Corned beef hash is your favourite dish you havent had in years, so remind yourself of a simple pleasure. Its easy on the wallet, too

Corned beef may not be the most fashionable of foodstuffs, but whether you buy it from a butcher or supermarket value range, its a good thing to keep around for those rainy days that demand quick culinary comfort. This crisp, carby hash zingy with mustard and sweet from the peas is a simple pleasure, but if you havent had it in a while, you may be surprised by just how good it is.

Prep 10 min
Cook 30 min
Serves 4

2 large onions
2 large floury potatoes (about 275-300g each), such as maris piper
700ml beef stock
1 generous knob butter, or a splash of oil
400g corned beef
200g frozen or tinned peas (optional)
2 tbsp grain mustard (or to taste)
2 tbsp Worcestershire sauce (or to taste)
Salt and black pepper
4 eggs (optional)
400g kale, cabbage or spring greens (optional)
Chopped chives, to serve (optional)

1 Prep the veg

Peel and finely slice the onions. Wash the potatoes, then cut them into rough 1cm cubes, leaving the skin on. Heat the beef stock to a simmer. Meanwhile, melt the butter in a large, ovenproof frying pan set over a medium-low heat, then fry the onion, stirring frequently, until soft and golden.

2 Saute the potatoes

Turn up the heat a bit and tip in the cubed potatoes, stirring to coat them in the butter. Saute for a couple of minutes, until some of them are beginning to brown, making sure the onions dont burn in the meantime, then pour in the hot stock and stir the pan to dislodge any stuck spuds.

3 Cook the potatoes

Bring the stock to a simmer, then turn down the heat and leave to bubble away for about 15-20 minutes, until the potatoes are very tender. Meanwhile, boil the kettle; the stock should reduce to a thick gravy in the process, but if the pan looks like its boiling dry towards the end of the cooking time, stir in a splash of hot water from the kettle.

4 Add the corned beef

Heat the grill to medium. While its warming up, chop the corned beef into rough 1cm chunks, then stir these into the pan along with the peas, if using; frozen or even tinned are fine theyll cook through in the heat of the other ingredients, though if youre using frozen, rinse them to get rid of any ice first.

5 Warm through

Add the mustard and Worcestershire sauce, then turn up the heat and cook, giving it an occasional stir, for five minutes, until the hash has heated right through. Taste and adjust the seasoning adding salt and pepper, and more mustard or Worcestershire sauce, as necessary.

6 Crisp the top

Put the pan under the hot grill for about five minutes, until the top is crisp and golden. Meanwhile, if youre planning to serve eggs alongside the hash, put a splash of oil or a little butter in a fresh frying pan and put over a medium-high heat. Crack the eggs into the pan and fry to your liking, seasoning towards the end of cooking.

7 Serve with a fried egg

Divide the hash between warmed plates, and top each portion with a fried egg. You could also top it with a sprinkling of finely chopped chives or parsley, a scattering of chilli flakes or a dash of hot sauce, if the idea takes your fancy: corned beef hash is a very good-tempered dish that can take all manner of tinkering.

8 or, for a greener version

If youd like to incorporate some greens into the hash as well as peas, wash and finely shred around 400g kale, cabbage or spring greens, and stir them into the pan along with the corned beef, adding a splash more water at the same time, to help them wilt and cook down.

9 or spice things up a bit

For a spicy take on the hash, saute a deseeded and sliced red chilli with the onion, plus a diced green pepper, if you like, and replace 100g of the corned beef with 100g cubed chorizo. Season with salt and smoked paprika in place of black pepper, and serve with a dollop of soured cream.

Read more: http://www.theguardian.com/us