Old School Grated Hash Browns

I've had Hash Browns many ways. There's the chunky cubed kind (my recipe here); fast food formed ones that look like a large flatten tater tot; and Old School Grated Hash Browns.

I like them all. With the cubed kind you can add a lot of tasty sauteed veggies like onion, scallion, herbs, and bell pepper (and here's my recipe for that type.) With some fast food types you can eat the large crunchy wafer, dipped in ketchup, with your hands. But there is something about Grated Hash Browns that I like best.

Mainly, it's the crunchy outside and tender-moist inside that work together sublimely. And it's simply done by grating the potato. That makes it easy to spread out on a pan to get even browning and crunch. I guess they are similar to Latkes, except you will use a lot less oil, and no egg -- these Hash Browns are much lighter.

I like to add some grated, or fine-chopped, onion to my Hash Browns, but if you are a purist, it's okay to leave the onion out.

That's it, just one or two ingredients, a little oil, and salt and pepper to taste.

 And Spuds are a bargain -- how about 8 pounds of potatoes for 99 cents? Not even yellow onions come this cheap. Of course, I don't get find these prices every day, but I always get them for way less than a dollar per pound. You could use more expensive red and white potatoes if you have them lying around, but I prefer plain old russet potatoes. They brown nicely and develop a crisp exterior.

Also, I like to add a touch of grated (or finely chopped) onion. When caramelized you get a hint of sweetness.

Here are some breakfast recipes to pair with my Old School Grated Hash Browns, just click on any name to see the recipe: Pastrami and Scrambled Eggs,  Eggs Benedict, Swiss Chard and Cheese Omelet, Huevos Rancheros, Jewish Scrambled Eggs, Homemade Egg McMuffin, Breakfast Burrito, Coconut Oatmeal, Chorizo & Eggs Breakfast Tacos, French Toast, Spanish Omelet, Pita & Scrambled Eggs, Tex-Mex Migas, Squash Blossom Omelet, Scrambled Eggs and Refried Beans, Billionaire's Crab Omelet, Sweet Potato Hash, and Fried Eggs on Breadcrumbs with Asparagus. Or pair my Hash Brown recipe with any or of your favorite breakfast recipes.

If you have an old beat-up box grater like I do, then fry up some Old School Grated Hash Browns for your next breakfast. (And I don't have to remind you how cheap russet potatoes and brown onions are.)

Ingredients (1-2 servings)

• 1 medium potato - about 1 cup grated. Russet potatoes are best. Wash them off - peeled or not.
• 1/4 small onion - optional. Any type grated or finely chopped (I used a cheap yellow onion.) Okay to use even less onion, to taste.
• 1 tablespoon oil - any favorite type.
• Salt and pepper to taste

Directions
To prepare potato, use the box grater's largest grate holes. You could also use a food processor. You can remove the potato skin or leave it on (wash off the dirt.) If you are preparing grated potatoes ahead of time then store them submerged in water - this keeps grated potato from turning too brown. Drain when ready to use. (Grated potatoes will turn slightly red/brown anyway, but when cooked, turn lighter again.)

Grate or fine chop 1/4 onion (optional.) Mix grated potato and onion together. Form into a mound and squeeze the onion/potato with a clean hand to get rid of some liquid. This will make less soggy hash browns.

I got one cup total out of the grated potato and onion. (The recipe is easy to double for more servings.)

Add a tablespoon of oil to a medium-hot pan. When the oil is hot, add grated potato and onion. Spread it out to about a 1/4 inch thick. Season with salt and pepper.

You don't want hash browns spread too thin or they will be all crunch, without a soft center. It's really up to you how thick you like your hash brown patty -- try different thicknesses.

Don't stir or break up the potato and onion patty, let it brown evenly on the bottom. After a few minutes, the edges should start to brown. Mine took about 5 minutes. Loosen with a spatula and peak under the hash browns -- you are looking for a nice brown color. Turn them over when brown enough.

The other side doesn't need to cook as long, just enough to cook through, about 3 more minutes. Of course, if you like your hash browns extra crunchy then cook both sides until brown. Try a small piece of Hash Browns to check for doneness.

Serve with the brownest side up, along with your favorite breakfast. I like sunny side up eggs with whole-grain toast.

S & W Country Diner - Breakfast Burrito Review

Their Breakfast Burrito is the bomb, or a gut bomb! Served on a plate with Mexican Rice and Refried Pinto Beans, the Breakfast Burrito from S & W Country Diner is loaded. This is a Cali/Mex classic grande burrito.

The eggs are scrambled, the bacon is crisp and in large pieces, and the hash browns are of the shredded variety.

 The Pico de Gallo of chopped onion, tomato, and cilantro is fresh, all wrapped in a large flour tortilla topped with a mild Salsa Verde (green tomatillo) and melted, shredded Cheddar Cheese. Who could ask for more?

The Breakfast Burrito is bookended with Refried Beans and Mexican Rice. The Refried Beans are made the way I like them. Refried Beans are sometimes mashed to mush, but I like them with a bit of texture from small, solid pieces. The Mexican Rice is tangy and blushed with tomato sauce/paste. This is the way I had Beans and Rice when I lived in the Mexican border state of Texas.

