Crab Rangoon

Do you have any idea how much I love crab rangoon? I don't think you do. In high school, I would sometimes order a 6-piece of crab rangoon and eat it for dinner. Disgusting, in a totally delicious way.

These days, I like to think that I make smarter choices. I cannot eat crab rangoon from a chinese restaurant without feeling horribly guilty. I hate greasy fingers, and I hate that full, oily feeling that it leaves.

In order to find middle ground, I've tried two variations of crab rangoon at home, where I can use reduced-fat ingredients and heart-healthy canola oil. The first is baked crab rangoon. It's essentially the same ingredients, but the wontons are placed in muffin cups and filled with the crab mixture, then baked. This second variation, though more fattening, is totally blog-worthy. The wontons are super crispy and light; the crab filling is rich, creamy, and flavorful. I didn't serve these with any sauce, and they don't need it.

A quick note - these guys are a bit of work. The recipe written below makes about 3 dozen crab rangoons; I wish I'd known this beforehand, as we went through about a dozen and I have no clue how we'll get through the rest. And, because I'm picky about presentation and because I "should have been a chef," I had to make each one perfect, so I spent quite a while "crafting" them.

This recipe is definitely a keeper and I can't wait to make these for friends or family!

Crab Rangoon

1 pkg wonton wrappers (found in produce section, often near tofu)

16 oz cream cheese, softened - reduced fat (either blocks or tubs work fine)

1/2 C green onions, chopped

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 TBS sugar

1 large egg

1 TBS milk

1 can crab meat

1 tsp soy sauce

1 egg white

1-2 C canola oil

1. In bowl, mix everything except the wonton wrappers, 1 egg white and canola oil.

2. This next step takes about 20 minutes, if you make this recipe as written. Take each wonton wrapper and fill with a small tablespoon of crab mixture. Brush all four edges with egg white and fold the wonton in half in order to make a triangle. Seal both edges by pinching tightly all the way around. If the wontons aren't tightly sealed, or overfilled, the crab mixture will seep into the hot oil when cooking.

3. Heat oil over high heat in large skillet*. Working in batches, place several crab rangoons into oil and cook for several minutes until corners start to brown lightly. Using metal tongs or slotted spoon, flip crab rangoons over and fry several additional minutes on the other side. Remove and set on paper towels to drain.

*For me, frying isn't fun. I'm scared of it, it splatters on my shirt, it splatters on my stovetop, its loud, and I'm always convinced that I'm about to burn the place down. I've never been comfortable frying in hot oil and luckily, I rarely do it. Part of my issue is that the LESS hot the oil is, the more in-control it seems - but the MORE hot the oil is, the better the food reacts to the oil - it doesn't absorb it and get greasy. So, there's a fine line - if you're fearless, get your oil super hot and go for it. And, if you own a deep fryer, you're in luck - no splatters, no fear, perfect temp.