Crab Rangoons

Crab Rangoons are a nearly ubiquitous appetizer at American Chinese restaurants, especially take outs. A combination of cream cheese and crab (or krab) meat, sometimes with a bit of garlic and scallions fills a wonton wrapper. The wonton wrapper is then sealed and deep fried. Although I like crab rangoons, I'm not a fan of deep frying, especially at home. Generally speaking, I just don't think it's worth the effort. I realize some things, like doughnuts, should be fried, but fortunately, you can bake Crab Rangoons in your kitchen now - without the hassle of frying!

The history of Crab Rangoons is quite unclear. Cream cheese isn't something generally available in China. Thus, Crab Rangoons are probably not actually of Chinese origin. In fact, I've never actually seen cream cheese anywhere in Asia. Some hypothesize that Trader Vic's may have invented the Crab Rangoon, and it's been on their San Francisco menu since at least 1957.

Give these Crab Rangoons a try and see what you think! I know I didn't miss the deep frying, and that little bit of oil you spray on the wonton wrappers gives them a bit of the fried feel without all the grease and mess of actually deep frying. I used a Misto to spray the wrappers, and I'd recommend it, but any sprayer should work.



 
Crab Rangoons by Morsels of Life
Try these baked Crab Rangoons as a faster, easier, and healthier alternative to the traditional deep fried version.

Cook time: 10 minutes
Total time: 15 minutes
Yield: 10 servings

Materials:

• 20 wonton skins


• 16 ounces crab meat, cooked


• 1/2 teaspoon lemon juice


• 1/4 cup cream cheese (Low-fat works just as well.)


• 2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce


• 1 green onion, sliced (garnish)


• 1 tablespoon sour cream (optional)

Methods:

1. Spray both sides of each wonton wrapper with oil and press lightly into a muffin tin. (I'd recommend the Misto.)


2. Bake at 375F about 7 minutes, and wonton skins should be crispy.


3. Meanwhile, combine remaining materials (except crab) and mix well.


4. Gently mix in crab.
5. Spoon filling into wonton shell.


6. (optional) Bake for 3 minutes to warm up entire Crab Rangoon.


7. Garnish with green onions.

What's your favorite (alternative) appetizer?

Rice Crab Cakes

I've been wanting to make crab cakes for a while now, so when I saw how easy it could be, I knew I had to give it a try and share with you all! I have never eaten crab cakes with rice, but there is a first time for everything (or maybe we just have a lot more rice than we do bread)! The rice (or rather, rice mixture, since we generally make it using 1 cup each of brown rice, white rice, and barley) made the texture a bit different in a way I can't quite describe compared to other crab cakes I've eaten. I also threw in some grated Romano cheese, which added a subtle layer of flavor to the crab cakes. You don't need a whole lot of cheese, but I would recommend adding just a bit since it will bring some additional flavor to the table. Give these crab cakes try and see what you think!

Rice Crab Cakes

by CJ Huang

A simplified crab cake, using rice instead of bread crumbs and just a bit of Romano cheese.

Yield: 4-6 patties

Materials:

Mass	Weight	Volume	Number	Material	Notes
		2 cups		rice, cooked
			2	eggs, beaten
	6 ounces			crab meat
		1/4 cup		Romano cheese, grated
				oil

Methods:

1. Combine all materials except oil, and mix briefly.
2. Form patties, then cook over medium heat until heated through and lightly browned on both sides.

Crabs with Ginger Balsamic Vinegar Sauce

When we went to the Asian grocery, we saw that Atlantic blue crabs were on sale, so we decided to get 2, not knowing how good they would be out of season. These crabs are found in the western Atlantic Ocean, the Pacific Coast and the Gulf of Mexico. However, those lazy left coasters tend not to eat these crabs since they think getting the meat is too difficult. Too bad they miss out on these flavorful crabs! Anyway, the blue crab gets its color from alpha-crustacyanin. But, when cooked, the alpha-crustacyanin breaks down and astaxnthin, a reddish pigment shows through. Thus, you have an easy way of determining when your crab is cooked. I think these chemicals are the same for shrimp and lobsters, which is why they also turn from blue/gray to red/orange when cooked. Since these crabs are already flavorful, I opted to simply steam them and then have a savory ginger balsamic vinegar sauce to dip the crab pieces in while eating. Since the crabs are already a bit salty, the soy sauce is certainly optional. Teriyaki sauce is another option if you're looking for something that's got a bit of sweetness. The balsamic vinegar has a tang that brightens the flavor of the crab, and the ginger adds a certain depth to the flavor. Give this a try and see what you think!

Crabs with Ginger Balsamic Vinegar Sauce

by CJ Huang

Simply steamed Atlantic blue crabs with a savory ginger balsamic vinegar sauce.

Materials:

Mass	Weight	Volume	Number	Material	Notes
				crabs	Atlantic blue crab, if you can
				balsamic vinegar
				ginger, minced
				soy sauce/teriyaki sauce	optional

Methods:

1. Clean crabs. It's a bit easier if you break the pincher arms off first. Wouldn't want to get pinched!
2. Steam crabs until they are a bright reddish orange color.
3. Mix balsamic vinegar, ginger, and soy sauce/teriyaki sauce together.
4. Dig in - free the crab meat, dip in sauce, and eat!