This Updated West Virginia Hash dish is a humble nod to my childhood. West Virginia Hash was one of my favorite meals while I was growing up, long forgotten until my mother and I found this recipe in her recipe box last year. Of course, I had to update the recipe to make it mine. First, I added copious amounts of greens because, well, our garden produces copious amounts of greens. Any greens will do – spinach, kale, mustard, beet greens, collards… I actually think of this updated version of West Virginia Hash as a greens dish with hearty fillers. Which brings me to the rice – I use brown rice in this recipe rather than white rice – this is a one-dish meal, and the rice is a substantial filler-upper element. Finally, I don’t use tomato sauce because I like the texture of diced tomatoes. These updates don’t change the dish, they just make it more satisfying, and dare I say, healthful.
But you cannot omit the green peppers, onions, or ground beef, because then it wouldn’t be West Virginia Hash! Ron tolerates this meal. It keeps body and soul together, he tells me, quoting his father. It’s his way of saying it’s just comfort food. But I ask you, what’s wrong with food that’s comforting? Especially if it evokes memories from your childhood. We enjoy this Updated West Virginia Hash for supper along with a crisp salad, but the leftovers are all mine. Which is no problem at all. I can happily eat it for lunch all week, if it lasts that long. Enjoy!
Updated West Virginia Hash
Ingredients
- 20 ounces greens (frozen or fresh)
- 2 t salt (divided, 1 t for salting the cooking water, and 1 t for salting the beef)
- 1/2 cup long-grain brown rice
- 1 onion
- 2 green peppers
- 1 T olive oil
- 1 pound ground beef
- 2 14.5 ounce cans diced tomatoes
- 1 t chili pepper
- salt and pepper, to taste
- shaved or grated Parmesan cheese, cilantro, parsley and/or Sriracha, as condiments
Instructions
- Thaw the greens and pre-cook the rice – Pull the greens out of the freezer to allow them to thaw just enough to chop. Set aside. Bring a pot of water to a boil and add 1 t salt. Stir in the brown rice, and cook without stirring, until the rice is swollen and half-tender, about 20 minutes. Drain and set aside.
- Prep the veg while pre-cooking the rice – Skin and chop the onion. De-stem, de-seed, and chop the green peppers. If using frozen greens, given them a rough chop once they're thawed enough. If using fresh, give them a rough chop, rinse, then spin dry. Set aside.
- Preheat the oven; brown the ground beef, onions, and green pepper – Preheat the oven to 375℉, convection bake setting. Heat the oil in a large skillet, then add the ground beef and one t of salt. Brown the ground beef. Once it's no longer pink, strain off most of the fat, then add the onions and peppers. Cook until the vegetables begin to soften.
- Assemble and bake – Add the par-cooked rice, diced greens, tomatoes (including juice), chili powder and salt and pepper to taste. Gently stir. Pour into a large baking dish, cover, and bake for 30 minutes. Then uncover and cook for another 15 minutes. Let rest for about 10 minutes before serving with condiments of your choice.
