Crawfish Wontons

Ingredients

• 1 lb crawfish tails, chopped
• 1 small yellow onion, chopped
• ¼ C bread crumbs
• 1 egg, beaten
• 2 tbs butter
• 2 tsp Cajun seasoning, or to taste

Directions

1. Sauté Base: Melt butter over medium-high heat and sauté onions until they begin to brown.
2. Add Crawfish: Stir in crawfish and Cajun seasoning; sauté ~2 minutes to warm through and infuse flavor (most store-bought crawfish is par-cooked).
3. Cool Mixture: Transfer to a mixing bowl and fold in breadcrumbs. Let stand ~15 minutes to cool slightly. (If rushed, chill briefly in the freezer.)
4. Bind: Once the mixture is cool, add the beaten egg and mix well, taking care to avoid scrambling.

To construct wontons

1. Position Wrapper: Place one wonton wrapper on the work surface with a point facing you.
2. Add Filling: Place 1 tsp filling in the bottom corner, about ½" from the edges.
3. Seal & Fold: Moisten edges with egg white. Fold the top corner over the filling to form a triangle.
4. Shape Wonton: Bring the side corners together, overlapping slightly, and fold the top snugly over the filling, pressing out any trapped air to ensure even cooking.
5. Seal Firmly: Pinch edges securely to seal.
6. Hold: Place finished wontons on a platter lined with wax paper. Cover with a damp kitchen towel until ready to cook.

To cook the wontons

1. Heat Oil: Heat a large pot of peanut oil to 375°F over medium-high heat.
2. Test Fry: Fry 1 wonton until golden brown, 2-4 minutes, turning once. Remove and drain on a wire rack. (The first wonton is a test and may not be perfect.)
3. Fry in Batches: After the test wonton, fry remaining wontons in batches of 8-10, maintaining oil temperature.
4. Drain: Remove cooked wontons and drain thoroughly on a wire rack.
5. Serve: Serve hot.

Chef's Notes

• Wontons can be prepared 1 day in advance. Keep them covered with a damp kitchen towel and refrigerate until ready to cook.

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