Happy Belated Passover, Easter

Oh look, I missed both holidays. I usually relish cooking Kosher for Passover treats for my stepdaughter, as well as coloring Easter eggs and making brunch for my son. A trip to Seattle and illness (see below) wiped out both opportunities this year.

Instead, on Sunday, I made a potato-pepper hash with baked eggs for John and me. I couldn’t much taste it, but I thought it was very pretty. And John loved it, so that’s a good sign. (Plus, I make some version of this on a regular basis – it’s one of my favorites.)

I’m not even posting a formal recipe, dear readers, since this was all about cooking with what I had on hand, the day after returning from a trip. Roughly do this: saute diced mushrooms, peppers (I used red bell pepper, wished I’d had a jalapeño), leeks or onions, and potatoes together, in some butter or oil, slowly, partially covered, stirring frequently, until everything is nicely browned, about 30 minutes. A generous sprinkling of salt and pepper at some point is key. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees, then make four little wells in the hash (or one or two little wells, depending on how much hash you’ve made). Crack eggs into the wells, sprinkle with salt and pepper and a little cheese (cheddar, Parmesan, whatever you have), and transfer to the oven. Bake until the eggs are to your liking (about 6 minutes for cooked whites/soft yolks). I finished with a sprinkle of chopped scallions, although any fresh herb would be lovely. A pile of hot, buttered toast is a pretty killer accompaniment (unless you’re keeping Kosher for Passover; matzo would be delicious too).