Lobster and Cream Cheese Rangoons

Rangoons are wonderfully crisp appetizers filled with cream cheese and usually crab. This lobster variation, paired with the savory smoked paprika, offers a subtle twist on the classic favorite. Feel free to use this recipe as a spring board for your own creative interpretations. While rangoons are popular on Chinese food menus across the United States, this is not a traditional Chinese dish. Rangoons began as an American food innovation of the 1950's. 

Yields about 10 rangoons

1 lobster tail, boiled

1 6 oz. tub cream cheese

1 t. sriracha sauce, plus more for dipping

1/2 t. fish sauce

1/4 t. ginger, grated

A pinch of smoked paprika

1 green onion

1 package of tyj spring roll pastry

Canola oil for frying

I found these spring roll pastry sheets at my local Asian foods market. They are delightfully thin and crispy. However, you can use wonton wrappers instead. 

1. Boil the lobster tail (thawed) in salt water for about 7 minutes. Drain immediately and allow it to cool. 

2. Use kitchen shears or a sharp knife to cut down the length of the shell of the lobster tail. 

3. Split the tail open and use your finger to pull out the meat. Then, use your hands to finely shred the lobster meat. 

4. In a large mixing bowl, mix the lobster meat, cream cheese, 1 t. Sriracha sauce, fish sauce, ginger and smoked paprika. 

5. Use the kitchen shears to finely cut the green part of the green onion and mix into the cream cheese mixture. Reserve the white part of the onion with about 2 inches of the green part as garnish. 

6. Spoon a small amount into the center of 3 sheets of the spring roll pastry. Fold the sides of the pastry up around the filling and twist. (Cover the stack of pastry sheets with a damp, clean cloth to prevent drying). 

7. Carefully place the Rangoon into the hot oil on a medium high stove. 

8. Carefully fry on each side until the pastry reaches a deep golden color. BE CAREFUL! The oil will splatter. 

9. Drain on a plate with a paper towel, then transfer to the serving plate. 

10. Use a sharp knife to cut the green leaves on the left over green onion piece along the length of the leaves to make fine fronds. 

11. Trim about 1/2 an inch off the bottom root part of the onion and stand it up on the plate as a garnish. 

12. Use a small dollop of the filling with a dusting of smoked paprika as additional garnish. 

13. Serve warm with sriracha sauce for dipping. 

I used green onions in the cream cheese mixture. Chives would certainly work, though. However, I'm a bit of a purest. Flavored cream cheese would mask the delicate flavor of the lobster. A whipped cream cheese might work, but I'm not sure how it would hold up during frying.