6.09.2010

Asparagus and Pancetta Hash


I'm back!  I've been cooking in the new place for a couple of weeks now.  I've been without internet so blogging has been less possible, and have tended towards the more simple lately as I've been focused on unpacking and eating tamer food after a month of eating out.

I saw this recipe on Smitten Kitchen a few weeks ago and thought about it pretty much from that point on.  I determined it was a must have sort of thing... so I made my way into the kitchen and gave it a try. 

Materials
1/2 lb pancetta, diced
1 tbl olive oil
1 lb yukon gold potatoes, scrubbed and diced
3 cloves garlic, smashed and minced
1 bunch asparagus, chopped

Methods
Heat up diced pancetta over medium heat.  Fry until well cooked and remove from pan.  Using pancetta renderings and 1 tbl olive oil, place potatoes in pan.  Salt and Pepper as desired (I like it heavy) and allow the potatoes to begin to brown.  flip periodically, allowing potatoes to cook and brown nicely.  Add in garlic towards the end of cooking the potatoes.  Once potatoes are about as brown as desired, add the asparagus and cover.  Allow the asparagus to saute in the renderings until cooked.  Return the pancetta tot eh pan, stir to reheat, and serve.

Results
Amazing!  It was fairly light, easy peasy, and yumm-ay!  I enjoyed the one dish aspect, which happens so rarely in my kitchen.  I also enjoyed the overall taste as well as the texture.  It was great reheated the next day for lunch too.  I will note, that I would recommend avoiding oversalting due to the giant amount of salt associated with the pancetta.  By the time I finished my leftover lunch I felt like I had consumed much of the great salt lake.  Still, a definite keeper and something to throw some changes to and repeat!  Also, I would add a yellow onion with the garlic, as suggested by the recipe; however, I had used all my onions earlier in the week.