Here are two all-time party favourites that don’t sit around for long- Crab and Blue Cheese Bundles and Vietnamese Rice Paper Rolls. As Vivaldo writes in her The Entertaining Encyclopedia, “If you think you're making enough of these, double it - they go faster than hotcakes.” The same holds true for the rice paper rolls- no matter what time of the year.
Crab and Blue Cheese Bundles Recipe courtesy of Denise Vivaldo
Author’s Ingredient Note:
Crabmeat comes in four basic varieties: lump or jumbo lump, the solid white meat from the back legs; backfin, from the body and legs, with good color; special, which is shredded; and claw meat, small reddish-brown pieces of meat from the claws. Choose lump or backfin meat for this recipe.
Make Ahead Tip:
Make these little bundles a day ahead and refrigerate in an airtight container. Reheat in a 325°F (160°C) oven before serving.
SERVES 6
or can be multiplied up to 4 times
Candy/deep-fry thermometer
- 12 oz cooked lump crabmeat 375 g
- 1⁄4 cup crumbled blue cheese 50 mL
- 2 tbsp finely chopped chives 25 mL
- 2 tbsp mayonnaise 25 mL
- 2 tbsp cream cheese, softened 25 mL
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 18 wonton wrappers
- Vegetable or canola oil
- In a bowl, combine crab, blue cheese, chives, mayonnaise and cream cheese. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
- Place a generous teaspoon (5 mL) of crab mixture in the center of each wrapper, then lightly moisten the inside edges with water. Gather edges together to make little sacks and pinch to seal.
- In a deep, heavy saucepan, heat 3 inches (7.5 cm) of oil over medium heat until it registers 350°F (180°C) on thermometer. Working in batches, fry crab bundles until golden, about 4 minutes. Using tongs or a slotted spoon, remove bundles to a plate lined with paper towels to drain before serving.
You can make this dish with lobster or bay shrimp meat instead of the crab.
Vietnamese Rice Paper Rolls Recipe Courtesy Julie Van Rosendaal
Author’s Note:
Stuff them with anything you like – thinly sliced red pepper, pea pods, lettuce, crabmeat, blanched asparagus, bean sprouts, chives, jicama and mango are all delicious. They are fantastic made with shreds of leftover cooked chicken or pork in place of the shrimp, or leave out the meat altogether for vegetarian rolls. All the measurements are approximate – you just need enough to stuff.
Ingedients:
- 15 small-medium rice paper wrappers
Filling:
- handful of thin rice vermicelli noodles (about 100 g)
- 1 Tbsp. rice vinegar or lime juice
- 1 large carrot, peeled and shredded
- 15 cooked shrimp, peeled and deveined
- Half cucumber, peeled if necessary and cut into thin sticks
- Small handful fresh cilantro, mint or Thai basil leaves, torn up or left whole
- 1/4 cup chopped peanuts or cashews (optional)
- To prepare the filling, place noodles in a bowl of boiling water and let stand for about 3 minutes (or as package directs) to soften. Drain well and place in a medium bowl.
- Add carrot and rice vinegar and toss to combine. Cut the shrimp lengthwise in half.
- To assemble the rolls, fill a shallow dish (I use a pie plate) with hot water and lay a clean tea towel over your work surface. Soak one rice paper round at a time in the water for about 10 seconds, until it’s pliable, and lay it on the tea towel. Pat the surface with the edges of the towel to absorb any excess water.
- Place two shrimp halves (cut side up so you can see the pink through the wrapper), a stick of cucumber and some noodles down the middle of the round. Sprinkle with cilantro and peanuts.
- Fold over one long side to cover, then fold up both ends. Roll the whole thing up as tightly as you can without tearing the wrapper. Serve with peanut sauce (recipe below). Makes about 1 1/2 dozen rolls.
- 1/2 cup all-natural or light peanut butter
- 2-4 Tbsp. chicken or vegetable stock (optional, if you like a thinner sauce)
- 3 Tbsp. soy sauce
- 2 Tbsp. brown sugar or honey
- 2 Tbsp. rice vinegar or lime juice
- 1 garlic clove, crushed
- 1-2 tsp. grated fresh ginger
- 1 tsp. sesame oil (optional)
- 1/4 – 1/2 tsp. curry paste (optional)
- Combine all the ingredients in a blender or jar and whiz or shake until smooth. Refrigerate until you’re ready to serve it. Makes about a cup.
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