Sweet Potato and Fennel Hash

Ingredients

• 4 ounces bacon, cut into 1-inch pieces
• 1/2 large yellow onion, chopped
• 1/2 bulb fennel, chopped
• 1 sweet potato, cut into small cubes
• 1/2 jalapeno pepper, seeded and minced
• 1/4 cup whiskey (such as Jack Daniel’s)
• 1/4 cup brown sugar
• Salt and ground black pepper to taste

Directions

Place bacon in a large skillet and cook over medium-high heat until evenly browned, about 10 minutes. Remove bacon from skillet with slotted spoon to a plate lined with paper towel, retaining drippings in the skillet.

Reduce heat to medium. Cook and stir onion and fennel in hot bacon drippings until golden brown, about 10 minutes. Add sweet potato, place a cover on the skillet, and cook until sweet potato is tender and slightly browned, about 10 minutes.

Increase heat to medium-high. Pour whiskey into the skillet and bring to a boil while scraping the browned bits of food off of the bottom of the pan with a wooden spoon. Stir bacon in the vegetable mixture. Add brown sugar and stir to incorporate. Reduce heat to medium; cook and stir until the whiskey has been absorbed and the liquid is caramel-colored, about 5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.