I just made some great hash!

Hash is one of those foods that somehow got a bad reputation, like meat loaf (another potentially great but usually poorly prepared dish). If you are a hash lover, you know what I'm about to describe. But if it sounds slightly disgusting, please read on and be prepared to broaden your culinary horizon.

To me, hash is not a recipe, but a philosophy. You usually never have the exact same ingredients twice, and it always comes out a little differently. Maybe that's part of the appeal, a bit of chaos theory applied to meat and potatoes.

Another reason it is considered a second-class citizen of the kitchen by many is because it is made of leftovers. Like there's something wrong with that, you shouldn't figure out a good use for extra food? In my case, I often cook something for a meal, knowing that the first meal will pale in comparison to the hash I make the next day. So the "main" dish becomes the second-class citizen.

So what's the secret? Not much, other than a few basic kitchen skills. It starts with the meat. I prefer beef, and the funkier the better. Although you can make it even with prime rib, I think a good inexpensive roast is the way to go. Start with a boneless chuck, rump roast, or something from the shoulder. I like cooking them in one of these Reynolds oven bags; they cook faster, retain moistness, and minimize cleanup. Enjoy your dinner, and save some for the hash.

The next step is the potatoes. Any kind will do; I prefer large russet bakers. Cut them into cubes about 3/4 inch or so. You want to have the pieces all about the same size, or at lease a similar volume (you won't get them all cube shaped). My first step is to slice a little bit around all six sides of the potato. That makes them easier to work with, since they won't roll around. By eliminating the roundness a bit, they come out more similarly shaped. And finally, a wee less peeling that way. And we aren't talking about wasting much here, a 1/4 inch or so. So make the edge slices, then peel 'em. Now cut them into 3/4 inch slices, put them face down, and make some more slices. Finally, rotate 90 degrees and make the final cut, so you end up with cubes.

You want a skillet with a heavy bottom - I prefer cast iron for this. Put it on a high heat and get it good and hot. Put enough cooking oil in the bottom to cover it, doesn't have to be deep. Get it shimmering, but not smoking. Put your potatoes in. With a plastic spatula (so you don't scratch your pan), toss them aound. Turn the heat down to medium high. Cover it - it you don't have a big enough cover, a piece of aluminum foil will do. You are trapping the heat in and keeping the moisture from escaping.

Now on to the onions. I love onions, and tend to use a lot. The more the better. I use yellow onions, but in the late spring, you can get wonderful sweet onions from Vidalia or Walla Walla. Well worth it.

Before you get any farther, check those potatoes. We don't want them to burn, so every two minutes, get the spatula and toss the, scraping the bottom a bit. You want them brown, but if they start getting black, turn the heat down a bit.

Cut the points off the top and bottom of the onion and then peel it. Cut it longitudinally, put one of the halves down, and cut it into cubes.

Keep turning those potatoes. After they have cooked about ten minutes, put the onions in, and toss them in. And keep tossing every two minutes!

You can also use leftover baked potatoes if you're in full recycle mode, but since they are already cooked, you just need to heat them up. If you do, put the onions in the pan first, toss them, and then add the potatoes.

If you have a nice sweet pepper (I like red bells), this is the time to prepare it. Cut the top off, remove the seeds, and cut into inch sized pieces. You can also use some chilis in there, but you probably don't want it too hot.

Toss the peppers in, and toss everything. Remember to keep tossing!

Now for the meat. Same drill, cut it into cubes, 3/4 inch or so. Trim any fat and gristle. Don't worry if some of the pieces are small. Put them in, and (you guessed it), toss it all around.

Now we add some liquid. You can use plain water, add some leftover gravy if you made some with your roast. Even better is some canned or boxed beef broth; this will add depth and richness. Put in enough liquid so there is a small amount at the bottom of the pan, a half inch or so. Toss one more time, cover, and turn the heat down to low.

Now we let it cook a bit. You can start eating as soon as the meat is hot, but 20 minutes will let the flavors blend mode and make it even better. Since the heat is low, you don't have to keep tossing and turning it, but you should give it a stir every five minutes or so.

While it's cooking, this is a good time to clean up whatever mess you made. Put those peelings in the compost, put those dirty dishes in the sink into the dishwasher, etc. Nothing like a clean kitchen to lift your spirits after your meal. And you will be smelling the wonderful aroma of hash cooking, driving you nuts.

One tricky part is getting the moisture right - if you put in too much liquid, it will all start to cook down into a gummy mass. Not good; a little bit is ok, but you want some distinct shapes you can identify. But if you don't put in enough liquid, it could burn. This isn't brain surgery though; just keep an eye on things. If it looks like too much liquid, uncover it.

Seasonings: add them at the end. The two required ones are salt (sea salt blends in the best), and plenty of black pepper. Pepper gives it its main character. I like to put in a little ground cumin seed and maybe a bit of oregano. Stir it up, turn off the heat, and let it sit for two minutes, while you set the table.

Now sit down and enjoy your delicious meal. You'll be thinking, "Hmmm, I never knew hash could be so good!" It's quite likely the best you've ever had. And even if it isn't perfect, no problem; you'll be making it again soon. It makes a terrific light dinner, very little fuss. It's fun to make while entertaining a few friends; everyone can see how easy it is for such spectacular results. And you did it all from scratch, always a good thing.

I haven't mentioned proportions; you pretty much put it together until it "looks right." As a rule of tumb, for one pound meat, I'd use three cups potatoes, a cup of onions, and a half cup of peppers. Of course you can leave the peppers out. You can add other vegetables too, like zuchinni. The trick is what size to cut them ad how long to cook them, mostly trial and error. Zukes would get added when you add the meat, so they don't cook away. Experiment with whatever ingredients you have at hand; these isn't much you can do that won't be good.

Suggested wine: a robust cabernet, like around six dollars. This isn't a dish of subtlety. Or a nice Mexican beer, like Corona.

Suggested music: Bubbles in My Beer, by Bob Wills and the Texas Playboys (Tommy Duncan version). Hey, it's cowboy food.