Trader Vic's Original Crab Rangoon

The first time I ever had Crab Rangoon was at Trader Vic's in London in the 1970's. Going for dinner was always a big deal — there was no other place like it. The Polynesian themed interiors were dimly lit and featured a quirky mix of tropical South Pacific artifacts, unique island infused cocktails and exotic pan asian cuisine. We always started with the Trader Vic's Pupu Platter of BBQ spareribs, crispy prawns, sliced char sui pork and of course, crab rangoon, which came with a double-dish of Canton Catsup and Mandarin Mustard. Although known for their Mai Tai's, I was partial to their Banana Daiquiri. 

Trader Vic's was started by Victor Bergeron in 1934 with a pub called Hinky Dinks in San Francisco. His colourful vocabulary and ribald air made him a popular host, as did his potent tropical cocktail concoctions and delicious Americanized adaptations of Polynesian food. It soon became a popular watering hole that attracted sophisticated urbanites. Vic became the Trader and Hinky Dinks became Trader Vic's. As Vic said at the time, "The south pacific theme intrigues everyone. You think of beaches and moonlight and pretty girls. It's a complete escape." 

                                           'Trader' Vic Bergeron

Among Trader Vic's more tantalizing legacies is the Mai Tai, the refreshing rum cocktail he created in 1944, and introduced to the Hawaiian Islands in the 50's. Tahitian for 'the very best', Mai Tai became the slogan for his entire operation. In creating his new cocktail, 'Trader' Vic employed what was becoming the ever-present hallmark of all his food and beverage recipes: a light touch, meant to enhance but never disguise nor overpower the fine original taste of his main ingredients. All of his recipes reflected the man’s own personality: distinctive, lighthearted and memorable. However, this was not without controversy. “There has been a lot of conversation over the beginning of the Mai Tai, and I want to get the record straight,” said Bergeron. “I originated the Mai Tai. Anybody who says I didn’t create this drink is a stinker.”

South Pacific culture had a small but growing hold on the popular imagination in the 1930s. Primitive art from the South Seas had fascinated the cultural elite through the paintings of Paul Gauguin, and through a sort of obscure cultural alchemy, Trader Vic’s tapped into the spirit of the times, popularizing these primitive forms and marketing them in the form of the iconic Tiki statues — a symbol which has become synonymous with the Trader Vic's brand. 

Crab Rangoon is a perfect festive nibble to serve as an hors d'oeuvre during the holiday season. My version features sliced green onions and worcestershire sauce for added savoury depth, and a bit of fresh ginger and lemon juice to balance the richness of the cream cheese. The recipe couldn't be easier. The wontons do float to the surface as they cook, so a wire skimmer or spatula is useful to keep them submerged to ensure they brown evenly. So pour yourself a Mai Tai or Daiquiri, put on an old recording of Don Ho and slip quietly into tiki-mode.

Crab Rangoon

Makes 24 wontons

8 oz fresh or canned crab meat (or smoked salmon)
8 oz cream cheese with chives, softened (I use Western brand)
1/2 tsp Worcestershire sauce
1/2 tsp soy sauce
1/2 tsp fresh grated ginger
1/2 tsp freshly squeezed lemon juice
1 green onion, finely minced
Freshly ground black pepper to taste
24 store-bought wonton wrappers, round or square
1 tbsp cornstarch
2 tbsp water
1 egg yolk
vegetable oil for frying


In a large bowl, combine the fresh crab meat with the cream cheese. Fold in the remaining ingredients up to the wonton wrappers and blend to a paste. Taste for seasoning and set aside.

Create the wonton sealing mixture by dissolving the cornstarch in the 2 tablespoons of water. Add the egg yolk and stir until well-incorporated and smooth and set aside.

Place a heaping teaspoon on each wonton. Dip your finger in the egg/cornstarch sealing mixture and lightly paint the borders of the wonton wrapper. Encase the crab filling by folding over the edges of the wrapper to create a triangle or crescent, depending on the shape of the wonton wrapper. Press down to seal the edges with your fingertips. Using the back of a fork, ensure that the wontons are sealed by gently crimping the borders to create a fluted edge. To create a Trader Vic's style beggar's purse, gather all four corners together and pinch or twist to seal. Repeat with remaining wontons.

Preheat oven to 200°F. Heat oil in a large, heavy-bottomed pot until it reaches the temperature of 350°. Working in batches, fry the wontons until crispy and golden brown, about 3-4 minutes. Drain the wontons on paper towels and keep them warm in the oven while you continue frying the remaining batches. Serve with plum sauce, or hot mustard for dipping, if you like.

Banana Daiquiri

Makes 4 cocktails

6 oz light rum
4 tbsp triple sec
4 bananas
6 oz lime juice
4 tsp white sugar

Combine all the ingredients plus 1 cup crushed ice in an electric blender. Blend at a low speed for five seconds, then blend at a high speed until firm. Pour contents into a tall glass and serve. Garnish with a slice of pineapple and a cherry.

