Hashing it out
Those pragmatic Colonial housewives sure knew how to stretch a meal. After corning heaps of beef for a New England boiled dinner, they'd wake up bright and early and - with nothing but a sharp knife and a hot, buttered skillet - transform leftovers into a nourishing morning treat. Potatoes and onions were favorites, as were red beets, which tinted plain-Jane corned beef hash a cheery red and gave it a touch of sweetness.
What used to be prudence, though, has become an indulgence. These days, red flannel hash is pretty decadent fare - often crowned with poached or fried eggs and slathered with buttery hollandaise.
Ignoring our LDL levels for a weekend, we surveyed the city's buffet of brunch menus and forked up two especially good versions: at Johnnie's on the Side in Government Center and Henrietta's Table in Harvard Square. Both kitchens poached the eggs so perfectly that their ruddy-gold centers gushed forth with a gentle prick of the fork. Henrietta's tangy hollandaise out-sauced Johnnie's slightly thicker concoction, as did the superior bread options (try the cranberry-walnut).
But Johnnie's fired back when it came to the meat - and potatoes - of the matter. The inventive coupling of creamer spuds with both red and gold beets beat out Henrietta's one-color take. And though Henrietta's rallied with finely chopped hash and crunchy edges, Johnnie's held strong with rough-cut cubes strewn with crispy threads of beef and wispy chives.
Advantage, Johnnie's on the Side.
TRY IT TODAY
Red flannel hash, $10
Johnnie's on the Side, 138 Portland St., Boston. 617-227-1599. johnniesonthe side.com
JUST TRY IT, ALREADY
Red flannel hash, $9.50
Henrietta's Table, 1 Bennett St., Cambridge. 617-661-5005.
