How Fry I Am - Hungarian Pork Paprika and Better Than Take Out Crab Rangoon

Sunday, and we are staying home. No running around doing errands, no Publix (that was yesterday), no BJs (that doesn't sound right), no CVS, no nothing that would require I slip into a sweater and clutch Horatio Cane to get around. No bitching about fibromyalgia, either. You may take judicial notice of the fact that I have some sort of pain, and move along.  I am tired of hearing myself complain. I am going to adopt a Positive Mental Attitude, at least long enough to get some cooking done.

First I have the recipe for Hungarian Pork Paprika, which I prepared days ago but failed to add to the blog, because - well, you know. The pain I'm not supposed to mention today. Anyway, it is an easy dish to prepare even on a weeknight; add some cooked egg noodles tossed with butter, peas, and poppy seeds. and you can feed four. Well, throw in a salad and some bread. A veritable weeknight feast.  

Hungarian Pork Paprika

Wondra flour for coating the pork
olive oil for cooking
1 pound pork stew meat

1 green bell pepper. roughly chopped
2 cans stewed tomatoes (Del Monte, 14.5 oz. each)
kosher salt
ground black pepper
1/2 tablespoon Hungarian sweet paprika

1/2 tablespoon smoked paprika
1/2 cup dairy sour cream, brought to room temperature

Place the pork cubes in an aluminum pan, in one layer, and sprinkle on all sides with the Wondra flour. Heat the olive oil in a large, deep skillet. Brown the pork in the hot oil until golden brown on all sides. Add the green pepper, the salt, pepper, and both paprikas and stir fry for just a few minutes. Add the stewed tomatoes, then cook with a cover slightly askew, for at least 20 minutes or until the pork is very tender.

Anakin uses his Jedi powers to guard the dinner from the dogs

Remove the skillet from the heat. mix 1/2 cup of the sauce mixture with the sour cream. Gradually return the sauce and sour cream mixture to the skillet, blending well. Do not boil the sauce.  Serve with sour cream, guacamole, the Usual Suspects.

Better Than Take-Out Crab Rangoon

1-8 oz. package imitation crab, chopped

1 tablespoon butter

1 green onion, white and green parts, chopped fine

1-8 oz. bar cream cheese, softened

1/2 teaspoon garlic pepper

a few drops of sriracha sauce

1-12 oz package wonton wrappers (I highly recommend Frieda's brand)

1 egg, beaten

canola oil for frying

Melt the butter in a nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add the imitation crab and cook for 2-3 minutes. Set aside to cool. This step helps bring out the crab flavor and makes the dish taste so rich.
   

In a medium bowl, combine the softened cream cheese, green onion, garlic pepper and sriracha sauce. Stir well to combine. Fold in the cooled imitation crab, then cover the bowl and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.

Working 8 at a time, brush the edges of each wonton with the beaten egg. Always keep the remaining wonton skins covered and refrigerated; only take them out when you need them.

Place a small scoop of filling slightly above the midline of each wonton.

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                   

Fold each wonton bottom to top corners, using your fingers to press all sides together. The egg will help them to stick together - none of my rangoon opened up during frying.

Now go back and flatten each rangoon slightly, pressing out excess air.

Over medium high heat, heat about a half inch of canola oil in a heavy skillet to 350 degrees. Fry the rangoon four at a time, checking after a minute and turning as necessary to evenly brown the wonton. Add more oil as needed, and do not be afraid to lower the heat if the wonton brown too quickly.

Place the fried rangoon on paper towels to drain excess oil. 

This made exactly 52 rangoons, so there were no wasted wontons or filling.

Serve hot with your favorite dipping sauce. My husband asked for my Louisiana remoulade, so I made up some for him. Chinese-Creole fusion!

Leftovers should be frozen in a single layer, then sealed into a ziptop freezer bag. Reheat straight from the freezer in a 350 degree oven for about 15 minutes.