Arriba! Tex-Mex Hash

Tex-Mex recipes, if you have lived on another planet most of your life, are the fusion between true Mexican cuisine and what the cowboys ate. It is not at all Mexican food and should not be confused with it. Mexican food is complex with layers of flavor while Tex-Mex is more upfront, in your face, and simple.

It’s the difference between eating at Frontera Grill and Don Pablos.

If you are thinking that that looks like some pretty good nachos – think again. That is one of the diet staples of the Audet household…none other than Tex-Mex Hash. The hardest thing about making this dish  was measuring so I could share it with you.

Basically you can put any meat in hash. It was a dish created to be able to use up leftovers. Traditionally it is corned beef, potatoes, onions, and maybe even beets. Well, that may be how they do it in New York City but in Texas we dance to a different fiddler, so to speak.

You can use left over taco filling if you like, or any other meat you have. I used ground beef in this because I was making it more as a quick dinner than a way to use up leftovers. Anything and everything can be substituted with great results except that you need the Ro*Tel tomatoes and the potatoes.

Tex-Mex Hash

serves 8

• 2 slices of bacon
• 1 large or 2 small onions, peeled and chopped
• 8 medium size potatoes- peeled if not organic otherwise just washed and cubed
• 1 bell pepper , chopped
• 1/2 lb mushrooms sliced, optional
• 1 1/2 lbs ground beef
• 1 tbs cumin
• Salt and pepper to taste
• 1/4 cup chopped  fresh cilantro
• 1/2 cup beer
• 2 cans Ro*Tel tomatoes with chilis
• 2 cups cheddar or colby or jack cheese
• 6 corn tortillas, cut in small cubes and fried into chips
• 6 corn tortillas cut in wedges and fried into chips for garnish
• Sour cream

Instructions

1. Cut the bacon into squares and begin to fry it in a large saute pan. You want a nice amount of fat in the pan.
2. Add potatoes, onions, and pepper and saute until almost done but still crisp tender.
3. Add the ground beef, mushrooms, and seasonings, and saute until vegetables are done and meat is almost done.
4. Add cilantro, beer, and tomatoes and simmer uncovered until the most of the liquid is absorbed or evaporates.
5. Mix in the chips that were cut in cubes
6. Sprinkle the cheese over top and allow a minute to melt.
7. Serve immediately with a dollop of sour cream