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Crispy Wontons

Source of Recipe

From "A Southerly Course" by Martha Hall Foose


Recipe Introduction

"As is the case in many small towns, the most exotic fare found in my county is the Chinese-American buffet. My son, Joe, just loves the one at China Blossom in Greenwood. The family farm, Pluto, is forty-eight miles from town, so it's quite a commitment to make the round trip. Every so often for movie night, I make a pile of these crispy-fried, creamy, seafood-filled pouches for him and his pal Lola and we just stay out at Pluto."

List of Ingredients

◦ 1 (8-ounce) package cream cheese, softened
◦ 6 ounces chopped shelled cooked shrimp or crabmeat, or 1 (6-ounce) can, rinsed and drained
◦ 2 green onions, white and green parts, finely chopped
◦ 2 tablespoons unbleached all-purpose flour
◦ 1 teaspoon soy sauce
◦ 30 square wonton wrappers
◦ 1 large egg beaten with 1 teaspoon water
◦ Vegetable oil, for frying
◦ Sweet and Sour Sauce (recipe follows)


Recipe

In a small bowl, combine the cream cheese, seafood, green onions, flour, and soy sauce. Chill for 30 minutes.

Put 1 teaspoon of the seafood filling in the center of each wonton wrapper. Use a pastry brush or your finger to paint a line of egg wash around the edge of each wrapper. Gently fold the wrapper over the filling to form a triangle, lightly press out any air, and press the edges to seal them.

In a large pot or deep-fryer, heat at least 2 inches of oil to 325� F. Fry the wontons in small batches, turning as needed to brown evenly, for 2 minutes or until crisp. Transfer them to a rack set over a paper towel-lined baking sheet to drain. (If desired, keep warm on the cooling rack in a 200� F oven.) Serve with sweet and sour sauce for dipping.

Makes 30
Serves 6






❧ Sweet and Sour Sauce:

◦ � cup apricot preserves
◦ � cup rice vinegar
◦ 1 tablespoon soy sauce
◦ 2 tablespoons hot chili sauce (optional)

Combine the preserves, vinegar, soy sauce, and hot chili sauce (if desired) in a bowl.

Makes about � cup