Southern Crab Hash

Ingredients

• 6 slices bacon 
• 1 pinch cayenne 
• 4 servings cooking oil 
• 3 ounces cream cheese 
• 0.1 teaspoon fresh-ground pepper black
• 0.8 pound lump crab meat 
• 0.3 cup milk 
• 1  onion chopped
• 2 pounds potatoes boiling peeled cut into 3/4-inch pieces
• 0.5 teaspoon salt 
• 3 tablespoons scallion tops fresh chopped
• 1.5 teaspoons worcestershire sauce 

Equipment

• frying pan
• sauce pan

Directions

1. Put the potatoes in a medium saucepan of salted water. Bring to a boil. Lower the heat; simmer until almost tender, about 5 minutes.
2. Drain.
3. In a large nonstick or cast-iron frying pan, cook the bacon until crisp.
4. Remove the bacon from the pan and crumble it.
5. Pour off and reserve all but 1 tablespoon of the fat from the pan.
6. Add the onion to the pan and cook over moderate heat, stirring frequently, until browned, about 8 minutes.
7. Remove the onion. Wipe out the pan.
8. In the same pan, heat the reserved bacon fat and enough oil to measure 3 tablespoons over moderately high heat.
9. Add the potatoes; let them cook, without stirring, for 6 minutes.
10. Add 1/4 teaspoon of the salt, stir, and cook the potatoes until well browned, about 6 minutes longer.
11. Add the onion and bacon and continue cooking until they are warm through, about 1 minute longer.
12. In a medium saucepan, heat the cream cheese, milk, Worcestershire sauce, cayenne, and the remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt over moderately low heat, stirring, until hot, about 5 minutes.
13. Add the crab and black pepper and cook, stirring, until warm through, about 2 minutes longer. Stir the crab mixture and 2 tablespoons of the chives into the potatoes until just combined.
14. Serve topped with the remaining 1 tablespoon chives.
15. Wine Recommendation: The sweetness of crab is often at its best paired with a full-bodied chardonnay, which will also be good with the bacon, potatoes, and cream cheese. Try a bottle from California or Australia.