If you have an affinity for great diners, then you likely know (or know of) Manchester, New Hampshire’s claim to diner fame. The Red Arrow 24-hour diner stands out as an award-winning classic by any standards.
Today they were remembering the founder’s wife, Mabel Lamontagne, who just passed away at age 105. Seriously. 1907 – 2012. Good home-cooked food at the Red Arrow boosted her longevity, I am sure. For this week, they honored her memory with a crazy discounted price on the original #1 menu item … the Hot Burger Sandwich.
I was hankering for breakfast, however, and chose a most amazing treat… the Crab Cake Hash Brown Special. Not to be punning, while all their hash brown dishes are great, this one literally takes the cake. They toss their crispy hash browns with grilled onions and their classic crab cake, cut up, all topped with melted cheese. Then, in true Red Arrow Diner style, they serve it up with toast and a couple of eggs, prepared any way you like.
If you are a fan of crispy hash browns… not to be confused with home fries, though they make those as well… get to the Red Arrow and order some up as a side dish or with a nice variety of add-ons in casserole style. Yum!
This particular dish, with the crab cake, wowed my happy taste buds. So, today I offer up our Keep It Super Simple rendition… another free recipe for your enjoyment.
Crab Cake Hash Browns a la Red Arrow Diner
Per serving:
1-1/2c finely shredded potatoes, crispy cooked (& seasoned with salt & pepper, as desired)
1 large or 2 medium crab cakes, cooked and cut in bite-sized pieces
¼ – 1/3 c sweet onions, thinly sliced, then coarsely cut, grilled in a bit of butter till soft
2 deli squares (about 3×3” each) of cheese (Cheddar, American, or Muenster)
On a hot grill or skillet, toss hash browns and onions together.
Gently stir in crab cake pieces, taking care not to break them up too much.
Transfer to an oval, individual-sized baking dish.
Top with cheese and bake at 350°F for 7-10 minutes, till cheese is melted.
Serve hot with toast and eggs, as desired.
KISS Tip: You can surely enjoy this any time of day, with no need for eggs or toast. You can prepare it in larger amounts in a large, shallow baking dish to serve multiple people. Go for it as lunch with a side salad. Or turn it into crazy little tapas crab cake hash brown pancakes and serve with slices of a favorite fruit on the side.
As the say at the Red Arrow, “Have a diner day!” This is more Good Living as easy as 1-2-3… with love and laughter.