Caviar and Blinis

The Ritz-Carlton in Sarasota offers a spectacular brunch on Sunday mornings, at Vernona, their signature restaurant. One of the decadent temptations is their Caviar Bar, featuring fresh blinis and 3 kinds of caviar — black Sevruga, pink salmon caviar, and the small-grained golden whitefish caviar! The texture and flavour of caviar is so wonderfully delicate and delicious on it's own, it can be enjoyed using a small mother-of-pearl spoon and eating it directly from small bowl of chilled caviar served on a bed of crushed ice. The Russian way of eating caviar is with tiny blinis and a dab of sour cream or creme fraiche. However, a sprinkle of finely chopped egg, shallots and chives adds to the festive presentation of these opulent canapés, as would a chilled flute of champagne or a shot of iced Russian vodka! Nostrovia.

Yukon Gold Blinis and Caviar
Makes 20 little blinis, so serves 4 hungry cossacks!

Blinis:
1 lb Yukon Gold Potatoes, peeled
2 or 3 tbsp all-purpose flour
1 tbsp sour cream
2 large eggs
1 large egg yolk
salt & white pepper
butter

Garnish:
Caviar
creme fraiche
hard-boiled eggs, chopped
shallots, chopped
chives, chopped

For the Yukon Gold Potato Blinis: Put the potatoes in a pot of salted water; bring to a boil and simmer until cooked. Drain and press through a potato ricer while still warm. Set aside. In a small bowl, incorporate flour with a fork and mix in the sour cream. Add eggs one at a time while mixing. Season with salt and pepper. It should have the consistency of pancake batter. Heat a nonstick skillet over high heat. Melt some butter and pour little spoonfuls of batter into the pan. Cook until lightly golden brown, 2 to 3 minutes and flip. Cook for one more minute. Reserve on a tray and garnish as you wish.


COOK'S NOTE: These lovely little blinis can be also be served with smoked salmon or gravlax too.

Florida Clam 'Chowdah'

Having just returned from a wonderful week on Longboat Key for my Dad's birthday, we enjoyed many delicious meals out at some great area restaurants. One soup on many of the menus was Florida Clam Chowder, which is very similar to New England Clam Chowder. Thick and creamy, a great chowder should include fresh shucked clams, fork tender potatoes and enough cream to make it a little bit sinful. Never mind though, you'll walk off the calories window shopping on St. Armand's Circle or walking on the sandy white beaches. A visit to Longboat Key is never complete without a culinary pilgrimage to Star Fish Company, a little gem of a place nestled within the quiet hamlet of Cortez Village on the edge of Sarasota Bay, where you'll find the freshest seafood in the area, and the freshest clams!

Florida Clam Chowder

Makes 6-8 1-1/4 cup servings

4 bacon slices, coarsely chopped
1 cup chopped yellow onion
1 cup chopped leeks
1 cup chopped celery
2 garlic cloves, minced
3 bay leaves
8 tbsp unslated butter
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
3 cups cubed potatoes
1 8 oz bottle of clam juice
1 cup whole milk
2 cups half-and-half cream

3 6.5 oz cans clams, drained, juice reserved
1 lb little neck clams, shucked
2 tbsp fresh parsley, finely chopped
salt and pepper


In a heavy stock pot, over medium-high heat, cook the bacon until cooked. Add the potatoes, onion, celery and garlic, and saute for about 2 minutes or until the vegetables start to soften. Season with salt and pepper. Add the clam juice and bay leaves, and simmer gently until the potatoes are fork tender, about 10 minutes.

While the vegetables simmer, melt the butter in a large saucepan. Whisk in the flour to create a smooth mixture, and then add the cream and milk. Combine until smooth, being careful to not bring the mixture to the boil.

When tender, pour the vegetables and clam juice into the cream. Gently combine ingredients, and remove the bay leaves. Add salt, and generous amounts of cracked pepper.

Add the clams and continue to stir over a gentle heat until the clams are cooked through. Be careful not to overcook, as the clams will become tough.
Serve in warmed deep bowls, and garnish with fresh parsley and extra pepper.

Smoked Trout Salad Canapés

There are times when a low calorie appetizer is a welcome sight, especially during the holiday season, when we're faced with so many tempting nibbling opportunities. This smoked trout recipe is not only heart smart, it's really good. I found this recipe in the South Beach Parties & Holidays Cookbook, one of the South Beach diet cookbook series, which are my 'go to' recipes when I need to pare off a few pounds. I serve this trout salad on cucumber rounds when I'm feeling really virtuous, but it's very versatile. It can be served on endive spears or nifty little baked Tostitos 'scoop' chips — the possibilities are endless.   

Smoked Trout Salad Canapés

Makes 10-12 canapés

1/4 lb smoked trout, mackerel or any smoked fish filet, skin removed

2 tbsp reduced fat sour cream

2 tbsp capers, chopped up

1 tbsp lemon juice

1 tbsp fresh chives, chopped

fresh ground black pepper, to taste

chives for garnish

Place trout in a medium bowl and break into small pieces, checking for pin bones. Add the sour cream, capers, lemon juice, and chives, and with a fork, stir to combine. Season with pepper. Cover and chill one hour. The smoked fish mixture can be spooned onto crackers or sliced cucumber rounds, for a lower fat alternative. Garnish with chopped chives.

