CRAB HASH

Steps:

• Remove any cartilage and shell from the crab meat.
• Cut the meat into chunks.
• Cover and refrigerate.
• Boil the potatoes in lightly salted water until thoroughly cooked, about 30 minutes.
• Drain and let cool.
• Cut the potatoes, with their skins, into ½-inch dice.
• Place in a mixing bowl.
• Cook the bacon in an 8- or 9-inch sauté pan over medium heat until browned and crisp.
• Remove the pan from the heat and, using a slotted spoon, remove the bacon from the pan, leaving the fat in the pan.
• Add the bacon to the potatoes.
• Return the sauté pan to the heat and add the onion and pepper.
• Turn up the heat and cook for 5 to 6 minutes until browned.
• Add the thyme and paprika, mix well and remove from the heat.
• Add the onion and pepper (including the fat) to the potatoes.
• Mix in the crab meat and season with salt and pepper.
• Mix very well, mashing the potato a bit so that the mixture sticks together.
• Divide the mixture into four 8-ounce portions and shape into 5-inch cakes.
• Refrigerate until ready to cook.
• Fill a deep pan with water for poaching the eggs.
• Lightly salt the water and add 1 tablespoon white vinegar for each cup of water.
• Bring to a boil, then lower the heat so that it barely simmers.
• Heat the oil in a well-seasoned 12- to 14-inch skillet over medium high heat.
• Cook the hash"cakes" (they should sizzle when you add them to the pan) for about 5 minutes until the sides are crisp and brown.
• Using a spatula, turn the cakes over.
• If they break when turning, don't worry; just use the spatula to reshape them in the pan.
• Meanwhile, break the eggs one at a time into a small bowl and slide each into the poaching liquid.
• Do this quickly so that all the eggs cook in about the same amount of time.
• It will take only 2 minutes for a loose poached egg: whites barely set and yolks runny.
• Center each hash cake on a medium plate and, using a slotted spoon, gently place a poached egg on top.
• Grind a bit of pepper over each egg and sprinkle the scallions over the entire dish.
• Serve at once.