Crab 'n Rice (the Bahamas)

Total Time: 1 hr 20 mins Preparation Time: 20 mins Cook Time: 1 hr

Ingredients

• Servings: 8
• 3 tablespoons oil
• 1 onion, chopped
• 1 red bell pepper, chopped
• 5 tablespoons tomato paste
• salt and pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon thyme
• 1 teaspoon paprika
• 4 cups water (traditional) or 4 cups crab stock (my tweak)
• 2 cups long grain rice
• 2 cups pigeon peas, canned
• 4 whole crabs

Recipe

• 1 crack the crab and remove the meat. carefully pick through the meat to make sure there are no remaining bits of shell.
• 2 chop up the vegetables and fry them in the oil until they are soft. stir in the tomato paste and seasonings, adding a little more oil if you need to. saute for a few minutes until the flavors are incorporated.
• 3 add three cups of water (i used non-traditional crab stock) and bring to a boil. add the pigeon peas and crab and let boil for five minutes or so.
• 4 add the rice (you can also add more water if the mixture looks too dry), return to a boil, then reduce heat and cover. let simmer until all the liquid has been absorbed (about 20 minutes).