Monday, February 2, 2009

Crab Rangoon Dip and Chips

I love crab rangoons. I'm not sure if it's because of the cream cheese filling or the fact that the appetizer is deep fried. Either way, I was delighted to find this version of it ... along with directions on how to make it healthier.

Crab Rangoon Dip
8 1/2 ounces crabmeat, drained if using canned meat, and flaked
8 ounces cream cheese
1 tbsp chopped red onion
1-2 green onions, diced
1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
1 tsp soy sauce
Freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Wonton Chips
24 wonton wrappers
Chinese five-spice powder
Salt

Dip
1. Combine the cream cheese and crab meat mixture. Stir in the remaining ingredients, mixing thoroughly.
2. Place the cream cheese mixture in a small baking dish. Bake at 350 until the cream cheese is heated through and just starting to bubble (18 to 20 minutes). Remove and serve immediately with the wonton chips for dipping. If desired, also serve hot mustard and/or sweet and sour sauce.

Chips
1. Spray 2 baking sheets with non-stick spray.
2. Cut wonton wrappers in half diagonally, and then in half again (also along the diagonal).
3. Spread on baking sheets and lightly dust with Chinese five-spice powder and salt (no more than 1/8 tsp powder for every four chips. Spray tops of wontons with additional cooking spray.
4. Bake until lightly browned (approximately 7-8 minutes), rotating the pan once during baking. Remove and cool.

Lessons Learned: Wonton wrappers dry out quickly, so while you're placing them on the cookie sheet, keep the rest covered with a damp towel. I actually did an entire package of wonton wrappers (60 wrappers, each cut into four triangles). Using two cookie sheets, I had to do four batches to finish them.
I highly recommend using the five-spice powder. It is a blend of the five essential flavors in Chinese cooking: sweet, salty, bitter, savory and sour. Without it, the chips are incredibly bland. McCormick makes a decent version.
My can of crab didn't quite equal the measurement required here (I was two ounces short), but it didn't adversely affect the flavor. I'd add a dash of salt to the dip next time. If you use full sodium soy sauce, don't worry about adding extra salt.

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