Crab Cakes with Roasted Red Pepper Sauce

Makes 24 Crab Cakes

12 oz shelled cooked crab 

1/4 cup finely diced celery
1/4 cup minced fresh chives, plus extra for garnish
1/4 cup mayonnaise
2 large eggs
2 tsp Dijon mustard
1/4 tsp hot sauce
1 1/4 cups panko

Preheat oven to 475°F. Sort through the crab and discard any bits of shell.

In a large bowl, combine celery, chives, mayonnaise, eggs, mustard, and hot sauce and mix well with a fork. Add crab and 1/4 cup panko; stir gently just to mix. The mixture can now be covered and chilled until needed.

Put remaining 1 cup panko in a shallow bowl. Shape crab mixture into 24 little cakes, about 2 inches wide and 1/2 inch thick. Coat each cake in panko on all sides, pressing gently to make sure crumbs adhere. Place cakes slightly apart on a parchment lined baking sheet.

Bake until golden brown, 15 to 18 minutes. With a spatula, gently transfer the crab cakes onto a platter. Spoon a dollop of Roasted Pepper Sauce onto each cake. Garnish platter with fresh chives. Serve hot.

Roasted Pepper-Chive Aioli: In a small bowl, mix 1/3 cup mayonnaise, 1/4 cup chopped drained canned roasted red peppers, 1 tbsp minced fresh chives, 2 tsp lemon juice, and 1 tsp minced garlic. Makes about 1/2 cup.

COOK'S NOTE: Store bought spicy chipotle mayonnaise works just as well as a sauce for the crab cakes, and saves a bit of time. I buy mine at Mike's Fish at the St. Lawrence Market. It's homemade and excellent value at $2.50/container.

Crab cakes make a lovely lunch and if made as bite size little morsels, make an extra special appetizer. If you're lucky enough to find them pre-made at Summerhill Market or frozen at Manotas in the St Lawrence Market, go for it! They're great. But here's a tasty recipe for homemade baked crab cakes that you can make whenever you want and whatever size you need. Full of fresh crab meat and very little filler, they are truly crab cakes, not carb cakes!

Crab Cakes with Roasted Red Pepper Sauce

Endive Stuffed with Smoked Salmon and Quark

Last Christmas one of my neighbours made this delicious festive appetizer using red and white endive spears stuffed with a delicate mixture of smoked salmon, quark cheese and dill. It was lovely, light and refreshing and easy to prepare ahead of time. The most heartwarming touch was the little rose in the middle which was the bottom stem of the red endive! 


Endive Stuffed with Smoked Salmon and Quark
Makes about 24 spears


1 head each of white and red endive
1 package of smoked salmon bits
1/2 cup Quark cheese (or whipped cream cheese)
1 lemon, juice and zest
1 tbsp shallots, minced
2 tbsp fresh dill, chopped


Dice the smoked salmon into small pieces. In a small bowl, combine the smoked salmon, Quark cheese, lemon juice and zest, shallots and dill. Cut the endive at the stem to make individual endive leaves. Save the stem bottoms, and set aside. Spoon a little of the mixture on each endive spear and arrange on a platter, alternating the red and white leaves in a circular arrangement. Place a 'rose' in the middle, by using the bottom stem of one of the red endives, and garnish with fresh dill.


COOK'S NOTE: Mike's Fish at the St. Lawrence Market sells packages of smoked salmon bits, but you can also just chop up the salmon yourself. The Quark cheese came from Scheffler's at the market, but is available in most grocery stores. You could also use a whipped cream cheese if you prefer.

Salmon Mousse with Dill

This smooth and creamy salmon mousse looks so pretty and festive when it's un-molded in small ramekin size servings or from a decorative fish mold. There's no cream or mayonnaise used in the recipe, so it's low if fat and calories. But more important to the taste buds, it's delicious too. Fabulous as a festive hors d'oeuvre, it can also be prepared in small timbale shape molds and served as a first course with little toast points. 

Salmon Mousse with Dill

Makes 4 cups

1 envelope unflavoured gelatin

½ cup water or clam juice

2 tbsp fresh dill, minced

2 tbsp yellow onion, grated

1/4 each of red and yellow pepper, very finely chopped

2 tbsp green onion, very finely chopped

1 tbsp lemon juice

1 tsp salt

dash of Tabasco sauce

¾ cup plain yoghurt

½ cup sour cream

½ cup celery, finely chopped

2 7¾oz/220g cans sockeye salmon

In a small saucepan, sprinkle gelatin over cold water or clam juice; let stand until softened, about 5 minutes. Warm over medium heat until gelatin is dissolved. Let cool to room temperature. Stir in dill, onion, peppers, green onion, lemon juice, salt, Tabasco sauce, sour cream and celery. Refrigerate until mixture begins to set.

Remove the skin from the salmon, but not the bones. They’re an excellent source of calcium. Mash the salmon with a fork or process in a food processor. Mix into gelatin mixture. Spoon into a 4-cup fish mold, or 4 individual ramekins.

Cover and refrigerate until firm, about 3 hours. To serve, unmold and serve with crackers, toast points or fresh vegetables.