Curried Cranberry Wontons
December 27th, 2007
These are really good for throwing an informal get together at your house. I remember growing up and my mom making crab wontons when friends would be coming over for dinner. My sisters and I would always sneak a couple off the tray before anyone showed up so we could sample them too.
My friend and I created this variation a couple years ago for her annual holiday party. It combines some of our favorite flavors into a pretty tasty appetizer.
You can keep them warm in a 200/warm oven or just serve them right away (they’re best if they’re warm but we’ve also served them at room temp for an hour or so – they usually don’t last that long anyway). They’re good with sweet and sour sauce or hot mustard.
Curried Cranberry Wontons
makes approx 40
8 oz cream cheese, at room temp
4 oz chevre goat cheese
2 scallions, sliced green and white parts
1 T red curry paste
1/3 c dried cranberries (try to avoid Craisins as they’re overly sweet – I like the organic ones from my local coop that I can buy in bulk – but if Craisins are all you can buy, go for it)
1 jalapeno, diced (use the seeds if you want the wontons spicy)
wonton skins
water
oil for frying
Combine the cream cheese, goat cheese, scallions, curry paste, cranberries, and jalapeno, in a mixing bowl. Mix thoroughly.
In a heavy skillet heat 1/4″ of oil until hot. While the oil is heating up, put some water in a little dish and lay out wonton skins on a working surface. Place about 1 1/2 t of mixture on each of the wontons. Using your finger or a pastry brush, wet two sides of a wonton and then fold over into a triangle. The water should seal each side.
You may stop at this point with triangles or you may go one step further and wet the two long ends of the triangle and fold into the middle to form a little pouch. This is a great way to mark whether or not they’re are spicy or not spicy if making a double batch.
Continue folding wontons until they are all put together. (This is a great way to get helpers involved too.)
Test to make sure the oil is hot enough by placing one wonton in the oil. It should make popping and sizzling sounds right away. If it’s hot enough, fry 4-6 wontons at a time. Fry them until slightly brown on each side (they will continue to cook once out of the oil) – and make sure you turn them once. When done, place them on a paper towel-lined tray.
Serve when ready.
If you’re looking for a beverage to serve this with, sake is always a good choice or a nice Gewurtzeminer would go well with it too.
December 28th, 2007 at 1:05 am
Pip, thanks for the yummy-sounding recipe. I just have
to tell you that I was a non-drinker (didn’t like the
taste of alcohol, it never made me feel happy etc)
until about a year ago when I had a dream one night of
someone advising me to drink Gewurztraminer wine, that
it would be good for my immune system…so now that’s
what I drink- only about an ounce at a time though.
December 28th, 2007 at 10:33 am
sometimes you just have to listen to what your body is saying.
you have to be careful with some gewurtzraminers though because they can be really sweet. when i go to the store next time i’ll look at what brand i usually buy and let you know. for some reason i just can’t think of it right now.
December 28th, 2007 at 6:44 pm
Thanks Pip, I’d like to know what brands you recommend.
I actually got some Gewurz grape juice that I found
online when I started on this dream-induced quest,
figured the juice might have the same healthy attributes as the wine, without the (dreaded!
) alcohol. And boy was that ever sweet! Actually very delicious though- tasted like fresh lychees (have you had them?)but I would sometimes water it down a bit. That was from Navarro vineyards in Calif. Then tried several Alsatian or German Gewurz wines from local stores. I enjoyed all of them. Now I have some Gewurz wine from the same Navarro vineyard that the juice came from, and it is extremely sweet compared to the others I’ve tried. I do like it though.
January 2nd, 2008 at 11:19 am
Hello Pip,
My name is Amanda Martel and I am a Staff Writer for Saint Paul Illustrated magazine based out of Bloomington, MN. We are currently working on a feature about local food blogs throughout the area and we were wondering if we could include you and your blog in our magazine. I’m wondering where in Minnesota you live, are you anywhere around the Metro area? Please let me know if you’d be interested in talking with us.
Thanks so much for your time and I look forward to hearing back from you.
Thanks again,
Amanda Martel
Metropolitan Media Group
Amanda Knowles
5001 American Blvd W #400
Bloomington, MN 55437
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