Hash Browned Golden Beets and Yams

Hash browns are a favourite weekend breakfast staple for many people across North America, but there's no reason just to use potatoes — beets, sweet potatoes, yams and squash are delicious hashed and browned as well. Because of the high sugar content of sweet potatoes, yams or squash, they must be stirred constantly to avoid burning and and they don't crisp up as well as potatoes. But used side by side with potatoes or beets in a hash, they provide a wonderful contrast in not only flavour but texture as well.

My favourite variation is hash browned golden beets and yams — the beets, cooked lightly ahead of time, are firm, crisp and browned while appearing to nestle in a bed of mashed and browned yams. Red beets work just as well as golden beets, of course, but their colour tends to bleed through all the other ingredients. Because of the comparatively strong flavours of beets and yams, I don't like to mix them with too many spices or other flavourings like you might with potatoes — a little onion, garlic, salt and pepper are all I find that should be added.

Hash browned golden beets and yams

3 tablespoons olive oil
1 large onion, chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
1 large golden beet, cooked only just through, peeled and diced
1 yam, cooked, peeled and diced
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
fresh ground black pepper

Heat a large frying pan or wok over high heat. When hot, pour in the olive oil, wait a few seconds, then swirl around the pan. Toss in the onions right away and fry, stirring frequently, for a few minutes or until they start to turn brown. Add the garlic and fry for another minute.

Add the diced beet, stirring pretty much constantly, for about 10 minutes until they are well-browned on all sides. Add the diced yam and continue to fry, stirring constantly and to the bottom of the pan to avoid sticking, for about 5 minutes to let the yam start browning.

Just before serving, stir in the salt and grind black pepper to taste over the hash. Serves 2.