Crispy Parboiled Potato Hash with Smoked Sausage and Butter-Basted Eggs

Method

1. Cut the unpeeled potatoes into 2 cm cubes. Put the water, salt and vinegar in a 18 cm pot, cover and bring to a boil over high heat (about 8 min), then add the potatoes. When it boils again, turn down to medium heat and simmer for 6 min, until a knife slides easily into the outside of a cube but the centre still feels slightly firm. The vinegar keeps the surface from falling apart.

   Add in this stepWater for boiling 1 LSalt for the water 1½ tspWhite vinegar 1 tspPotatoes (all-purpose or yellow) 440 g

   high heat→medium heat

2. Drain the potatoes in a colander and shake it two or three times to rough up the edges. Leave them to steam dry for 3 min; that fuzzy surface becomes the crunchy crust. Meanwhile cut the onion and bell pepper into 1.5 cm pieces, seed and finely chop the jalapeño, slice the garlic thinly and cut the sausage into 1 cm coins.

3. Heat part of the oil in a 26 cm cast-iron skillet over medium heat, add the sausage in one layer and sear for 4 min, turning once, until deep brown on both sides. Set it aside on a plate.

   Add in this stepSmoked sausage 160 gVegetable oil ½ tbsp

   medium heat

4. Add the rest of the oil, raise the heat to medium-high heat and lay the potatoes in a single layer. Cook them in 1 batch(es) if your pan is small. Leave them untouched for 7 min, until the underside is deep golden, then turn and cook 6 min more, adding half the butter in the last minute and tossing to coat. On a campfire, move the pan over the hottest coals.

   Add in this stepVegetable oil 1 tbspButter 13 g

   medium-high heat

5. Turn the heat down to medium heat, add the onion, bell pepper, jalapeño, garlic and thyme and cook for 4 min, until the vegetables are just charred at the edges. Return the sausage and all the potatoes, season with the flaky salt and pepper, divide between plates and cover with foil to keep warm.

   Add in this stepRed onion 1Bell pepper 1Jalapeño ½Garlic cloves 2Fresh thyme sprigs 3Flaky salt ¼ tspCoarse black pepper ¼ tsp

   medium heat

6. Wipe out the skillet with a paper towel, add the remaining butter and melt it over medium-low heat. Crack in the eggs; once the edges of the whites start to set, tilt the pan slightly and keep spooning the foaming butter over the whites and yolks for 3 min. They are done when the whites are fully opaque and the yolks look glossy.

   Add in this stepButter 13 gEggs 2

   medium-low heat

7. Top the hash with the eggs, scatter over the chives and serve with hot sauce. Break the yolks and let them run into the potatoes like a sauce.

   Add in this stepChives (or scallions), finely sliced 1½ tbspHot sauce, to taste to taste