Sorry more leftovers to share with you here today, but never fear, I promise you this is the last of them! The roast beef is now finished . . . but what a tasty way to go!
I have often made pan fried roast beef hash with my leftover meat and potatoes . . . this version of hash is a tad bit different in that it isn't really fried, but baked.
It makes use of your leftover cooked roast beef, and any leftover potatoes you might have languishing in the refrigerator.
You begin by sauteing (without browning) some chopped onions, red and green bell peppers and celery in a bit of bacon fat. Mmmm . . . bacon fat . . .
Do you save your bacon fat??? I have for years, and let me tell you it comes in mighty handy when it comes to things like this. You can strain it and keep it in a jar in the refrigerator where it will keep for quite a while.
Don't worry if you haven't got any bacon fat. Just use some oil or butter in it's place. Bacon fat does make for a nice flavor however.
Once your vegetables have softened you can add your potato and your beef. They cook for a few more minutes. You won't be so much browning them as you will be heating them through.
At that point you will add your leftover gravy. Don't worry if you haven't got any leftover gravy. You can use gravy made from gravy powder if you must. Or you can use a tin of soup, but I would use gravy over soup any time.
Into this mixture stir in some tomato ketchup, Worcestershire sauce and some seasoning. Taste it. Remember your gravy is probably seasoned already from when you had it the other night and your bacon fat will be a bit salty also.
So do taste it and if you think it needs more seasoning, then add it.
This then gets spread into a buttered shallow casserole dish. Mine is about 7 inches by 11 inches.
Slice some ripe tomatoes and place them on top in a decorative manner. These also get seasoned lightly and sprinkled with some dried basil and dotted with butter. Mmmm . . .
Into the oven it goes for a little less than half an hour. Just about enough time for you to cook some vegetables to serve on the side or make a salad, or both!
I cooked some carrots today, seasoning them with a tiny knob of butter, salt, pepper and nutmeg. I then chopped them up with an clean and empty tin can that I keep just for that purpose. Works a charm
We also had some corn niblets. This went down a real treat!
Yield: 4 - 6
Author: Marie Rayner
Old Fashioned Baked Hash
Simple and incredibly tasty. Your family is sure to love this tasty combination of leftovers and fresh vegetables.ingredients:
- 2 TBS bacon drippings
- 1 small onion, peeled and diced
- 1 small green pepper, trimmed and diced
- 3 TBS finely chopped red pepper
- 1 stick of celery, trimmed and chopped
- 325g chopped cooked potato (1 cup)
- 300g diced cooked beef (2 cups)
- 360g leftover beef gravy (1 1/2 cups)
- 2 heaped dessert-spoons of tomato ketchup
- salt and black pepper to taste
- 1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
- 2 ripe tomatoes, sliced
- 2 TBS butter
- 1/4 tsp dried basil, crumbled
instructions:
How to cook Old Fashioned Baked Hash
- Preheat the oven to 180*C/350*F/ gas mark4. Butter a shallow casserole dish, or individual sized casserole dishes.
- Heat the bacon drippings in a skillet and saute the onions, green and red peppers and celery for two to three minutes. Add the potatoes and meat and cook for about two minutes longer. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Add the leftover gravy, tomato ketchup, and Worcestershire sauce. Bring to the boil then pour/spoon into the prepared casserole dish.
- Place the sliced tomatoes evenly over top of the meat and potato mixture. Sprinkle with the basil, and more salt and pepper. Dot with the butter.
- Bake in the preheated oven for 20 to 25 minutes until browned. Serve hot with your favorite vegetables, pickles or salad on the side.
Being able to create delicious main dishes with your leftovers turns your leftovers into delicious options that nobody turns their noses up at. In fact my family always used to look forward to the leftovers. With a bit of thrift and ingenuity you can make a silk purse from a sows ear!
