Summer Vegetable Hash

I am a huge fan of hash for breakfast, its a great way to get lots of veggies onto your plate, smothered in egg yolk! I like to throw in greens, onions and some sort of sturdy vegetable like a potato or squash. This recipe has lots of summer vegetables in it because we are hitting the season of bumper crops; summer squashes and zucchinis. There is never enough ways to use them up! I have also been buying huge, gorgeous heirlooms that I like to throw in at the very last second, just to warm them through. This gives you a nice contrast of sweet squash and tangy tomato that goes so well with the creamy yolk, mmmm!! Golden egg squash is a newer hybrid squash that is sweeter and creamier than summer squash. The skin is thin and completely edible and the seeds are soft, I just love it. Just chop it up and throw it into all your favorite squash recipes. I also like adding a meat component to my hashes, it allows you to get lots of great, fatty flavor without actually using a lot of fat. I just chop up 2 pieces of bacon that coat all the vegetables nicely and give you occasional bits of meaty goodness. You can also use rotisserie chicken, crumbled sausage or I have even thrown in leftover salmon, flaked in at the last minute with the tomato.

This recipe serves 4.

Ingredients

2 Pieces pasture raised pork bacon, chopped.
1 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
2 Cups rainbow chard, leaves and stems chopped and separated.
1 Small golden egg squash, you need 2 cups chopped. Zucchini or a young summer squash can be used.
1 Small organic spring onion, peeled and chopped.
3 Cloves organic garlic, minced or grated.
Spring fresh, organic thyme, leaves only, chopped.
Sprig fresh, organic oregano, leaves only, chopped.
3 Tbsp fresh, organic chives, chopped.
1 fresh, organic bay leaf
1 Medium, organic heirloom tomato, chopped.
4 Farm raised eggs
1 Cup pasture raised sharp cheese, I used a goat milk gouda, shredded.

Directions

In a large saute pan, I use a cast iron, heat the olive oil over medium high heat and saute the bacon till it is crispy. Add in the vegetables and herbs, except the tomatoes and the rainbow chard leaves (the stems can go in with the rest of the veggies to cook first). Cook till the veggies are soft, about 7 minutes, if your pan starts to get dry add in some extra bacon fat or olive oil. Add in the chard leaves and cook for another minute to wilt them. Turn off the heat and add in the tomatoes just to heat them through, stir gently so that you don't break them up.

In a small nonstick pan cook the eggs till they are the way you like them, I like mine over easy.

To serve: place a bed of hash in the bottom of a lipped plate, we call them blates (cross between a bowl and a plate). Top with the farm fresh egg and a generous helping of sharp cheese! Break the yolk and let it coat all your veggies and enjoy!!