Spicy Sweet Potato Hash with Avocado Cream and Bloody Mary’s

So I woke up this morning with a hankering to make something spicy and fun for this Sunday Funday brunch. Looking up at my fruit and vegetable baskets, I spied an array of potential contenders to throw into the mix. Remembering that I had some fabulous slab bacon left over from last night, I grabbed a few sweet potatoes, onions and garlic and got to work putting together a hash. But as I was slicing and dicing, these two perfectly ripe avocados keep gazing forlornly at me, wondering why I had not included them in the morning’s festivities. Sitting next to these creamy beauties in the rough were a couple of tomatoes and lemons that wanted to get in the game too.

When I peeked in the fridge I was in for another surprise – a few garlic olives, half a bunch of cilantro, a jar of pickled purple onions and some surly looking horseradish root chimed in, wanting to join the party as well. What could I do with this crazy array of ingredients clamoring for my attention but whip up a plate of spicy sweet potato hash, topped with eggs over easy and avocado cream and paired with a homemade spicy bloody mary?!

Lucky you, now you can join the party too!

While it looks like a lot of ingredients, it does not take a lot of time to put together. You can make the bloody mary and the avocado cream while the hash is cooking. This recipe is not only gluten-free but grain-free, dairy-free, Paleo and Whole30. Bon appetit!

Spicy Sweet Potato Hash with Avocado Cream

Prep time: 15 minutes. Cook time: 25 minutes. Total time: 40 minutes. Serves 4.

Ingredients

Hash
6-8 ounces of nitrate-free slab bacon, cut into small thick slices (also called lardons)
2 large or 4 small sweet potatoes, washed and grated with the skins on (that would be 3 medium for those of you who have not had their coffee yet)
2 medium onions, diced
3 cloves of garlic, crushed
1/4 bunch of cilantro, soaked, rinsed and chopped – stems and all
salt to taste
10 or so grinds of pepper
generous pinch of ground chipotle pepper*
generous dash or two of sweet paprika*
8 organic large eggs

Avocado Cream
1/4 bunch of cilantro, soaked, rinsed and chopped – stems and all
2 ripe organic avocados
Juice of 2 limes – to taste
Salt and pepper to taste
Water to thin

Spicy Bloody Mary’s
1 C diced tomatoes – skins removed (drop tomatoes in boiling water for a few seconds and the skins will come right off)
3-4 healthy dashes of GF Worcestershire Sauce like McClure (use coconut aminos for Paleo)*
Juice of 1 lemon
Couple of tsp of horseradish, to taste
Couple of dashes of hot sauce, to taste*
Salt and pepper, to taste
Garnish – olives, pickled purple onions or other pickled veggie of your choice
NO celery of any kind – fresh, powdered or salt – because I detest celery and it’s my recipe 😉
2 tbsp or so of chicken broth or water to thin
A healthy slug of good quality GF vodka like Tito’s (omit for Paleo and Whole30)

Instructions

1. In a large, heavy bottomed frypan, fry bacon until crispy and drain on paper towels – reserve a couple tbsp of bacon grease in the pan and dispose of the rest
2. Saute onions and garlic in the bacon grease until translucent
3. Add shredded sweet potatoes and cook on medium, stirring frequently, until potatoes are soft and start to brown and crisp up (if they stick some to the bottom of the pan that is a good thing!)
4. Add seasonings to taste
5. Add bacon and cilantro
6. For Avocado Cream: combine all ingredients in a blender, bullet or food processor until creamy, adding more water as needed
7. Fry two eggs over easy and serve over hash with avocado cream
8. For Bloody Mary: combine all ingredients except garnish in a bullet, blender or food processor until smooth, adding water or chicken broth as needed to thin. Combine in a shaker with ice and shake vigorously. Poor into a highball glass and garnish with anything but celery – because celery is yucky!

Cook’s Note to Self: If at all possible write up your recipe BEFORE indulging in your second Bloody Mary!

Enjoy!