parmesan freshly cut from the whole wheel and freshly grated in a blender, so that, as the hash bakes, the cheese melts rather than hardens into the all-too-familiar uptight granules. Something good can even be said for the ubiquitous bottle of catsup, always the easiest target for food aesthetes but, nevertheless, almost always offered with corned-beef hash. Curry-flavored catsup is merely a matter of mixing 1/2 cup catsup with 1 teaspoon curry powder; mustard catsup is a combination of 1/2 cup catsup with 1/2 teaspoon each regular brown mustard, Dijon mustard and dry mustard. Both of these hashworthy cold sauces should be left to ripen in the refrigerator several hours before serving and should be taken to the table in sauceboats. Finally, the hash itself should always appear on the table on brightly burnished platters or in colorful chafing dishes.

Whether beer enhances hash or vice versa doesn't matter; the two go together as inseparably as champagne and chicken hash at a wedding breakfast. The most compatible wine or liquor to be offered with hash often depends on when the dish is served. At almost any brunch table, for instance, you'll find guests eating hash with one hand while reaching for their fresh screwdrivers with the other. At an evening sit-down dinner, one should plan on a wine that is congenial with the main ingredient of the hash. Thus, with beef or game hash, one would uncork a full-flavored red wine, such as a Rhone. With lobster, chicken or turkey hash, a tart but smooth Pouilly-Fuissé or a California pinot chardonnay would go perfectly.

The guidance that follows should enable any host to acquire his hash marks in record time. Each recipe serves six.

[recipe_title]Corned-Beef Hash With Eggplant And Tomato[/recipe_title]

[recipe]2 lbs. cooked corned-beef brisket, 1/4-in.-thick slices[/recipe]

[recipe]1/2 medium-size eggplant[/recipe]

[recipe]Salt, pepper[/recipe]

[recipe]Flour[/recipe]

[recipe]2 eggs, beaten[/recipe]

[recipe]1/4 teaspoon paprika[/recipe]

[recipe]Salad oil[/recipe]

[recipe]2 large firm, ripe tomatoes[/recipe]

[recipe]2 tablespoons butter[/recipe]

[recipe]1 large onion, finely minced[/recipe]

[recipe]1 quart boiled potatoes, diced[/recipe]

[recipe]1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce[/recipe]

[recipe]1 tablespoon lemon juice[/recipe]

[recipe]1 cup heavy cream[/recipe]

[recipe]Grated parmesan cheese[/recipe]

Peel eggplant and cut into slices 1/8 in. thick. Sprinkle lightly with salt and dip in flour, coating thoroughly. Beat eggs and paprika. Heat oil to a depth of 1/2 in. in large electric skillet preheated at 370°. Dip sliced eggplant in eggs and sauté until brown and tender. Set aside. Cut tomatoes into slices 1/8 in. thick; prepare as many tomato slices as there are slices of eggplant, using more tomato, if necessary. Cut corned beef into 1/4-in. dice. In small saucepan, melt butter and sauté onion until tender. In large mixing bowl, combine corned beef, onion, potatoes, Worcestershire sauce, lemon juice and cream. Mix very well, adding salt and pepper to taste. Preheat oven at 375°. Turn corned-beef mixture into lightly greased shallow casserole. Place overlapping alternate slices of eggplant and tomato on top. Sprinkle lightly with salt; sprinkle with parmesan cheese. Bake 30 to 40 minutes or until top is browned.

[recipe_title]Browned Beef Hash With Chestnuts[/recipe_title]

[recipe]3 lbs. rump of beef[/recipe]

[recipe]2 medium-size onions[/recipe]

[recipe]2 pieces celery[/recipe]

[recipe]Salt, pepper[/recipe]

[recipe]2 10-oz. cans chestnuts in water, drained[/recipe]

[recipe]6 large shallots, finely minced[/recipe]

[recipe]2 large cloves garlic, finely minced[/recipe]

[recipe]Butter[/recipe]

[recipe]1/2 cup heavy cream[/recipe]

[recipe]2 tablespoons lemon juice[/recipe]

[recipe]Salad oil[/recipe]

[recipe]2 8-oz. cans tomato sauce[/recipe]

[recipe]2 tablespoons tarragon vinegar[/recipe]

[recipe]1 teaspoon dried tarragon[/recipe]

Cover beef with cold water in pot. Add 1 onion, celery and 1 teaspoon salt. Bring to a boil; skim froth from pot; reduce flame and simmer slowly until meat is tender--21/2 hours or longer. Discard onion and celery and let meat cool in its own broth. Broth may be saved for beef bouillon or used as soup stock. Trim fat off beef and cut meat into 1/4-in. cubes. Cut chestnuts about the same size. Mince remaining onion. Sauté onion, shallots and garlic in 2 tablespoons butter until onion is barely tender. In mixing bowl, combine beef, sautéed vegetables, chestnuts, cream and lemon juice. Season generously with salt and pepper. Mix very well, until meat and chestnuts cohere in one mass. Divide mixture in two. Preheat oven at 400°. In large heavy frying pan, heat 1 tablespoon salad oil and 2 tablespoons butter until butter melts. Add half the beef mixture and sauté over medium flame. When hash is browned on bottom, stir it well and shape into oblong roll. Move roll to one side against edge of pan and sauté until well browned on bottom. Turn hash, browned side up, onto large ovenproof platter and place in oven to keep hot. Brown remainder of hash in same manner. Turn onto platter. Heat tomato sauce, tarragon vinegar and tarragon. When sauce is hot, stir in 2 tablespoons butter until dissolved. Pour small amount of sauce around edges of hash on platter. Pass balance of sauce at table.

