pork and potato hash with poached eggs and avocado

For a finishing touch, sprinkle this hash with cilantro and piment d’Espelette.

Piment d’Espelette chiles come from a group of  ten villages (one of which is called Espelette) in the Basque region of southwestern France. After harvesting, the chiles are strung together and dried outside houses and shops in the villages— the image of a chile-festooned building is in the logo used to designate this product. The slightly sweet, mildly spicy chiles are most commonly ground into a coarse power. In the Basque region, the spice is often used in place of black pepper. In addition to using it as a finishing touch on dishes, it is a nice addition to spice rubs and sauces. Store piment d’Espelette as you would any other spice—in an airtight container in a cool, dry place for up to 6 months.

SERVES: 4

INGREDIENTS:

• 11/2 lb. russet potatoes, peeled and cut into small dice (about 3 3/4 cups)
• Kosher salt
• 2 Tbs. extra-virgin olive oil; more as needed
• 1 medium yellow onion, cut into small dice (about 11/4 cups)
• 21/4 cups leftover finely shredded Slow-roasted Pork Shoulder (recipe p. 138)
• 2 medium cloves garlic, finely chopped
• 1/2 tsp. white-wine vinegar or lemon juice
• 4 large eggs
• 1 large ripe avocado, sliced
• 1/4 cup coarsely chopped fresh cilantro
• Piment d’espelette or other medium-hot red pepper flakes (optional)

INSTRUCTIONS:

1. Cook the potatoes: Put the potatoes in a medium saucepan, add water to cover by about 3/4 inch, and add 1 Tbs. salt. Bring to a boil over high heat, reduce the heat to maintain a simmer, and cook until the potatoes are tender but not falling apart, about 5 minutes. Drain the potatoes, transfer to a plate, and set aside.
2. Cook the hash: Heat the oil in a 10-inch straight-sided sauté pan over medium-high heat. Add the onion and 1/2 tsp. salt and cook, stirring occasionally until soft, 5 to 7 minutes. Add the pork and continue to cook until the pork is warm, about 3 minutes. Add the garlic and cook, stirring, until the raw garlic aroma subsides, about 1 minute. Add the potatoes, toss gently to combine, and continue to cook, stirring, until heated through, 1 to 3 minutes more. Season to taste with salt. If the hash is a little dry, add a drizzle of olive oil. Keep warm.
3. Poach the eggs: Fill a medium saucepan with 3 inches of water. Add the vinegar or lemon juice and a pinch of salt, and bring the water to a simmer. Crack the eggs one at a time into a small bowl or teacup and then gently slide each egg into the water. Poach the eggs, gently turning once or twice until the whites are completely opaque but the yolks are still soft, 3 to 4 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, remove the eggs from the water and gently blot dry with a paper towel.
4. Assemble and serve: Evenly distribute the hash among 4 plates. Prop a poached egg and a few slices of avocado next to each portion. Sprinkle the egg and avocado with salt. Sprinkle the cilantro and piment d’Espelette (if using) over the hash, and serve immediately.

NUTRITIONAL INFORMATION PER SERVING:

• 510 CALORIES | 27G PROTEIN | 43G CARB | 26G TOTAL FAT | 6G SAT FAT | 15G MONO FAT | 3G POLY FAT | 265MG CHOL | 910MG SODIUM | 8G FIBER