The flour tortilla is extra-large and bulging with typical breakfast ingredients. The Breakfast Burritos I've had usually are stuffed with beans and rice, but this version has Hash Browns instead - I enjoyed this version.

You can skip lunch after this breakfast. My wife kept it simple with Eggs Over Easy, Hash Browns, and Turkey Sausage.

They make a darn good cup of Joe. We arrived after the breakfast rush. The service is quick and efficient, keeping the coffee cup filled - you don't even have to ask for water.

Click on any photo to see larger.

The decor is old-school diner with vintage posters and classic metal signage. You seat yourself at the counter or tables - we sat in a roomy red upholstered booth.

Bring a fat wallet as the Diner is "Cash Only". Breakfast with coffee for two was $41.86, excluding the tip. 

The Breakfast Menu is as large as the Lunch Menu. All the familiar diner classics are here to enjoy.

In the heart of Culver City and next to the Kirk Douglas Theater, S & W Country Diner has metered parking out front and parking structures nearby. 

S & W Country Diner is home cooking in the big city with a small-town atmosphere. They are open for breakfast and lunch and closed by 2pm.

I think my next breakfast will be  Eggs Over Easy with Biscuits and Gravy.

S & W COUNTRY DINER

OPEN 8AM – 2PM DAILY

9748 Washington Blvd. 

Culver City, CA 90232

310.204.5136

Website: https://sandwdiner.com

Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/biz/s-and-w-country-diner-culver-city

Top 9 Recipes of 2014

Living high on the hog  was dirt cheap this year and here are my Top 9 Recipes of 2014 to prove it! While there were fewer recipes to choose from, my picks this year are still top shelf. (I took off the summer from posting food recipes, and instead posted a video series on my enlightening and entertaining Indian Summer Vacation.) And click on any recipe name to see what I'm talking about.

To start with I made an earthy Vegetarian Mushroom Soup using crimini, white button and portabella mushrooms, that I purchashed from my local 99c only Store. I also bought pungent veggie broth and some cheap white wine to simmer the fungus in. I brought some to my workplace for my vegetarian friends and they raved about it.

I've been making Old School Hash Browns for breakfast all year long. I like to pair them with 2 sunny side up eggs, so the warm yoke soaks and flavors the crisp and tender sauteed potatoes - it's a perfect combination. Some hash browns are chunky; I like mine grated with some added onion, and grilled until a hard crisp shell is formed, but the center is still moist. You definitely want to try my recipe out - it's so simple but so delicious.

Probably some of my craziest recipes are from my Sushi Video Series. Yup, you read right, raw fish. Of course I couldn't have done it without being friends with my neighbor Don the fisherman. Most summers he goes off the coast of Baja, Mexico and brings back slabs of yellowtail and bluefin tuna, that he hands out for free!

Now, I know this is a cheat for cheap$kate ingredients. But I made an exception and went ahead and did a sushi recipe series anyway. If you make friends with a fisherman then you're in luck. But, I have a few inexpensive shortcuts you can use.

It's funny how persnickety and intimidating sushi chefs are. Chat a bit with one and they are really pleasant. As for making sushi, it's not that hard, if you just roll with it. I give you easy GIFs and illustrated photos to get you through the hard parts - believe me it's not that hard to do, and don't worry if the end result is not perfect - it will still taste good. Start with a hand roll, that's easiest to do.

Also, I did include a few cheap$kate ingredients anyone can get, like krab. You definitely want to try out my California Roll that's made with avocado, cucumber and krab (it's fake crab, but I think it's an inexpensive and tasty substitution over the real thing.)



My favorite 2 sushi recipes from the video series are: Spicy Tuna Hand Roll and a California Roll.



My wife picked up some ceramic ramekins this year so I had to make use of them. What I came up with is a luscious Baked Eggs Florentine. So good, just spinach in a cream sauce with a fresh broken egg on top. It's a handsome dish that's made to impress, but still simple to make.

And I close out with the final three recipes using cheap chicken. My wife loves Trader Joe's Curried White Chicken Deli Salad with cashews and raisins, and so do I. Trader Joe's is a great local market here in Los Angeles. They make a lot of prepared food to take home. There curried chicken salad is exceptional, so much so that they run out of it by the time I get off work, so that's why I made my ripoff (I mean homage) recipe. It's wife approved, so I know you will like it too.

Chicken Caccaitore is a one pot meal, easy on the pocketbook and tasty, just the way I like it. Serve it with a little pasta or rice.

And this year I tried my hand at Fried Chicken. Almost everyone has their own favorite recipe, well here's mine. And if you are a newbie at it, then start with this recipe. I made a Fried Chicken Sandwich recipe video that's easy to follow. I use boneless and skinless chicken, but you can use any whole chicken pieces you find on sale. I also throw in a cheap$kate Homemade Buttermilk recipe.



Roasted Chicken with Peaches & Herbs is a great combination - one of my favorite recipes of the year. It's sweet with caramelized fruit and succulent roast chicken, and the herbs take it all to another level. Plus it's another one-pot meal that is so easy to assemble. Just check out my recipe video below to see how it's done.



Well that's it. I had a delicious year of cooking and I hope you did too, especially if you've tried any of my Top 9 Recipes of 2014.