If hash is to be served at brunch, poach 6 eggs and place them on top of hash. Traditional browned beef hash may be made by substituting 1 quart diced boiled potatoes for chestnuts.

[recipe_title]Curried Lamb Hash[/recipe_title]

[recipe]1/2 leg of lamb, about 31/2 lbs.[/recipe]

[recipe]1 large onion[/recipe]

[recipe]1 carrot[/recipe]

[recipe]1 piece celery[/recipe]

[recipe]Salt, pepper[/recipe]

[recipe]6 tablespoons butter[/recipe]

[recipe]1 small green pepper, finely minced[/recipe]

[recipe]1 medium-size onion, finely minced[/recipe]

[recipe]2 large cloves garlic, finely minced[/recipe]

[recipe]1/2 small bay leaf[/recipe]

[recipe]1 tablespoon curry powder[/recipe]

[recipe]6 tablespoons flour[/recipe]

[recipe]2 packets instant broth[/recipe]

[recipe]1 piece stick cinnamon[/recipe]

[recipe]1/4 cup capers in vinegar, drained[/recipe]

[recipe]1/4 cup heavy cream[/recipe]

[recipe]31/2-oz. can coconut[/recipe]

Cover lamb with cold water in pot. Add large onion, carrot, celery and 1 teaspoon salt. Bring to a boil; skim froth from pot; reduce flame and simmer slowly until meat is tender--11/2 to 2 hours. Discard onion, carrot and celery and let meat cool in its own broth. Remove meat from bone. Cut away fat and gristle and cut into 1/2-in. dice. Set aside. In large saucepan, melt butter over low flame. Add green pepper, medium-size onion, garlic and bay leaf and sauté until pepper is barely tender. Stir in curry powder and flour, mixing very well. Remove from flame. In another saucepan, heat 3 cups lamb broth to boiling point. Slowly stir lamb broth into butter-flour mixture, mixing with wire whip. Add instant broth and cinnamon. Return to moderate flame and simmer 15 minutes, stirring frequently. Remove cinnamon and bay leaf. Add capers, cream and lamb. Heat over moderate flame about 10 minutes. Add salt and pepper to taste. Keep hash warm until serving time. Preheat oven at 300°. Place coconut in shallow pan and bake 20 to 30 minutes, stirring frequently, until coconut turns light brown. Spoon curried hash into chafing dish. Sprinkle coconut lightly on top. Pass remainder of coconut at table. Serve with white rice and chutney. Note: All curries are deeper in flavor and more mellow if cooked one day and reheated for serving the next.

[recipe_title]Creamed-Chicken Mash With Hollandaise[/recipe_title]

[recipe]41/2 cups diced boiled chicken or 11/2 lbs. chicken roll, diced[/recipe]

[recipe]1 cup milk[/recipe]

[recipe]2 tablespoons instantized flour[/recipe]

[recipe]Sweet butter[/recipe]

[recipe]Salt, white pepper, cayenne[/recipe]

[recipe]3 egg yolks[/recipe]

[recipe]1 hard-boiled egg yolk, mashed[/recipe]

[recipe]2 teaspoons lemon juice[/recipe]

[recipe]1 tablespoon cognac[/recipe]

[recipe]3 tablespoons oloroso or cream sherry[/recipe]

[recipe]2 cups light cream[/recipe]

Make sure that chicken is free of all fat, skin, gristle and bone before cutting into dice. Put cold milk and flour into saucepan; stir well with wire whip until flour is completely dissolved. Add 2 tablespoons butter and heat over moderate flame, stirring constantly, until sauce is thick. Reduce flame and simmer 5 minutes. Add salt and pepper to taste. Remove from flame and keep pan covered. In small saucepan, melt 1/4 lb. butter over low flame; heat butter until hot, but do not permit it to turn brown. While butter is melting, put egg yolks and hard egg yolk into blender and blend for a few seconds at low speed. Very slowly, while continuing to blend at low speed, add hot butter in driblets. When butter is thoroughly blended, add lemon juice. Remove sauce from blender and add salt and white pepper to taste and a dash cayenne. Keep hollandaise sauce covered in a warm place, not in a double boiler nor over direct heat. In saucepan large enough to hold the hash, melt 3 tablespoons butter over low flame. Add chicken, cognac and sherry, stirring well. When hot, set ablaze. When flames subside, add cream. Simmer very slowly about 10 minutes. Add white sauce and simmer about 5 minutes, stirring frequently. Add salt and pepper to taste and a dash cayenne. Keep hash warm in top part of chafing dish over simmering water. At table, just before serving, stir in hollandaise sauce. Serve with wild rice or white rice flavored with slivers of Italian white truffles, if available.

