Goat Cheese Wontons with Raspberry and Balsamic

October 28th, 2012 | Favorites, Small Bites & Entertaining Grub | 0 Comments

Cream cheese stuffed wontons from one of our local Chinese restaurants have always topped my list of must-order appetizers when we have take-out. Creamy, crunchy and served with a side of sweet dipping sauce, they are delicious! As I was eating one the other day, I began pondering what one of those light and crunchy shells would taste like if I fried 'em up with goat cheese inside instead of cream cheese.... and then my mind {with the help of my taste buds} started toying with the idea of fancying up the sauce to go along with it. Something sweet {raspberry jamish} with some balsamic vinegar reduction and something a little spicy {crushed red pepper flakes} and this little dish was born!

I'm sure someone could come up with a "healthier" version if they popped them in the oven, but as for me and my goat cheese wontons, I want the crust as crispy as possible and this is how I do it:

Ingredients:

Vegetable oil {for frying}
12 wonton wrappers
5 oz goat cheese
1/3 cup {best-quality} raspberry preserves
3 tablespoons balsamic vinegar

Directions:

For the wontons:

Its best to set up a little station by laying out the wontons and having the softened goat cheese and a small bowl of water with a pastry brush closeby.

Place about 1 teaspoon of goat cheese onto each wonton square and then brush two sides {as shown below} of the wrappers with water.

Carefully fold over the other side and press the edges into the wet edges, being sure to try to squeeze out as much air as possible when sealing the wontons. Set aside.

Fill a pot with oil at least 2 inches up the sides and heat over a medium-high flame until the oil temperature reaches 375 degrees.

Working in batches, gently place the wontons into the oil. Cook, turning occasionally for about 45 seconds to 1 minute until wontons are a beautiful golden color; then transfer to a paper towel lined rack so that any excess oil will be soaked up.

Transfer wontons to a plate and keep warm.

For the raspberry jam:

In a medium saucepan over medium heat, add raspberry preserves and crushed red pepper. Bring mixture to a boil and allow to cook for 3-4 minutes, stirring occasionally, so that the "heat" can be evenly distributed.

Remove sauce from heat and set aside.

For the balsamic reduction:

In a small saucepan over medium heat, add balsamic vinegar. Cook, swirling pan occasionally, for about 5 minutes until liquid thickens and is reduced by about half.

Remove from heat and set aside.

To assemble the dish, pour the raspberry mixture into a small bowl and serve on a plate with the cream cheese wontons. Drizzle wontons with balsamic reduction and devour!!