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Wontons
Recipe from Gillian Duffy's cookbook, Hors d'Oeuvres, William Morrow & Co., 1998

English-born Gillian Duffy is Culinary Editor of New York Magazine. Gillian was greatly influenced by summers spent in France and her father's farm in Sussex, England.

Yield: 36 wontons

• 3 medium potatoes
• 1 Tablespoon canola oil, plus oil for deep frying
• 1 medium onion, minced
• 3/4 cup frozen peas
• 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes, or to taste
• 1 Tablespoon ground coriander
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1/2 cup chopped cilantro
• 1 packet wonton wrappers (available in most supermarkets)
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper
  

  Place the unpeeled potatoes in a medium-sized saucepan, cover with cold salted water, bring to a boil, and cook for 25 to 30 minutes until the potatoes are tender. Drain and set aside the potatoes until cool enough to handle. Peel the potatoes and mash coarsely with a fork.

  In a small skillet, heat 1 tablespoon oil over medium heat and cook the onion, stirring, until soft and translucent, 2 or 3 minutes. Add the ginger and garlic and cook for 1 minute more.

  In a bowl, mix the onion and garlic with the potatoes, peas, red pepper flakes, ground coriander, and cumin until combined. Season to taste with salt and pepper and stir in the cilantro.

  Place several wonton wrappers on a board and brush the edges with water. Roll 1 teaspoon of the mixture into a ball and place it in the center of the wonton wrapper. Fold each wrapper in half diagonally, squashing the filling to fit, and pinch to seal the edges together. Repeat with the remaining wonton wrappers and filling.

  Heat 1/2 inch oil in a large skillet over high heat. When it's hot, fry several wontons at a time, turning them over as they brown. Remove them from the skillet and place on paper towels to drain. Repeat with the remaining wontons. Serve immediately with Fresh Cilantro Chutney or Spicy Mango Chutney.

  They can be made ahead of time and frozen.

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