Crab Rangoon

There's nothing better than a delicious appetizer! Crab rangoon happens to be one of my favorites when we order Chinese, so I knew I had to learn to make it at home. I could probably even eat an entire meal of just these delicious little dumplings! They are crispy on the outside and filled with a savory and sweet mixture of crab and cream cheese. They also present beautifully without being too difficult to make. Try them next time you opt out of takeout!
Yields: approximately 20

Ingredients:
1 pkg. won ton wrappers
1 brick softened cream cheese
1 green onion, finely minced
1 clove of garlic, finely minced
2 sticks crabmeat (you can use the fake kind or use 1/4 cup real crab), diced
black pepper
1/2 tsp. soy sauce
vegetable oil for deep frying
1/4 cup water
2 tsbp. cornstarch

Assembly:
Mix cornstarch and water then set it aside. Mix cream cheese, onion, garlic, crab and soy sauce. Add pepper to taste. Lay a wonton wrapper flat then add a tsp. of the cream cheese mixture to the center. Dip your index finger in the water/cornstarch mixture, then run it along the edge of the wonton wrapper. Fold the wrapper inward like in the picture above, pinching to seal out any air. Repeat until the mixture is gone. While you are working, keep your finished dumplings under a damp paper towel to keep them from drying out. Heat the oil to 350 degrees. Carefully drop several crab rangoon into the oil, making sure not to crowd the pot (this will cause the oil temperature to drop, resulting in a soggy mess). Stir enough to ensure that the dumplings are turning golden on all sides. After about 1-2 minutes, when they are golden, remove the crab rangoon dumplings to a paper towel lined plate. Serve with plum sauce.

Technique Tuesday: Frying Chicken

Fried chicken is one of those super-comfort foods that can instantly make you feel warm and loved. I love making it on cold, rainy days alongside macaroni and cheese and mashed potatoes (hello carbs!). The crust on the chicken is crunchy and flavorful, and the chicken beneath is juicy and tender. Perfectly fried chicken is one of those great weapons to have in your cooking arsenal. It just takes an understanding of a few easy techniques and some patience. Before long, you will be a fried chicken pro!

1. Brine your chicken

This step will ensure that your chicken is tender and juicy instead of dry and tasteless. A few hours before you will cook it, let the chicken soak in a combination of water and kosher salt (2 cups water to 1/4 cup salt). Search "brining" in the sidebar for more information on this process.

2. Season your chicken

Season your chicken liberally with salt and pepper before dredging. Seasoning at each step of the cooking process will give you a flavorful bite every time.

3. Season your dredging flour and liquid

I use a three step dredging method. First, season all-purpose flour with salt, pepper and garlic powder. Next, whisk two eggs, a splash of milk and 2 tbsp. hot sauce in a separate bowl. Finally, make a third bowl with the same ingredients as the first (salt, pepper, garlic powder). Form an assembly line and dredge your chicken in each of the bowls before frying.

4. Properly dredge your chicken

Make sure that you are completely coating the chicken in each of the three dredging mixtures. This is what's going to get you that beautiful, golden brown crust.

5. Watch your temperature

Shoot for 350 degrees. Stick the tip of a wooden spoon in your oil to gauge the temperature. If bubbles form around the tip, you are ready to fry.

6. Select the right oil

I prefer to fry my chicken in vegetable oil. It imparts a nice flavor without the heaviness of other oils like peanut.

7. Don't overcrowd the frying pan

Make sure to space out your chicken in the frying pan. If you overcrowd the pan, you will lower the heat of the oil and cause the chicken to steam instead of fry.

7. Give it time

For the chicken to cook all the way through, you need to be patient. Typically it takes me about 20 minutes to completely fry a thick breast. The juices should run completely clear when your chicken is thoroughly cooked.

8. Let it rest

Like any other meat, fried chicken should rest for a few minutes so that all the juices don't run out onto the plate. Remove your chicken from the oil onto paper towels and give it a few minutes before serving.