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Puerto Rico · Land Crab

Piñones Land Crab Turnovers

Empanadillas de Jueyes

The beach kiosks of Piñones, just east of San Juan, fry these all day: crisp half-moon turnovers stuffed with a saucy land crab filling, eaten hot with a cold drink and the ocean breeze.

  • Prep 40 min
  • Cook 30 min
  • Serves 4 (12 turnovers)
  • Level Medium
Photo: Fernand0 · CC BY-SA 2.0
Served with: Tostones with Garlic Dip ↓En Español

Ingredients

Tap each item as you gather it.

For the filling

For the turnovers

Method

Step by step, the way it is done on the island.

  1. Cook the filling. Warm the annatto oil in a pan and cook the sofrito 4–5 minutes over medium heat. Add the tomato sauce, olives and oregano and simmer 5 minutes.
  2. Add the crab. Stir in the crab meat and cook 3–4 minutes until the filling is moist but not runny. Season and let it cool completely.
  3. Fill and seal. Put 2 heaping tablespoons of filling on one half of each disco. Brush the edge with egg, fold over and press closed with a fork.
  4. Fry. Heat 2 inches (5 cm) of oil to 350 °F (175 °C). Fry 3–4 turnovers at a time for 2–3 minutes per side until golden and blistered.
  5. Serve. Drain on paper towels and serve hot with pique and tostones on the side.

On the side

The side dish that belongs with it, full recipe included.

Puerto Rico & the Spanish Caribbean

Tostones with Garlic Dip

Tostones con Mojo de Ajo

Green plantains fried twice: soft inside, crackly outside. Every fried-fish plate in Puerto Rico comes with a pile of these.

  • Prep 10 min
  • Cook 15 min
  • Serves 4
  • Level Easy

You need

  • 2 large green plantains
  • Vegetable oil for frying
  • 1 tsp salt, plus more to finish
  • 4 garlic cloves (for the dip)
  • ¼ cup olive oil (for the dip)
  • 1 tbsp lime juice (for the dip)

How to make it

  1. First fry. Peel the plantains and cut into 1-inch (2.5 cm) pieces. Fry in oil at 325 °F (165 °C) for 4–5 minutes until tender but still pale.
  2. Smash. Drain, then press each piece flat to about ½ inch (1 cm) with the bottom of a glass or a tostonera.
  3. Second fry. Fry again at 365 °F (185 °C) for 2–3 minutes until golden and crisp. Drain and salt right away.
  4. Garlic dip. Mash the garlic with a pinch of salt, then stir in the olive oil and lime juice. Serve on the side for dipping.

Photo: やましこ · CC BY-SA 2.0

More ways to cook Land Crab

Same fish, a different corner of the sea.

Loíza, Puerto RicoPuerto Rican Land Crab Salmorejo
Trinidad, Trinidad and TobagoTrinidad Crab and Callaloo
Andros, BahamasAndros Crab ’n’ Rice