Recipe
Kimchi Rarebit Hash Browns with Fried Eggs
Crisp hash browns with tangy kimchi, a thick mustard-and-Cheddar topping and a freshly fried egg. A Korean-inspired rarebit brunch with plenty of crunch, ready to eat straight from the grill.
Ingredients
For the hash browns and eggs
For the rarebit topping
Method
10 mins prep30 mins cook40 mins total
Heat the oven to 220°C/200°C fan/gas 7, or the temperature specified on the hash brown packet. Spread the frozen hash browns on a baking tray and bake for the stated time, typically 20–25 minutes, turning halfway, until thoroughly hot and crisp.
While they cook, melt the butter in a small saucepan over medium-low heat. Mix in the flour and stir for 1 minute. Whisk in the milk gradually to prevent lumps, then simmer for 1–2 minutes until thickened.
Take the pan off the heat and stir in the Dijon mustard, grated Cheddar and black pepper. The mixture should be thick enough to hold on a spoon. Taste before adding any extra seasoning, as the kimchi and cheese are salty.
Preheat the grill to medium-high. Arrange the cooked hash browns in two groups of three on a grill-safe tray. Squeeze the chopped kimchi dry, divide it over the potatoes and cover with the cheese topping.
Grill for 2–4 minutes, keeping a close watch, until the cheese bubbles and develops brown patches. The hash browns should remain crisp around the exposed edges.
At the same time, heat the vegetable oil in a frying pan over medium heat. Crack in the eggs and fry for about 3–4 minutes, until the whites are fully set and the yolks are cooked as you prefer.
Lift each group onto a plate, add a fried egg and finish with sliced spring onion. Serve at once.
Notes
Keep the potatoes crisp: Drain and squeeze the kimchi well, and assemble only after the hash browns finish baking. Wet toppings soften the potato quickly.
Vegetarian option: Choose kimchi without fish sauce or shrimp paste and a vegetarian Cheddar. Ordinary kimchi is not automatically vegetarian.
Plan ahead: The cheese topping can be made a day ahead and refrigerated. Reheat gently, adding a little milk from an extra measured splash if needed. Cook the eggs and assemble just before eating.
Allergens: Contains milk, wheat, mustard and eggs. Check kimchi and hash brown labels for additional allergens, including fish, crustaceans or soya.
About this recipe
Golden hash browns make a sturdy base for a thick cheese topping, chopped kimchi and a fried egg. The sauce starts with a small butter-and-flour roux, then milk, mustard and mature Cheddar turn it into a spoonable rarebit mixture. It should sit on the potatoes rather than run across the tray.
Drain the kimchi thoroughly and wait until the hash browns are crisp before assembling. A short spell under the grill browns the cheese while the eggs cook in a separate pan. This is a Korean-inspired take on a familiar British brunch, with the spring onion adding freshness at the end. Eat immediately to keep the potato edges crunchy.
