Pork Scallion Pot Stickers

It's been a while hasn't it!?!?!?  My kitchen and I haven't been spending much time together lately... Mostly because I spend my time shuttling back and forth between the bf's house and social engagements with my girlfriends.  I might have time to cook one night a week at my house... and that seems like a lot of work to get groceries and cook myself a meal.  I've been eating a lot of lean cuisines lately to bridge that gap.

I am over the moon with these pot stickers.  The recipe makes a lot of dumplings, so it's good to freeze for leftovers.

Pork-Scallion Pot Stickers (as adapted from Food & Wine)

• 1/2 pound ground pork
• 2 cups finely chopped green cabbage
• 1 cup thinly sliced scallions (about 5 large)
• 1 1/2 tablespoons minced fresh ginger
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• 2 shiitake mushrooms, stems discarded and caps finely chopped
• 1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil
• 1 tablespoon soy sauce, plus more for dipping
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground white pepper
• 1 package round gyoza wrappers
• 1 cup water

In a bowl, mix all the ingredients, except for wrappers and vegetable oil. 

Mush it all together.  Though you might want to... No taste testing... this is raw pork people.  

Fill each wrapper with about 1 tablespoon of filling.  Don't overfill.  Then use water/vegetable oil to draw a circle around the outer edges of the wrapper.  Fold over to make half circles and press closed.

Like so.

These can either be steamed or fried.  In the name of science, I tried both.  However, I liked the fried ones way better.  I steamed in a steamer for about 4 minutes each side.  Make sure you flip after four so that the dumplings don't stick to the bottom of the steamer.

Or you can fried them up in a few tablespoons of EVOO.  About three minutes on either side.  Just make sure the pork is cooked all the way through.

I think this recipe made about 60 dumplings for me.  I froze them on a cookie sheet, separately, and then put into a tupperware.  This was to ensure the didn't all freeze up together in a giant dumpling mess.

Chinese Dumpling Soup

Lots of ingredients, but a very simple soup to prepare.

Amy has been on a soup kick lately and I couldn't help but want to chef up some soup for my own kitchen and freezer.  It's so fabulous to make up a giant batch of wholesome soup and freeze it for a later date. 










Chinese Dumpling Soup (from Food Network):
8 cups low-sodium chicken or mushroom broth
1 2-inch piece fresh ginger, peeled and julienned or cut into match sticks
1 tablespoon soy sauce, preferably dark
1/4 cup Shaohsing rice cooking wine or pale dry sherry
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar/or 2 tablespoons black vinegar
2 teaspoons dark sesame oil
1 teaspoon sugar
Pinch of salt
2 carrots, thinly sliced on the bias- about 1 cup
24 frozen Chinese dumplings, pork, shrimp, or 1 pound package
3 scallions (white and green parts), thinly sliced
4 cups bag baby spinach
chopped cilantro (optional)
Asian chili paste (optional)

Put the broth, ginger, soy, wine, vinegar, sesame oil, sugar and salt in a soup pot and bring to a boil over high heat. Adjust the heat so the broth simmers and cooks to lightly flavor with ginger, about 10-15-minutes.

Add the carrots, and simmer until tender and cooked through, about 5 minutes. Just before serving, add the dumplings, cook for 3 minutes, stir in the scallions and spinach and cook until the greens wilt, about 1 minute. 
 

 

I added a teaspoon of sriracha to my soup and I thought it added wonderful taste and a touch of spice.  It was so hearty and warm and filling... what a fabulous easy soup.  And behold, leftovers! The big guy is an upcoming lunch and the two medium pals went straight into the freezer.