Strange yet yummy little packages - Wontons

Wontons are one of the easiest things to make, so don't be scared. You can fill them with anything you like and they present really well. If you like appearing cooler than you really are, I would highly recommend wonton making for potlucks. Ok, so here are the steps to social fame... good luck.

Makes about 45 wontons
Great deep fried appetizer or in soup.

Wonton wrappers:
Buy at any Chinese grocer - full egg wonton wrapper, I use Double Happiness Ltd. wrappers.

Wonton filling:
8 medium sized Shitake mushrooms, diced small
1 package enoki mushrooms, diced
5 Tbs Chinese green onion, diced
1 Tbs sriracha or chili sauce (to taste if you don't like spice)
1 Tbs braggs or soy sauce
1 Tbs fish sauce
1 clove garlic minced
Mix and put about a level tsp of the mixture in each wonton. Here's how to wrap a wonton... it's really easy, I use the video style. http://www.homemade-chinese-soups.com/how-to-fold-wontons.html
Find a friend, grab a glass of wine and have a wrapping, chatting good time (should take you about 15 min to wrap 45). They also freeze well, so make more and then freeze them in a ziplock bag on a plate. Make sure they aren't clumped together so they don't stick to each other.
Deep Frying Instructions:
Once the wontons are made, set some safflower (best), peanut or canola oil to fry if you have a home fryer and drop in until brown. Strain on a paper towel.
or
If you don't have a fryer, put oil in a small saucepan (you want to submerge the wontons fully in the oil) and set to high heat, make sure the oil doesn't smoke. Heat to around 375ºF, just before smoking. Make sure you don't get any water in the pan, that will cause the oil to spit which can be very burny. Brown wontons and then strain on paper towel.

Or boil the wontons in a good chicken or fish stock with some carrots and chives for colour if you don't like fried food. Voila, wonton soup.

Spicy Fruit Sauce:
6 apples
2 cups huckleberries (sour berries)
or
4 cups plums
1/2 onion diced
2 Tbs grated ginger root
1/2 c water
Combine in sauce pan and bring to boil then simmer till soft. Strain through sieve and put the juice back in the pot.

1/3 c sugar
1 tsp chili flakes
1/4 c vinegar
1 tsp ground coriander
1 tsp cayenne pepper
1/2 tsp salt, to taste
Add the rest and reduce by 1/2, around 30 min or until desired thickness is reached.

Prosciutto gives Courgette a big hug.

It's love. Tis the season of the zucchini, so lets enjoy it. Muddle long courgette cubes in balsamic and olive oil. Broil in oven for 5 minutes till slightly browned, but not soggy. Wrap tight in slices of good prosciutto, crack pepper over and sprinkle generously with lemon rind. Eat by the hand as lovely little wrapped packages.

Ingredients:
1 medium sized Courgette(Zucchini) - Cubed 1cm x .5cm x 6cm ish
4 thin slices prosciutto, about 50 grams
1 Tbs good balsamic vinegar
1 Tbs olive oil
cracked pepper
grated lemon rind - however much you like, try one

Instructions:
As above. Toss the zucchini in the olive oil/balsamic mixture and then place on a baking tray to broil it or use your BBQ if you want it to taste really amazing for that added smokey flavour. Preheat oven to 400 F
Serves 4 as a side dish or appetizer.

Pairing: Have a gin & tonic with it, add some of the grated lemon zest to marry the two for good.

Scallops and Sake

Qualicum Bay Scallops are fresh, local and tasty as hell, or should it be heaven? They are also on the Ocean Wise(sustainable seafood program), thumbs up list, so you can feel morally superior while you eat them. If you want to win friends and influence people, I'm about to lay a recipe on you that will make you an overnight success.

Ingredients:
1 cucumber, slice and use as 'crackers' to serve scallops on
4 med-large scallops cut in half, you can buy them at Granville Island

Salsa:
5 Jalapeno peppers, remove seeds and dice very fine
1/2 onion, diced very fine
1/2 tomato(good quality!), diced fine
1 clove garlic, grate finely
1/4 cup lemon juice
6 Tbs olive oil
1 tsp salt
The salsa is best when you leave it in the refrigerator overnight to mellow the flavours.

Instructions:
Heat a frying pan on medium, put a little oil in the bottom of the pan and throw the scallops in with about 8 Tbs of salsa. Heat until the scallops caramelize or brown slightly, should take about 5 minutes. Scoop each scallop out and place on a cucumber slice with a dollop of cooked salsa and serve hot.

Here are a few tips to make this appy super yummy:

1. This sounds super hippie, but, always buy local, organic tomatoes, they tend to be the sweetest when in season. Good tomatoes are hard to find in winter, don't add tomatoes if all you can find are crappy field or tomatoes from Mexico, just put in a bit more onion and Jalapeno to compensate.

2. When you remove the seeds and dice the Jalapenos put a plastic bag over you hands or wear gloves if you have them that way you won't have problems if you poke yourself in the eye later. Also don't be afraid that the recipe will be too spicy. The little devilish seeds of the peppers hold most of the heat, also, the salsa will be sauteed which will mellow the spice further.

3. Dice the crap out of everything! We want to make sure no one vegetable dominates.

4. There is a fine balance between caramelizing the salsa and overcooking the scallops. Depending on your cook top temperature and how thick your scallops are, you may want to caramelize the salsa first and then throw the scallop in for 5 minutes to cook just to be sure that you are making magic.

Lastly, pair with cold sake from Artisan Sake Maker(buy in any liquor store), black label. Or try Cedar Creek, BC, Chardonnay, Estate Select($24) if you can find it(maybe at Firefly Wine Stores).

www.artisansakemaker.com