April's Sweet Potato Hash

Crispy, sweet, soft, and savory - if you treat a sweet potato right, you get results. And by "right," I mean adding Smokehaus bacon and fried sage. April came up with this recipe recently in what can only be considered a fit of genius. Try it on Thanksgiving, on Christmas, or on any given weekend with a couple of poached eggs. 

Aprils Sweet Potato Hash

3 medium-large sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into 1” cubes

2 Tbsp olive oil

1 Tbsp butter

1 medium yellow onion, small-diced

¼ lb bacon, cut into small cubes

1 bunch of fresh sage

Kosher salt, to taste

Fresh-ground black pepper, to taste

Directions:

Put a large pot of salted water on to boil. Once boiling, add the sweet potatoes and cook until just fork-tender, but not soft. Heat 1 Tbsp of the oil in a large, heavy skillet on medium. Add the sage and fry, gently flipping over, until it is crisp (this won’t take long – about 3-5 minutes). Remove the crispy sage to a plate and, while still warm, sprinkle with a little salt.

In the same skillet, add the bacon and onion and cook until the onion is soft, about 10 minutes. Remove mixture and drain off most of the bacon fat, but leave a teaspoon or so to flavor the potatoes. Add the butter, and once melted, add the sweet potatoes in an even layer.

Allow the sweet potatoes to brown on one side and then re-incorporate the onions and bacon. Cook all the ingredients until desired crispiness is reached with the potatoes. Salt and pepper to taste and garnish with the fried sage.

Duluth Maple Pumpkin Pie

We use Duluth maple syrup in this pumpkin pie recipe - it is harvested right up the hill by one of our salmon fisherman, Dave Rogotzke, and his wife and children. The addition of maple syrup gives the pie a mellow sweetness, and the fresh ginger and black pepper really make it sing.

Duluth Maple Pumpkin Pie

1 9” Flaky Pie crust

2 large eggs

15 ounces pumpkin puree

2 cups of heavy cream

½ cup of locally-made maple syrup

¾ tsp cinnamon

½ tsp grated fresh ginger

Pinch of ground nutmeg

Pinch of ground cloves

Pinch of fresh-ground black pepper

½ tsp kosher salt

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees, adjusting an oven rack to the lowest position. Whisk together all the ingredients with 1 cup of the cream. Pour the mixture into the crust and bake on the lowest oven rack, on a baking sheet, for 60-70 minutes or until the center is set. Remove from oven and let cool completely before serving – overnight is optimal. To serve, whip the remaining cup of cream (add sugar, if desired) and give the slices a dollop.

Brussels Sprouts with Chorizo

This recipe has been known to convert the pickiest of vegetable-phobes; as usual, the incorporation of meat is just the thing to do the trick. Adapted from Saveur, our Chorizo really makes it sing. 

Smokehaus Brussels Sprouts

2 lbs fresh Brussels sprouts

1/4 lb Chorizo, small-diced

2 Tbsp olive oil

Kosher salt, to taste

3-4 shallots, small-diced

3 cloves of garlic, minced

Fresh-ground black pepper, to taste 

Directions:

Put a large pot of salted water on to boil. Trim and halve the sprouts. When the water comes to a boil, drop in the sprouts and cook until just tender, 7-10 minutes. Drain and let cool. Heat 1 Tbsp of the oil in a large, heavy skillet on medium-high. Add the chorizo and brown. Add the shallots and cook until soft, then add the garlic and cook until soft; about 2 more minutes. Remove this mixture to a bowl. Turn up the heat on the skillet and add remaining 1 Tbsp of oil. Add the Brussels sprouts and cook until browned and tender. Incorporate the Chorizo mixture and add salt and pepper to taste.

Smoked Salmon Egg Bake

"Egg Bake" is a general term here in the Midwest for a large baked egg casserole, with infinite room for variations - some include lining the pan with buttered toast, fried potatoes, polenta, or even pancakes. Here is a great recipe for a smoked salmon egg bake which cuts out the starch to make room for flavor.

Northern Waters Smokehaus Egg Bake with Smoked Salmon

Preheat Oven at 350 degrees

Butter a 13x9 casserole dish

Ingredients:

2 Tbsp butter

12 eggs - We use the unbeatable Locally Laid, a Duluth egg concern

3/4 cup of shredded cheese, such as Gruyere, Prairie Breeze,  or Manchego

1 medium red onion, thin-sliced

1/2 lb  smoked salmon with dill, skinned and flaked

2-3 Tbsp capers, to taste

2/3 cup grated Parmigiano

Salt and Pepper to taste

Preparation:

Saute the onion in a medium saucepan until translucent. Remove from heat. Whisk the eggs, shredded cheese, capers, salt, and pepper in a large bowl.

Scatter the bottom of the casserole dish with 1/2 of the sauteed onion. Evenly pour the egg mixture over them. Next, scatter the smoked salmon over the egg mixture and top with the remaining onion. Finally, sprinkle with the Parmigiano.

Bake for 25-30 minutes, or until the egg has set in the center. Let cool 10-15 minutes before devouring.