Mad Wonton Skills

I MADE THAT!!! Sometimes I get chills just thinking about it! You know I love to cook and you know I love chinese food and I especially love good wonton soup. I got a hankering and literally woke up in the night getting excited thinking about making wonton soup. Is that weird? Researched several recipes on-line, read lots and lots of user comments and reviews of the recipes, applied some of their changes, added a few of my own, watched several "how to wrap wontons" videos on you-tube and successfully made amazingly delicious soup! What did we do before the internet? Ah...that's right. We learned how to cook from real live humans, like grandmothers, and stuff. Unfortunately I never knew my grandmothers, and doubtful they made wonton soup so thank goodness for the internet.

I combined recipes for egg-drop and wonton soups, added some extra veggies and presented it to Schaun (and Winnie, who just stared at it) for his approval. It was met with a resounding, "This is SO good!" I wouldn't do the egg-drop thing again, it was a bit overwhelming, and since this first time I made it again (there were so many wontons I froze a ton of them) with a fairly simple broth and fresh veggie goodness.

Winnie's not diggin' it.

Here's my best recreation, from memory, of my latest favoritest soup. I'm sure a new one will come along soon but for now...enjoy!

Wonton Soup
Serves 4-ish
(adapted from Pf Changs Wonton Soup Recipe)

The Soupy Part

8 cups chicken stock

2 tsp freshly grated ginger

1 Tbsp light brown sugar

2 Tbsp dry sherry

1/4 cup soy sauce

2 Tbsp fish sauce (I like Tiparos brand, found in most asian markets)

2 medium carrots peeled and thinly sliced

10 baby bok choy, halved
1 small pckg cremini mushrooms sliced
2 slices canadian bacon, julienned.
2 thinly sliced scallions, the entire onion...not just the white parts

Bring chicken stock to a boil, add ginger, sugar, sherry, soy sauce, fish sauce and carrots. Cook until carrots are tender. Reduce heat to medium and add bok choy, mushrooms and canadian bacon, cover and simmer about 5 -7 minutes. Add scallions right before serving. This is tasty on its own without the wontons...you could add some thinly sliced chicken or just some nice rice noodles.

The Wontony Part
(makes about 50, 1/2 to eat now 1/2 to freeze and eat later)

1 lb ground turkey (for this recipe I like dark meat)
1 tsp light brown sugar
1 Tbsp dry sherry
1 Tbsp soy sauce
1 scallion, finely chopped
1 tsp finely grated fresh ginger
2 Tbsp ketchup

Mix all ingredients in a medium bowl. Use one teaspoon (and I mean only one teaspoon...don't cheat...measure it) in the center of precut wonton wrappers. Fold as instructed here or whatever way your creative heart desires. I recommend testing the structural viability of your creation before using any method for all the wontons. Boil in a separate pot. They're done when they float. Transfer to individual soup bowls and be amazed at your mad wonton skills!

Cauliflower Red Lentil Curry and Butternut Squash Lasagna

Some people asked about some of the recipes we mentioned in the last post. Here you go!

Cauliflower Red Lentil Curry
(from Eating Well: http://www.eatingwell.com/recipes/cauliflower_red_lentil_curry.html)

1/2 cup red lentils, rinsed
1 small onion, chopped
2 teaspoons curry powder, preferably Madras
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon turmeric
2 cups water
4 plum tomatoes, seeded and chopped, or one 14-oz. can tomatoes, drained and chopped
4 cups cauliflower florets
1 jalapeno pepper, halved, seeded and thinly sliced
1 tablespoon canola oil
1 tablespoon cumin seeds
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 teaspoons minced fresh ginger
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
2 tablespoons lemon juice
1 tablespoon chopped fresh cilantro
1 teaspoon sugar

Combine lentils, onions, curry powder, salt, turmeric and water in a large saucepan over low heat; bring to a simmer. Cover and cook, stirring occasionally, until the lentils are soft and the sauce has thickened, about 45 minutes. Add tomatoes, cauliflower and jalapeno peppers and simmer, covered, until the cauliflower is tender, 8 to 10 minutes longer. Remove from heat.

Heat oil in a small skillet over medium-high heat. Add cumin seeds and cook for about 10 seconds. Add garlic and ginger; cook, stirring, until the garlic is lightly browned, about 1 minute. Stir in cayenne and immediately add the oil-spice mixture to the cauliflower mixture. Stir in lemon juice, cilantro and sugar. Taste and adjust seasonings with additional salt and cayenne.

Butternut Squash Lasagna
(from Rachel's friend Jill)

1 tablespoon olive oil
1 (1 1/2 to 2-pound) butternut squash, peeled, seeded, and diced
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1/2 cup water
4 tablespoons butter
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
3 1/2 cups milk
1/8 teaspoon nutmeg
1/8 teaspoon cinnamon
3/4 cup (lightly packed) fresh basil leaves
12 no-boil lasagna noodles
2 1/2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
1/3 cup grated Parmesan

In a large skillet heat olive oil over medium-high heat. Add squash and toss to coat. Add 1/2 cup water. Reduce heat and simmer, covered, for 20 minutes or until tender. Cool slightly. Puree squash in food processor. Season with salt and pepper.

In medium saucepan, melt butter over medium heat. Add flour, whisking for 1 minute. Increase heat to high and gradually whisk in milk. Bring to boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 5 minutes or until slightly thickened. Whisk in nutmeg and cinnamon. Let cool slightly. Pour half of the white sauce into blender, add basil and blend until smooth. Return basil sauce to saucepan and combine with rest of white sauce. Season with salt and pepper.

Heat oven to 350 degrees. Reserve 1/2 cup mozzarella cheese. Lightly spray 13 x 9 x 2 baking dish with nonstick cooking spray.

Spread 3/4 cup of basil sauce in bottom of baking dish. Place three lasagna noodles crosswise over the sauce. Spread 1/3 of squash puree over the noodles, followed by 1/2 cup mozzarella cheese. Repeat layering using basil sauce, noodles, squash, and mozzarella.

Cover with foil and bake for 40 minutes. Remove foil and sprinkle with reserved 1/2 cup mozzarella and parmesan cheese. Return to over and continue baking 15 minutes. Let stand 15 minutes before cutting.