Corned Beef Hash Patties

September 27: National Corned Beef Hash Day

Hawaii locals love their canned meats! Besides Spam, corned beef is another favorite food. Whenever we get together with fellow “expatriates” for a Hawaii homestyle get-together on the mainland, our friends Patrick and Phyllis S. often cook corned beef hash patties because they are a popular pupu. They are so ono (delicious) that they are eaten quickly. Add some aloha to an appetizer tray and cook corned beef hash patties on National Corned Beef Hash Day!

Recipe

(Adapted from Patrick and Phyllis S.)

Version I

• 3-4 jumbo potatoes (Russet)
• 1 medium onion, diced
• 1 can (12 ounces) corned beef
• 1 egg
• 1 cup bread crumbs (if mixture is too wet)
• salt and pepper to taste
• 1 tablespoon sugar
• oil for frying

Directions

Boil the potatoes in salted water until a fork easily goes into the middle of the potatoes.  Peel the potatoes then coarsely mash them. Dice the onions. Crumble the corned beef.

Add these to the mashed potatoes. Beat in the egg. Mix in the bread crumbs a little at a time (if mixture is too wet). Season with salt, pepper and sugar.

Refrigerate the soft mixture for 2-3 hours to firm up. Shape mixture into 2-inch round patties. Refrigerate for at least another 30 minutes. Heat a little oil in a skillet. Place a few patties (do not overcrowd) and fry over medium high heat until the bottom is browned and crisp. Carefully flip the patties over and continue frying. Drain on paper towels. Serve hot.

Version II

• 1 can (12 ounces) corned beef
• 3 cups frozen hash browns, thawed (or grated potatoes)
• 1 small onion, diced
• 1 egg
• 1-2 cups panko (Japanese bread crumbs)
• oil for frying

Directions

Place thawed hash browns or grated potatoes in a large mixing bowl. Add the chopped onions and corned beef. Mix well. Stir in the egg and combine well.

Roll into a small ball then flatten into 2-inch round patties. Refrigerate for at least an hour to set. Coat in panko. Fry like above. Drain on paper towels. Serve hot.

Notes 

• Patience is a virtue with this recipe. Make sure the corned beef hash patties are firm in the refrigerator before frying or they will fall apart. Brown them on one side completely before turning over and cooking the other side.
• We have another Hawaiian hash recipe for an island-style saute. Cook canned corned beef with tomatoes and onions following the directions on a prevous post. 

Spicy Garlic Eggplant

September 25: National Eggplant Day

We blogged about a Filipino-style eggplant omelet (tortang talong) before. This recipe post is about a Chinese-style side dish—eggplants in a spicy garlic sauce. Our Hawaii friends, Patrick and Phyllis S., introduced us to this appetizer when we all went to a Chinese restaurant in town. It tasted rich, spicy, garlicky and so very delicious!

We know that Patrick loves eggplants, so when we go to their house for a potluck meal, we bring tortang talong or this spicy garlic eggplant dish to make our host happy!

Celebrate National Eggplant Day with a simple Szechuan side dish and cook spicy garlic eggplant.

Recipe

(Adapted from AllRecipes.com) 

Ingredients

• 2 Asian eggplants
• 2+ tablespoons vegetable or canola oil
• ½ cup water
• ½ tablespoon crushed red pepper flakes (or to taste)
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 teaspoons sugar, granulated white or brown
• ½ teaspoon cornstarch
• 1 tablespoon soy sauce
• ½ tablespoon oyster sauce
• sliced green onions or chopped cilantro (optional garnish)

Directions

Wash and dry the eggplant. Trim off the top. Dice into 1-inch pieces and cut in half (moon-shape). Heat the oil in a skillet or wok. Add the eggplant pieces and cook until soft, gently stirring occasionally. Add more oil a little at a time, if needed, to cook the eggplant.  Pour in the water and red pepper flakes. Cover, lower the heat and simmer until the water is absorbed.

Stir in the minced garlic. In a measuring cup, combine the sugar, cornstarch, soy sauce and oyster sauce. Mix until smooth. Pour over the eggplant and mix well. When the sauce is thickened, remove from heat and transfer to a serving plate. Garnish with green onions or cilantro. Serve hot with plain rice.

Notes

• Other versions of this recipe include ground pork and minced ginger.
• Asian eggplants are of the long variety, although the fatter, rounder eggplants may be used. Cut the latter into bite-sized pieces and cook until soft but not mushy. Cooking time may vary, depending on the thickness of the eggplant.

Linguine with Shrimp

and Garlic Cream Sauce

September 15: National Linguine Day

Islander’s co-worker, Luigi M., invited us to dinner with his wife and daughter to celebrate Islander’s promotion from a part-timer to a rare full-timer position in their department back when we lived in Illinois. The hospitable family from Sardinia prepared a delicious dinner of bruschetta (Luigi insists on pronouncing it “broos-ketta”), salad (made with fresh vegetables and herbs from their garden), linguine with shrimp and garlic cream sauce and tiramisu!

We remember Luigi and his family every time we cook linguine (his nickname in Islander’s department was “Luigi Linguine, ” although he always brought his beloved bruschetta to potlucks and probably reserved his pasta dish for special dinners at his place).

In honor of her co-worker and in observance of National Linguine Day, we made linguine with shrimp and garlic cream sauce. Buon appetito!

Recipe

(Adapted from Luigi M.)

• ½ pound linguine pasta noodles
• 1 dozen jumbo shrimp, shelled and deveined
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 3-4 garlic cloves
• 2 tablespoons Italian parsley, chopped
• 1 cup sour cream
• salt and pepper to taste

Directions

Cook the linguine pasta noodles al dente, according to the package. Drain the water and keep the linguine warm. Meanwhile, in a large skillet, melt the butter and olive oil in medium heat. Sauté the garlic cloves until fragrant, about 2 minutes. Stir in the parsley.

Add the shrimp and cook until pink. Remove the shrimp from the skillet. Stir in the sour cream constantly so it does not separate from the butter and oil. When the sauce has a smooth and creamy consistency, season with salt and pepper. Put the shrimp back into the skillet and mix with the sauce. Put the linguine on plates and pour the sauce and shrimp over the noodles. Garnish with additional parsley (optional) and serve immediately.

Notes

• The garlic cloves may be minced instead of kept whole for this recipe.
• National Pasta Day is October 17. Search our blog for more recipe posts on pasta.