Potato Hash with Bacon and Melted Onions

Ingredients
1 bay leaf
2 thyme sprigs
5 black peppercorns
1 clove garlic, peeled and smashed
4 cups onions, sliced (about 1-2 large onions)
Kosher salt
4 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into pieces
1 pound bacon, the thickest you can get, cut into 1 inch long pieces
Canola oil
3 pounds Yukon Gold potatoes, scrubbed and cut into ¹⁄₂ inch cubes
Kosher salt
1 thyme sprig, leaves only
Freshly ground black pepper
1 tablespoon chives, minced

Instructions
1. Place bay leaf, thyme sprigs, peppercorns, and garlic clove in piece of cheesecloth and tie to close. 

2. Put the onions in a large sauté pan and set over medium-low heat.  Sprinkle with 1 generous pinch of salt and cook, stirring occasionally, for about 20 minutes or until the onions have released much of their liquid. 

3. Stir in butter, add the cheesecloth bundle, and cover with a piece of parchment paper.  Cook slowly over low to medium-low heat for 30 to 35 minutes.  The onions should look creamy at all times, if they start to look dry, add a bit of cold water and stir well.  Season to taste with salt. 

4. Heat oven to 200*F. 

5. Pour oil to 1 inch in large saucepan or skillet and heat to 300*F.  Set cooling rack over baking sheet and line the rack with paper towels. 

6. Add half the potatoes to the hot oil and cook for 8 minutes until tender and golden brown.  Remove from oil with wire skimmer and drain on paper towels.  Repeat with the remaining potatoes. 

7. Pour 2 tablespoons water into medium saucepan and set over medium heat.  Add bacon, reduce heat to medium-low, and let bacon render its fat for 30 minutes.  The bacon should not crisp.  Using a slotted spoon remove bacon to towels to drain.  Remove excess fat from pan, leaving a thin film to cook the potatoes.  Reserve the extra fat. 

8. Add half the potatoes to the pan, sprinkle with salt, and add half the thyme leaves.  Cook for 3 to 4 minutes to crisp the potatoes and heat through.  Add half the onions and fold in half the bacon.  Transfer potatoes to a large oven safe bowl and keep warm in the oven.  Repeat process with remaining ingredients. 

9.  Mix everything together, toss in chives, and season with salt and pepper before serving. 

Comments
This recipe is from The Splendid Table but it’s a Thomas Keller recipe.  I’ve had it bookmarked for forever and finally got around to making it.  I can only say that I wished I had made this years ago so that I could have been making it regularly ever since.  This was a really awesomely fantastic dish.  The bacon just melted and wow.  I served it with eggs for a really scrumptious breakfast for dinner meal.