May 21: Crab Tortilla (Egg Pie) and Shredded Plantain Hash Browns

6 large baking potatoes
   Margarine
   Sour cream
   Cheese
   Seasoning

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.

Wash potatoes and place in hot oven.

Bake for 1 hour. Remove potatoes from oven and serve with toppings of margarine, sour cream, cheese, and seasoning.

3 SERVINGS

I'm skipping a recipe because I am making a meal for a family in our church who just had a baby. I'll make today's meal tomorrow for them - it will be Beans and Greens Soup. I didn't make the crab tortilla tonight because it is Friday night and my husband wants comfort food on Fridays. He's been really wanting some baked potatoes. I have made this recipe before; my note was "It's ok." I remember not having the right kind of pan and the tortilla didn't slide out of the pan, a layer just stuck to the bottom. I think that's why I didn't like it very much. But I think I remember the hash browns being good. It's been a couple of years since I made it.

Rachael Ray says, "This is my at-home version of Chef Jose's crab omelet from the Floridian Diner in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. Hey, Jose, how did I do? Oh and the inspiration for the hash browns comes from my love of latkes and my love of these crunchy treats called plantain spiders, which I had at La Casita Blanca in Puerto Rico. They are too delish!"

Here is the recipe:

  -2 cups pre-shredded hash brown potatoes, available in pouches on the dairy aisle, or 1 large starchy potato, peeled and shredded
  -2 celery ribs with greens, cut into chunks
  -2 small to medium onions, 1 peeled and cut into large cubes, 1 peeled and left whole
  -1 small green bell pepper, cored, seeded, and cut into chunks
  -1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
  -Salt and freshly ground black pepper
  -2 large green plantains, shredded
  -2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
  -6 eggs, beaten
  -1/2 cup cream or half-and-half
  -2 teaspoons hot sauce
  -12 ounces lump crab meat, broken into tiny pieces
  -1 tablespoon Old Bay Seasoning or other seafood seasoning blend
  -1 cup store-bought mango salsa or fruit chutney

Place the potatoes, celery, cubed onions and bell peppers in a food processor and process into a fine chop.

Heat an 8-inch skillet over medium heat. Add 1/4 cup of the EVOO, then add the finely chopped veggies, season them with salt and pepper, and saute for 5 minutes, or until they are just beginning to be tender.

Begin the plantain hash browns. Place the shredded plantains into a bowl and grate the whole onion over the bowl. Mix well, then sprinkle with the flour. Season with salt and pepper. Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add the remaining 1/4 cup of EVOO. Make 8 plantain hash brown rounds and place in the pan, trying not to crowd them. Each hash brown round should be about 2 1/2 to 3 inches across. Fry until golden on each side, 3 to 4 minutes per side.

Back to the fried "tortilla": Beat the eggs with the cream and hot sauce. Pour the eggs over the vegetables in the skillet and stir. Let the eggs begin to set up on the bottom, as for an omelet. Season the crab with the Old Bay Seasoning, then gently combine with the egg and veggie mixture. Use a heat-safe spatula to pull up the "skin" from the bottom and let more egg seep down. Once the eggs are almost totally set up, about 5 minutes, place a plate over the pan and invert it. The tortilla should slide out. Return the skillet to the heat and slide the tortilla back into the pan, uncooked side down. Fry for another couple of minutes. It should be evenly and deeply golden on both sides. Turn off the heat and let stand to cool and set a bit.

Cut the tortilla into 4 wedges. Serve 2 plantain hash browns alongside each wedge of crab tortilla. Pass the store-bought mango salsa or fruit chutney alongside.

4 SERVINGS