Clams Rangoon. The piece in the front has been sliced open to show filling.
Clams Rangoon is like Crab Rangoon, but not. (And I’m sure Crab Rangoon was never served in Rangoon to begin with.) I ran across this recipe in an old Yan Can Cook cookbook that was probably a PBS giveaway. Martin Yan has the interesting idea of using spring roll wrappers as the exterior for a deep fried snack. It doesn’t completely work because the spring roll wrappers don’t brown or get crispy; the mouthfeel is like a dim sum taro ball. But tasty and a nice (and easy) experiment worth trying. Makes 8-12 appetizer portions.
Ingredients:
3 oz cream cheese
1 can (6 ½ oz) chopped clams
1 T chopped cilantro
½ chopped jalapeño or serrano pepper
1 t sesame oil
1 t lemon juice
6 8-inch spring roll wrappers
Method: Drain clams, saving liquid for another use.* Work cream cheese with a fork until soft, then add all other ingredients except wrappers and mix well. Have ready oil for deep frying at 350 degrees. Make a water bath in a bowl larger than the spring roll wrappers, headed to body temperature. Briefly (a few seconds) dip a dried wrapper in the water till it becomes slightly softened. Transfer to a cutting board and cut in half. Place a tablespoon of filling on the top end of a half-wrapper then fold in triangles, like a flag. Make sure no filling is exposed. Repeat with other wrappers, reserving the finished pieces. Fry a few at a time till lightly browned and heated through (they will not get crispy or brown) then serve as part of a pupu platter.
Note: spring roll wrappers are nifty things and this experiment rekindled some old curiosity. Check this post if you are interested in making a classic Vietnamese spring roll and also some handling tips for the wrappers.
*Maybe a clam tomato cocktail! Mix clam juice with equal amounts of tomato or V8 juice and tequila or vodka. Add a splash of Worcestershire sauce and enjoy.
