Foodbuzz Tastemaker: Buitoni Riserva Shrimp & Lobster Ravioli

Don't forget to enter the lifetime supply of dry peas & lentils giveaway

Thanks to Foodbuzz' Tastemaker program and Buitoni, I had the opportunity to test Buitoni's new premium frozen meal lines thanks to a coupon. I chose to test the Shrimp & Lobster with Garlic Butter Sauce because I love seafood, and the box says it's made with real Maine lobster. The ingredient list lists shrimp third and and lobster meat eighth, plus there's a lobster base further down the list. Overall, the ingredient list wasn't too bad, and most of the items were recognizable.

This is a "complete meal for two", with about 7-8 ravioli per person. Included is a packet of ravioli and a sauce packet. The sauce packets is added to the pot of water that's heated to a boil, then the ravioli are stirred in and cooked for a quick 5 minutes. Spoon the ravioli out into a bowl, open the sauce packet (carefully, because it'll be hot) and pour on top and toss to coat (I added the parsley on my own). Pretty simple.

Firstly, I was pleased with the amount of lobster and shrimp the ravioli had, and that's always a good sign because oftentimes the main ingredients are rather skimpy. The flavor was good, and the ricotta filling wasn't overpowering to the flavor of the seafood. Unfortunately, I felt that the garlic butter sauce overwhelmed the flavors of the filling, and you couldn't quite taste the shrimp or lobster when you ate the ravioli with the sauce. The sauce tasted as good as you would expect from a frozen meal, but if it had been a bit lighter, to allow the filling to be highlighted, I would have enjoyed it more. Honestly, though, the consistency and taste almost reminded me of the garlic dipping sauce you get with pizza.

Here you can see more of the filling. I found myself enjoying the ravioli sans sauce more than altogether.

So I didn't hate this, but it wasn't remarkable enough to make me want to buy it again. Thanks to Foodbuzz Tastemaker and Buitoni for letting me review their product!

A Lifetime Supply of Dry Peas & Lentils Giveaway!

Now that I've shown you guys some new ways to cook with lentils, a lifetime supply of dried peas and lentils won't send your kids or live-in lentil haters searching for a new home. Thanks to the USA Dry Peas, Lentils & Chickpeas Council, the host of the Recipe Rivalry, one of my readers can win a lifetime supply.

One aspect of this challenge I really liked was the variety of lentil and split pea products I received. Like lentil flour. Did you know there was lentil flour? I didn't. I'll be posting a recipe featuring it soon. And did you know there are lentils matching all the colors of the rainbow? Okay, I exaggerate, though my eyes were opened to the many different types I hadn't been aware of, as I primarily cooked with brown lentils in the past. Seriously, this is a great prize, so make sure you enter.

Also, I can't thank the Lentil Council enough for giving me this opportunity, and I hope I used their products to the best of my ability for this challenge.

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Giveaway Details

Now here's how you can help me. The contest isn't over yet! I still need to pick which recipe out of the six I made to enter into the contest, and I'd like your help. Take a look at the recipes linked below and pick your favorite, then follow these instructions for up to 4 entries:

• Leave a comment telling me your favorite recipe -- 1 entry


• Blog about this giveaway, linking back to this page, and comment again letting me know (include a link to your post) -- 1 entry


• Fan She Runs, She Eats on Facebook and comment to let me know -- 1 entry


• Follow me on Twitter and Twit about this giveaway -- 1 entry

Deadline for entry is on Tuesday, June 15th. I'll randomly choose a winner and post on Wednesday. Good luck!
(Open to US residents only)

Voting begins on Recipe Rivalry on Thursday, June 17th. I'll post a reminder on that day.

1. Lentils with Jalapeno, Cilantro, and Queso Fresco

2. Lentil Olive Salad with Fresh Mozzarella

3. Lentil Enchiladas with Homemade Ancho Chile Sauce

4. Lentil Sprout Spring Rolls with Shrimp

5. Roasted Garlic and Lentil Bechamel Sauce with Roasted Tomatoes

6. Split Green Pea Crab Rangoons with Sticky Ginger-Garlic Dipping Sauce

Split Green Pea Crab Rangoons with Sticky Ginger-Garlic Dipping Sauce

My sixth and final recipe for the Recipe Rivalry is finally here! It's been quite the experience, and I hope I've given you new and unique ways to cook with lentils and split peas that will please every palate.

Today, I present you with Split Pea Crab Rangoons. You know those awesome crunchy wontons filled with a gooey cheese filling at Chinese buffets? Now you can make them yourself, and a little healthier. The filling consists of neufchatel cream cheese, crab meat, green onions, garlic, and split peas that are cooked until tender and mashed. I went with traditional Chinese flavorings here of oyster sauce, soy sauce, sesame oil, and white pepper.

It took a bit to finally figure out the petal pattern to form the rangoons. I was sort of able to figure it out from the pictures here, though I never got the hang of the one hand forming technique. Also, I decided not to brush all the edges with egg white, but dab just the middle edges where the wrapper connects in the middle to make assembly easier.

Here's a picture tutorial of how I formed the rangoons, starting with the upper left picture. Make sure you press the center firmly so the wrapper adheres together. Don't worry if the petals droop because they'll spring back up after being dropped in the oil. It's magical! I seriously had quite a bit of fun frying these edible cuties up.

