Dungeness Crab Rangoon

Ingredients

Equipment Needed

• •Heavy-bottomed Dutch oven or large pot (at least 5-quart capacity)
• •Deep-fry or candy thermometer
• •Spider strainer or slotted spoon
• •Wire cooling rack
• •Microplane grater for ginger
• •Rubber spatula

Instructions

1. 1

   Inspect the crab

   Spread your crabmeat across a sheet pan and run your fingers through every bit of it. You're hunting for shell fragments, those translucent shards that ruin a bite. Fresh Dungeness should smell like clean ocean, nothing fishy or ammonia-sharp. If your crab smells off, it is off. Find better crab. This step takes five minutes and prevents embarrassment at your table.

   If buying whole cooked crabs, one two-pound Dungeness yields roughly one-half pound of picked meat. Budget accordingly.
2. 2

   Build the filling

   Place the softened cream cheese in a large bowl and work it with a wooden spoon until smooth and pliable. Add the minced green onions, garlic paste, and grated ginger. Stir until evenly distributed. Pour in the soy sauce and Worcestershire, then season with white pepper and salt. The mixture should taste savory and slightly tangy before the crab goes in. Fold in the crabmeat gently using a rubber spatula. You want the lumps to stay intact, not shredded into anonymity. Taste again. Adjust salt if needed. The filling should taste of crab first, everything else second.

   White pepper disappears visually while black pepper leaves specks. Either works, but white keeps the filling looking clean.
3. 3

   Set up your wrapping station

   Clear a workspace and arrange your materials: wonton wrappers under a damp kitchen towel to prevent drying, the bowl of filling, your egg wash with a small brush, and a parchment-lined sheet pan for the finished rangoons. Work in batches of six wrappers at a time. Exposed wonton skins dry out within minutes and crack when you try to fold them.

4. 4

   Fill and fold

   Place a wonton wrapper on your work surface as a diamond shape. Scoop one tablespoon of filling into the center. Dip your finger in the egg wash and moisten all four edges of the wrapper. Fold the bottom corner up to meet the top corner, creating a triangle. Press firmly around the filling to eliminate air pockets, then seal the edges completely. Air trapped inside expands during frying and bursts your rangoon. Now bring the two side corners together beneath the filling, overlapping slightly. Dab with egg wash and press to seal. The finished shape resembles a nurse's cap or a fortune cookie. Transfer to your sheet pan and cover with the damp towel while you continue.

   If the triangular fold feels awkward, you can gather all four corners upward and pinch them together at the top like a money bag. Less traditional, equally delicious.
5. 5

   Heat the oil

   Pour oil into a heavy-bottomed pot or Dutch oven to a depth of three inches. Clip a deep-fry thermometer to the side, ensuring the tip sits in oil but doesn't touch the bottom. Heat over medium-high until the oil reaches 350 degrees Fahrenheit. This takes ten to fifteen minutes. Patience here prevents greasy, soggy results. The oil should shimmer but not smoke. If it smokes, cut the heat immediately and let it cool to the proper temperature.

6. 6

   Fry to golden perfection

   Working in batches of five or six, lower rangoons gently into the oil using a slotted spoon or spider. Crowding drops the temperature and produces pale, greasy wrappers instead of crisp golden ones. Fry for two to three minutes, turning once halfway through, until both sides achieve a deep golden brown. The color you want looks like a just-baked croissant. Listen for the sound: vigorous bubbling that gradually quiets as moisture leaves the wrapper. When the bubbling slows and the color deepens, they're ready.

   Monitor your oil temperature between batches. Let it return to 350 degrees before adding more rangoons.
7. 7

   Drain and season

   Transfer fried rangoons to a wire rack set over a sheet pan. Paper towels work but trap steam against the bottom and soften the crust. A rack keeps them crisp all around. Sprinkle with a light dusting of flaky salt while still hot. The salt sticks to the oil and seasons the exterior. Let rest for two minutes before serving. The filling runs molten-hot straight from the fryer and will burn mouths.

8. 8

   Serve immediately

   Arrange the rangoons on a platter with small bowls of sweet chili sauce and Chinese hot mustard for dipping. These want to be eaten within twenty minutes of frying. The crust softens as they sit. If serving at a party, fry in waves throughout the evening rather than all at once. Your guests will follow you to the kitchen. Let them.

Chef Tips

• •Dungeness season runs from early December through summer, with peak quality in winter and spring. Frozen crabmeat works in a pinch, but thaw it overnight in the refrigerator and press out excess moisture with paper towels before using.
• •Peanut oil fries cleanest and imparts no flavor, but any neutral oil with a high smoke point works. Avoid olive oil. Save your good olive oil for salads.
• •Leftover filling keeps refrigerated for two days. Spread it on toast points, stuff it into mushroom caps, or fold it into scrambled eggs the next morning.
• •If you don't own a deep-fry thermometer, buy one. They cost ten dollars and eliminate guesswork. Consistent temperature is the difference between crispy and greasy.
• •Serve with an off-dry Riesling or a crisp Oregon Pinot Gris. The slight sweetness complements both the crab and the sweet chili sauce.

Advance Preparation

• •Filling can be made up to 24 hours ahead and refrigerated. Bring to room temperature for 30 minutes before wrapping for easier spreading.
• •Assembled rangoons can be frozen before frying. Arrange in a single layer on a parchment-lined sheet pan, freeze solid, then transfer to a zip-lock bag. Fry directly from frozen, adding one to two minutes to the cooking time.
• •Fried rangoons do not hold or reheat well. The crust turns leathery. Plan to fry just before serving.

Frequently Asked Questions

Nutrition Information

1 serving (about 90g, 4-5 pieces)