crab wontons

what to do with leftovers from a few recent shoots and a pot of oil for frying? goat cheese crab wontons, yum! we try not to fry things very often but this is one recipe that baking just doesn't do justice. everything in moderation, right? wonton wrappers are a great item to have in your freezer for a quick appetizer, garnish or even as a fresh pasta substitute. try baking or frying them with just a little olive oil and sea salt and breaking into pieces for a crunchy salad garnish. or fill them with fresh herbs and cheese, boil and toss with a little marinara for a quick pasta dish. or of course, fried wontons - our take on a traditional chinese take out favorite!

Goat Cheese Crab Wontons

makes 10

1/2 cup cooked crab meat

4 oz goat cheese, crumbled

2 green onions, sliced

1/2 tsp old bay seasoning

10 square wonton wrappers

olive or grape seed oil for frying

in a small bowl, combine crab meat, goat cheese, green onion and old bay. stir with a fork to break up crab and evenly combine. lay out wonton wrappers and fill each with a heaping teaspoon full of filling. brush two of the four edges with water and bring unbrushed edges over filling to seal tightly. repeat with remaining wontons. heat about 1/4-inch deep amount of oil in a skillet over medium high heat. carefully fry wontons for about 4 minutes per side or until golden brown and crispy. drain on a paper towel. serve immediately with a little soy sauce for dipping. enjoy!

crab & corn

as promised, here's a little appetizer that will go perfectly with our pretty in pink cocktail! sweet corn is nice and ripe right now and a great friend to big lumps of crab, a squeeze of lime and a hint of spice in these crab & corn cakes. serve them as an appetizer with some homemade meyer lemon aioli or make it a light refreshing meal with two cakes and a little salad of mache, avocado and grapefruit. 

Crab & Corn Cakes

makes 10 cakes

1 lb lump crab

3 ears corn, white or yellow

1/2 cup flour

1/4 cup light mayonnaise

3 green onions, chopped

1 egg

juice of 1 lime, plus wedges for garnish

2 tbs fresh chopped cilantro

1 tbs dijon mustard

2 clove garlic, minced

1 tsp sambal chili garlic paste

olive oil for frying

drain crab well and place in a large bowl. cut kernels of corn off cob carefully. use the back of the knife to scrape some of the "milk" and bits left on the cob and combine with crab. add remaining ingredients and stir well to combine. form 2 1/2-inch patties with your hands and place on a sheet pan. refrigerate for 20 minutes. heat a few tablespoons of olive oil in a skillet over medium high heat and carefully add a few cakes, not overcrowding the pan. lightly pan fry cakes for 2-3 minutes per side or until nicely browned. remove any corn kernels that fall out from the pan while frying, as they will jump and pop. let rest on paper towels, repeat with remaining cakes and serve immediately. enjoy!