Hot Pot With Crab Wontons Recipes

CHESAPEAKE BAY BLUE CRAB HOT POT

Steps:

• In a heavy-gauged pot on medium to high heat add the grapeseed oil. When a light haze rises from the pan, add all of the crab. The blue crabs contain water so you must cook them until this liquid has evaporated. Then add the butter. Allow the milk solids to fall and when the butter stops foaming add the vegetables and cook until translucent. Add the coriander seed and brown lightly. Add the tomato paste and chopped tomato and cook, stirring frequently, for 4 minutes. Deglaze with the white wine, scraping up any bits sticking to the pan. Add the water and chicken stock. Bring up to a simmer and cook for 20 minutes. Add the bay leaf and thyme cook an additional 10 minutes. Press the whole mixture into a strainer. The broth should have small pieces of the vegetables from the cooking of the crab. Check and adjust the seasoning with salt and pepper. Divide evenly and garnish each with some of the crab, pickled ramps, sauteed shiitakes and creme fraiche.
• Combine the sugar, vinegar, and water and bring to a boil. Add the mustard, coriander, fennel seeds, peppercorns, and bay leaf. Blanch and shock ramps, strain, and pour the warm pickling liquid over the ramps. Let cool and store for 3 days before using.

FRIED CRAB WONTONS

Steps:

• Combine in a food processor the ginger, shallots, carrot, green onion, cilantro, peanut oil and lemon juice. Pulse until fine. Put vegetable mixture in a mixing bowl, add the mayonnaise and the crabmeat and season with salt and pepper. Be careful not to mash the crabmeat, you want that texture when you bite into the wonton.
• Lay a wonton wrapper on a flat surface and brush with the beaten egg white. Drop 1 tablespoon of the crab filling onto the center of the wrapper. Fold the wonton in half, corner to corner, to form a triangle. Press around the filling to knock out any air bubbles, then press the seam together to seal so the filling doesn't seep out. You can leave them this shape or continue on by brushing the 2 side points with beaten egg white. Lay your index finger in the center so you have something to press up against, then fold the 2 sides into the center, slightly overlapping, and press the dough against your finger with your thumb to form a tight seal. Lightly dust the filled wontons with cornstarch to keep them from sticking together and place them on a cookie sheet. (When these are folded they look like Pope hats.)
• Heat 2 to 3 inches of oil in a deep heavy saucepan to 370 degrees F on a deep-fry thermometer. Add a few of the wontons to the oil and cook, turning them 3 or 4 times to get them nicely browned all over. Carefully lift them out of the pan with a slotted spoon and onto a paper towel-lined platter to drain. Keep going to cook all of the wontons.
• Stir together the dipping sauce and serve with the wontons.

CREAMY CRAB WONTONS

Steps:

• In a small bowl, combine the cream cheese, crab and onion. Place 1 rounded teaspoonful in the center of each wonton wrapper. Moisten wrapper edges with water; fold in half lengthwise and press firmly to seal. , Keeping the filling in the center, again fold wonton wrapper lengthwise. Moisten the top of the short edges with water. Bring the two top edges from opposite sides together, overlapping the edges; press and seal (finished wonton resembles a nurse's hat)., In an electric skillet, heat 1 in. of oil to 375°. Fry wontons for 1-2 minutes on each side or until golden brown. Drain on paper towels. Serve warm.