Texas Won Tons Recipes

CRISPY WONTONS

Steps:

• Combine pork, water chestnuts, green onions, soy sauce, cornstarch, salt and ginger in medium bowl; mix well. Place 1/2 teaspoonful pork mixture in center of each wonton skin. Fold wonton skin over filling to form a triangle. Turn top of triangle down to meet fold. Turn over; moisten 1 corner with water. Overlap opposite corner over moistened corner; press together firmly.
• Heat oil in wok or large saucepan over medium-high heat to 375 degrees F. Deep-fry wontons, a few at a time, 2 to 3 minutes, or until brown and crispy. Drain on paper towels. Serve warm with ketchup and mustard or sweet & sour sauce, as desired.

WON TON WRAPPER APPETIZERS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Spray a miniature muffin pan with cooking spray.
• Insert wonton wrappers into the muffin pan so as to form small cups. Bake 5 minutes in the preheated oven. Allow the baked wrappers to cool. Remove from the pan.
• In a medium bowl, mix the sausage, Monterey Jack, Cheddar, black olives and Ranch-style dressing. Fill the baked wonton wrapper cups with the mixture.
• Bake the filled wonton wrappers 10 to 15 minutes, until the sausage mixture is bubbly and slightly brown. Watch closely so the wonton wrappers do not burn.

WON TONS

Steps:

• In a small mixing bowl, combine mustard, soy sauce and wasabi until the wasabi has dissolved. Cover and refrigerate.
• Place cream cheese in a large bowl (preferably chilled metal). Mix in crab meat, onion, water chestnuts and parsley. Place one spoonful of the mixture in the center of each won ton wrapper. Bring points of the wrapper together (in a triangular shape) and pinch the edges closed. If the edges do not stick together, wet your fingertips lightly with water and pinch the ends together again (this will help to hold the won ton together).
• Heat oil in a large skillet. When oil is hot, place won tons (approximately 6 at a time) into hot oil. Remove the won tons when they are golden brown. Drain them on a paper towel lined tray. Repeat this process until all won tons are fried. Serve with dipping sauce.

SPICY WON TONS WITH CHILE OIL

Steps:

• Make the chile oil: Snip any stems off the chiles and discard any exposed seeds. Heat a wok or large skillet over low. Add 1/2 teaspoon oil and the chiles and cook, stirring constantly, until the chiles are fragrant, toasted and slightly darkened, about 3 minutes. Transfer the chiles immediately to a large plate and let cool completely.
• Add the cooled chiles to a food processor and pulse until coarsely chopped into small pieces. Transfer to a medium heatproof bowl. Add the remaining oil to the wok or skillet and heat over medium-high until shimmering and smoking, then immediately turn off the heat and let cool 3 minutes. Pour the warm oil over the chiles, stir to combine, then let cool 2 hours or up to overnight. (You'll have a generous 1/2 cup. Chile oil will keep, covered and refrigerated, for up to 2 months.)
• At least a couple hours before you plan to make the won tons, prepare the chile-oil sauce: In a small bowl, whisk together all the sauce ingredients to combine (makes about 3/4 cup). Add more chile oil to taste. Set aside. (Chile-oil sauce is best prepared at least a few hours in advance, and will keep a few weeks refrigerated in a covered container.)
• Prepare the filling: Put all the ingredients except the chicken stock in a medium bowl and mix well. Add the stock 1 tablespoon at a time, stirring in a circular motion until incorporated before adding the next spoonful.
• Assemble the won tons: Fill a small bowl with water and line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper. Working with one won-ton wrapper at a time, place 1 rounded teaspoon of pork filling in the center of the wrapper. Dip your finger in the water and run it around the edges of the wrapper. Lift and fold one corner over the filling toward the opposite corner over to form a triangle, gently pressing the air out as you seal the edges with your fingertip, then dab one of the lower corners with water and fold over to reach the other lower corner, forming a smaller triangle; pinch both corners to seal. Transfer to the parchment paper, and cover loosely with a damp kitchen towel or a sheet of plastic wrap to prevent drying out. Repeat until all the filling is used.
• Bring a large pot of water to the boil over high heat. Working in batches to avoid crowding, cook the won tons until they float to the surface, about 3 to 4 minutes. Remove with a slotted spoon. Divide the won tons among bowls, drizzle with chile-oil sauce and garnish with scallions.

PORK AND SHRIMP WON TONS

Steps:

• Put pork and shrimp in a chilled mixing bowl. Season with salt and pepper and mix briefly with chopsticks, wet hands or wooden spoons. Add rice wine, soy sauce, sugar, ginger, garlic, bean paste, serrano chiles and garlic chives. Mix well to incorporate. Pan-fry a small flat patty in a small amount of oil to check seasoning; taste and adjust. Transfer mixture to a small container, cover and chill at least 30 minutes, or longer if you have time, up to 24 hours.
• To prepare wontons, remove a few wonton skins from package and lay them on dry work surface. Put 1 teaspoon filling in the center of each square skin. Paint edges of square lightly with egg. Gently fold one side over the other, pinching edges together. You should a have a folded rectangle. Now pull the lower corners in toward each other and pinch together to make the traditional curved wonton shape. Place wontons 1 inch apart on a baking sheet or platter. Dust lightly with cornstarch and refrigerate, uncovered, until ready to cook.
• Bring a large pot of well-salted water to a boil. Meanwhile, put a small handful of spinach leaves and about 2 tablespoons cilantro in each person's deep wide soup bowl. When water is boiling, drop about 10 wontons into pot and cook for 2 minutes. Remove with wire bamboo spider (or a large fine-meshed sieve with a handle) and divide among bowls. Repeat with remaining wontons. Pour about 11/2 cups hot broth over each serving. Drizzle with red pepper oil if desired.

TEX MEX WON-TONS

Steps:

• Filling: In a large skillet, cook ground beef, onion and green pepper until meat is browned and vegetables are tender.
• Drain off fat.
• Stir beans, cheese, ketchup, chile powder and cumin into meat mixture and mix well.
• Place a won-ton skin with 1 point towards you, spoon a generous teaspoon of meat mixture onto center of skin, fold bottom point over filling and tuck point under filling.
• Fold side corners over filling, forming an envelope shape.
• Roll up remaining corner, moisten point with water and seal.
• Fry in hot oil (375°) about 1 minute per side.
• Drain, serve warm with salsa.
• These can also be frozen after cooking.
• Re-heat at 350° for 10-12 minutes.