[recipe_title]Patty of Lobster Hash[/recipe_title]

[recipe]6 11/4-lb. boiled lobsters[/recipe]

[recipe]1/3 cup butter[/recipe]

[recipe]6 large shallots or scallions (white part only), very finely minced[/recipe]

[recipe]1/2 lb. fresh mushrooms, small dice[/recipe]

[recipe]1/3 cup flour[/recipe]

[recipe]11/2 cups milk[/recipe]

[recipe]11/2 cups light cream[/recipe]

[recipe]4-oz. jar pimientos, drained, small dice[/recipe]

[recipe]1 tablespoon finely minced fresh chives[/recipe]

[recipe]1/4 cup fino sherry or dry vermouth[/recipe]

[recipe]Salt, pepper[/recipe]

[recipe]6 patty shells[/recipe]

Remove lobster meat from shells, saving tomalley and roe, if any. Cut lobster into 1/4-in. dice. In large saucepan, melt butter over low flame; add shallots and mushrooms and sauté until almost all liquid has evaporated from pan. Stir in flour, blending very well. Remove pan from flame. In another saucepan, heat milk and cream to boiling point. Slowly add to mushroom mixture, stirring well with wire whip. Return to low flame and simmer 10 minutes, stirring frequently. Add lobster, tomalley, roe, pimientos and chives. Simmer over low flame until thoroughly heated through. Add sherry. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Keep warm until serving time. Preheat oven at 350° and heat patty shells for about 5 minutes. Pour lobster hash into and around patty shells. Serve with fried asparagus.

[recipe_title]Turkey Hash St. Germain[/recipe_title]

[recipe]41/2 cups diced boiled turkey or 11/2 lbs. turkey roll, diced[/recipe]

[recipe]1 lb. split green peas[/recipe]

[recipe]1 medium-size onion, minced[/recipe]

[recipe]1 large clove garlic, minced[/recipe]

[recipe]1 medium-size carrot, minced[/recipe]

[recipe]Salt, white pepper, cayenne[/recipe]

[recipe]Butter[/recipe]

[recipe]2 packets instant broth[/recipe]

[recipe]1 cup milk[/recipe]

[recipe]2 tablespoons instantized flour[/recipe]

[recipe]3 tablespoons dry vermouth[/recipe]

[recipe]2 tablespoons bourbon[/recipe]

[recipe]21/2 cups light cream[/recipe]

[recipe]Grated parmesan cheese[/recipe]

In soup pot or large saucepan, put peas, onion, garlic and carrot and cover with cold water. Add 1 teaspoon salt. Bring to a boil; skim; reduce flame and simmer until peas are very tender--about 11/2 hours. During cooking, add water as needed to keep peas covered until done. Drain peas well; put them into blender, in batches if necessary, and blend until smooth purée is formed. Melt 3 tablespoons butter; add to purée. Add instant broth and salt and pepper to taste. Chill in refrigerator until needed. Put milk and flour into small saucepan; stir well with wire whip until flour is completely dissolved. Add 2 tablespoons butter and heat over moderate flame, stirring constantly, until sauce is thick. Reduce flame and simmer 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add salt and pepper to taste and a dash cayenne. Remove from flame and keep pan covered. In large saucepan, melt 3 tablespoons butter over low flame. Add turkey, vermouth and bourbon. When hot, set ablaze. When flames subside, add cream. Simmer very slowly about 10 minutes. Add white sauce and simmer 5 minutes, stirring frequently. Add salt and pepper to taste and a dash cayenne. Preheat oven at 375°. In large shallow casserole or 6 individual shirred-egg dishes, form a border of split-pea purée, using a pastry bag and tube. Spoon turkey hash into center and sprinkle with parmesan cheese. Bake 30 minutes or until heated through. Just before serving, place under broiler flame for a few minutes, watching constantly, until cheese is browned.

[recipe_title]Fried Asparagus[/recipe_title]

[recipe]3 lbs. jumbo asparagus[/recipe]

[recipe]1 cup plus 2 tablespoons flour[/recipe]

[recipe]2 eggs[/recipe]

[recipe]1 cup milk[/recipe]

[recipe]Salad oil[/recipe]

[recipe]Salt[/recipe]

Peel asparagus below tips with vegetable peeler, cutting away scales and stringy coating. Cut off tough bottom ends and wash well under cold running water. Cook, covered, in large wide skillet or saucepan with 1 in. water, until tender--about 15 to 20 minutes. Drain and chill thoroughly. Pat dry with paper toweling. In blender, combine flour, eggs, milk, 1 tablespoon salad oil and 1/2 teaspoon salt and blend until smooth. Heat 11/2 ins. oil in electric skillet preheated at 370°. Dip asparagus into batter. Drain slightly. Lower asparagus, one piece at a time, into pan and fry until medium brown. Sprinkle with salt.

And that about sums up our hash notes. Now it's up to you to prove forthwith that many a delectable dish lurks beneath its prosaic nomenclature.