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Quick hash uses
canned corn beef

Corned beef hash is a staple of the southern states, but somehow has burrowed its way into our local cuisine. You'll find it on breakfast menus and as a point-and-pick choice at okazuyas. It's also easy to make at home, for anytime dining.

Paulette Edmonston asked for a recipe, using canned corned beef.

So this formula is the lazy man's version, using canned meat and frozen potatoes. You could also used instant mashed potatoes and get similar results.

It's real tasty, but if you have more time on your hands -- and some leftover corned beef -- you can bump up the flavor a lot by working from scratch.

Shred the corned beef, then cut into fine pieces. Add a large, fresh potato that has been cooked until soft (mash half of it and cut the rest into cubes). Proceed with the recipe as written.

The formula is easily adaptable to personal preference: Add more of less of the potatoes, depending on whether you like a meatier or starchier patty. Worcestershire sauce, mustard, soy sauce or hot sauce can also be added to the mix. Diced bell peppers (red or green) are also compatible.

If you're not a beef-eater, you can still make use of this recipe -- sub out the corned beef and use canned salmon or tuna. For that matter, you could go vegetarian and use okara (soy bean meal, sold next to tofu in supermarkets).

For breakfast, serve with poached or fried eggs. For lunch, enjoy a pair of patties as a main dish, or one as a side dish with any plate-lunch-type meal.

Corned Beef Hash

Adapted from "Favorite Island Cookery Book III" (Honpa Hongwanji Hawaii Betsuin, 1979)

1 12-ounce can corned beef
2 cups frozen hash browns, thawed
1/2 cup minced onion
1/2 teaspoon sugar
1/4 teaspoon pepper
2 tablespoons ketchup
1 egg
1 tablespoon vegetable oil

Crumble corned beef into mixing bowl. Add hash browns, onion, sugar, pepper and ketchup. Toss by hand to mix, mashing some of the potatoes. Add egg and work by hand into mixture. Form into 12 patties.

Heat oil in skillet. Fry patties in batches until browned on both sides. Serves 6.

Variation: Substitute canned salmon or tuna (oil-packed) for corned beef, deleting ketchup.

Approximate nutritional analysis, per serving: 240 calories, 12 g. fat, 4 g saturated fat, 85 mg cholesterol, 660 mg sodium, 15 g carbohydrates, 1 g fiber, 2 g sugar, 18 g protein.

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