Hash Browns, Spinach, and Froached Egg Stack

Hash Browns, Spinach, and Froached Egg Stack – Eat it NOW!

I announced “WOW! THAT WAS GOOD” really loud to absolutely nobody after I ate this. OK, my dog heard me and came running. I was winging it on my own last night as my husband and daughter went to go night skiing after a major snowstorm dump, and I had free reign to cook up whatever the heck I wanted for dinner. I wanted to put ERMAHGERD in the title, but knew that would only make my daughter’s eyes roll and many wonder what the heck that meant. OK so the other thing you might not know is a “froached” egg. This is something my mom always made for us growing up, which is a cross between a fried and poached egg. You start out by frying it in a little oil or butter, and once the whites are set on the bottom, you add water to the frying pan, then quickly cover it,  for one minute. This way you have the lovely taste of a fried egg, but not the hassle of having to flip it over. The egg whites are done through but the yolk is still nice and runny!

Exhibit A: A Fried Egg

Exhibit B: A Froached Egg

I had a small amount of fresh spinach left in the fridge, and was craving eggs. That sounded a bit too light for dinner with just those two items, but remembered seeing a post on Pinterest that had an egg stacked with spinach on a hash brown patty, here. That one had feta cheese on it, which gee, I didn’t have any. However, since I like to do my spinach up spicy and lemony, I knew I wouldn’t need that. That recipe also used fresh grated potatoes, and I waffled back and forth on doing that for say, two seconds. I used shredded hash browns from the freezer. I’m sure you could make this for a family, but I’d have to have some helpers if I needed to make more than one at a time!

Hash Browns Patty

Hash Browns, Spinach, and Froached Egg Stack

1 cup frozen shredded hash browns
1/2 tablespoon butter, or substitute
Paprika, ground black pepper, and salt to taste
1 teaspoon olive oil
Spray olive oil
A large handful of fresh spinach
Squeeze of lemon juice
A pinch of crushed red pepper flakes
Spray olive oil, again
One egg
More ground black pepper, to taste
1/4 cup water

Start off by adding the frozen hash browns to a glass measuring cup to the one cup line (give or take). Add the butter on top then microwave for one minute.  Add the paprika, pepper, and salt  to taste and mix up good. Yes, I used salt today. This was MY dinner. 🙂 Next, add the teaspoon of olive oil to a medium-hot skillet and plop the hash browns onto it and smoosh it down with a spatula and make it pretty and round, or so. Cook it until nice and crisp on the bottom until it holds its shape.  Once it is crisp enough on the bottom to flip,  spray some olive oil on the top of it, then flip it over with a wide spatula. Cook until crispy on that side, then remove to a plate and tent with a piece of foil to keep warm.

Wilted Spinach with Lemon and Crushed Red Pepper

Now spritz the pan with more olive oil and throw in a really large handful of fresh spinach. Squeeze some lemon juice over it (I just eyeballed, maybe a half of teaspoon? I didn’t have a fresh lemon and used the lemon ball thingy) and then cook it until wilted. OH! At the last minute add a pinch of crushed red pepper flakes. Gosh this is a great combination, as I’ve mentioned before.  Once the spinach is all wilted and yummy looking, spoon it on top of your hash browns patty and re-tent with the foil. Do not worry about the food being too cold. This comes together real quick, and the egg you are about to cook will help heat it all back up. Finally, spray a bit more olive oil into the pan, and gently crack an egg into it and grind a whole bunch of black pepper over it. Now comes the froaching part. Let that egg cook until the white is is solid all the way through and the edges of the whites start to sizzle. Now pour the 1/4 cup of water all around the edges of the egg, then immediately put a tight-fitting lid on the skillet. Let it “steam” for one minute exactly. Do not peek. Do not pass go. At the one minute mark, lift up the lid and you should see a fine example of a “froached” egg. Now take a slotted spatula and lift the egg out of the pan to drain a bit, then place on the hash browns and spinach stack. Grab your utensils and cut into the egg and watch mesmerized as the yellow runny yolk spreads its goodness down the stack. EAT IT NOW! I want one of these every day.

Hash Browns, Spinach, and Froached Egg Stack