Out of all the filling, I got 38 rangoons. The amount might differ based on how much filling you use. I used a tablespoon measuring spoon, but I didn't fill it all the way, aiming for about 1/2 a tablespoon to 2 teaspoons of filling. Wonton wrappers usually come 60 to a package, so you'll be set for however much you end up making.

The tray was given a quick chill in the fridge while I made the dipping sauce and heated the oil. The sauce is a super simple sticky sauce based of the sauce my mom has been making for a long time to accompany chicken. Featuring soy sauce, vinegar, sugar, and fresh ginger and garlic for flavor, the sauce is boiled until reduced and thickened. The taste is incredible and goes great with the rangoons.

Frying food can be fun! When you first drop the rangoons into the hot oil, there's a bit of sizzling and bubbling going on as the petals "bloom". After 20 seconds, the rangoons begin to rise to the surface somewhat.

I opted to use a wok for the frying so the surface area would be wider and easier to remove the rangoons. Since I couldn't really keep a thermometer in to gauge the temperature of the oil, I kept an eye on the level of browning that occurred within the 50 second cooking time and adjusted the heat accordingly.

The split peas gave the filling a nice flavor without being easy to detect. Their relative neutralness gives the different ingredients a chance to come out, but they still worked together. Biting into a the crunchy outtards to the smooth filling is a treat you simply cannot deny.

Thanks for reading along during the many recipes featuring lentils! Come back tomorrow for a giveaway, and start thinking about which recipe from the six I blogged about is your favorite.

Recipe after the jump.

This recipe was created as part of my involvement with the USA Dried Peas & Lentils Recipe Rivalry. I've been blogging about recipes over the past week and a half, and now I need your help to decide which recipe I should enter into the contest! Tomorrow I'll be hosting a giveaway, courtesy of the USA Dried Pea & Lentil Council, so come back and enter. Voting begins on Thursday, June 17th. Please mark your calenders and spread the word to vote for She Runs, She Eats!

1. Lentils with Jalapeno, Cilantro, and Queso Fresco
2. Lentil Olive Salad with Fresh Mozzarella
3. Lentil Enchiladas with Homemade Ancho Chile Sauce
4. Lentil Sprout Spring Rolls with Shrimp
5. Roasted Garlic and Lentil Bechamel Sauce with Roasted Tomatoes

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Print this recipe

Split Pea Crab Rangoons with Sticky Ginger-Garlic Dipping Sauce
Recipe by Christina Provo

Makes 30-45 rangoons

Split pea ingredients ~

1/4 cup dried split green peas
1 1/4 cup water

Crab filling ingredients ~

6 oz neufchatel cheese, room temperature
6 oz can crab meat, drained
1/4 cup finely chopped green onion
2 cloves garlic, finely minced
1 teaspoon oyster sauce
1/2-1 teaspoon soy sauce
1/2 teaspoon sesame oil
1/2 tsp coarse salt
pinch white pepper

For rangoon assembly ~

1 egg white
30-45 wonton wrappers

Dipping sauce ingredients ~

1/2 cup white vinegar
1/2 cup soy sauce
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 inch piece of ginger, peeled and sliced
2 garlic cloves, smashed

For frying ~

1 quart vegetable (4 cups)

Directions ~

1. Rinse split peas and place in a small pot. Add water, and bring to just a boil. Reduce heat to maintain a constant simmer and cover partially with a lid. Cook for 30-35 minutes or until tender. If water hasn't completely evaporated, drain. Smash into a smooth paste. Let cool.


2. Meanwhile, mix together cream cheese, drained crab meat, green onions, and garlic until blended. Add remaining ingredients and stir to combine. Blend in cooled split pea paste; cover and set aside for 15 minutes to allow the flavors to meld.


3. Have a baking sheet ready nearby to place formed wontons. Onto the center edges on all four sides, dab lightly with egg white (this will help the wrapper stick to itself, sealing in the filling). Dollop 1 1/2-2 teaspoons split pea and crab filling onto center of wrapper. Fold sides to create a blossom, or fold diagonally and press to adhere. Place on baking sheet and cover with a sheet of plastic wrap or a slightly damp cotton towel (this keeps the wrappers from drying out -- you don't want the towel to be wet enough to made the wrappers soggy). Repeat process until filling is used up. Place baking sheet in fridge to chill for 20 minutes.


4. In a deep pot or a wok, heat oil until it registers 350 degrees.


5. While wontons are chilling and oil is heating, place vinegar, soy sauce, sugar, ginger, and garlic in a small pot and bring to a boil, stirring to dissolve the sugar. Once sauce reaches a boil, lower to medium heat (still maintaining a rolling boil, but mixture shouldn't come close to boiling over) and continue to cook for 15 minutes to reduce sauce. Remove from heat and cover to keep warm.


6. Remove baking sheet from fridge. Place a cooling wrack on a different baking sheet and line with paper towels; position near pot of oil.


7. Once oil registers 350 degrees, carefully drop in 3 rangoons at a time. Fry for 40-50 seconds, or until edges are golden brown and the rangoons lose their raw look. The overall tone will be a light-medium golden brown except for the edges. Remove using a slotted spoon and place on prepared baking sheet. (I placed the rangoons on their sides, held up in a line by another rangoon, to keep the bottoms from getting soggy.) Repeat with remaining rangoons, cooking just 3 at a time. Pay attention to how the rangoons fry, and adjust heat accordingly if they're browning too fast or too slow.

Serve with dipping sauce.