Homemade Potstickers

These homemade potstickers weren't all that hard to make but they beat Ling-Lings' pants off! The kids helped make the dumplings. We made them with ground turkey, but any ground meat would work well. We also grated carrots & threw them in with the cabbage for the salting routine. YUM!

Pan-Fried Asian Potstickers with Sesame Beef and Cabbage Filling

Published in Cook's Illustrated, September 1, 1994.

Why this recipe works:

Salting the cabbage kept the filling from getting soggy in our pan-fried potstickers recipe. For crisp potstickers that were cooked all the way through, we pan-fried them, added liquid and let them steam, and then uncovered them and cooked them some more until they crisped up again. (less)

Salting the cabbage kept the filling from getting soggy in our pan-fried potstickers recipe. For crisp potstickers that were cooked all the way through, we pan-fried them, added liquid and let them steam, and then uncovered them and cooked them some more until they crisped up again.

Makes about 1 1/2 cups filling

The filling amount is enough for 32 dumplings. Look for wonton or gyoza wrappers in 3-inch squares, with about 50 wrappers per pound in the package. See the related Illustrated How To Guide, "Shaping and Filling Asian Dumplings" for illustrations.

Ingredients

1/2	small Napa cabbage , finely shredded (about 2 cups)
1	teaspoon table salt
4	ounces ground beef
1	medium scallion , minced (about 2 tablespoons)
1	medium clove garlic , minced (about 1 teaspoon)
1	tablespoon soy sauce
2	teaspoons sesame seeds , toasted
2	teaspoons sesame oil
	Pinch cayenne pepper
1	package wonton wrappers (see headnote), or gyoza wrappers
2	tablespoons vegetable oil

Instructions

1. 1. Toss cabbage and salt together in colander; let stand until cabbage wilts, 15 to 20 minutes. Rinse cabbage; squeeze dry. Mix cabbage with remaining filling ingredients. Refrigerate until ready to make dumplings.

2. 2. To fill ruffled potstickers - Place one rounded teaspoon in the center of a round wrapper. Moisten the edge with water. Fold the wrapper in half, then pinch the edges together and seal. Lightly press the filling on the counter to form a flat base. Gather the pinched edges together to form ruffles on the top.

3. 3. To Pan-fry Dumplings - Bring 1/2 cup water or chicken broth to simmer in small saucepan. Meanwhile, heat 2 tablespoons vegetable oil in large skillet over medium-high heat. When oil is hot and hazy, add dumplings, flat sides down. Fry until bottoms are brown, about 2 minutes. Add simmering water or broth to skillet, pouring around dumplings. Cover and cook until liquid is absorbed, about 3 minutes longer. Uncover and let dumplings fry until bottoms are crisp again, about 1 minute. Serve with dipping sauce passed separately, (see related recipes).

http://www.cooksillustrated.com/recipes/detail.asp?docid=5393

Stir-Fried Broccoli with Garlic-Chili Sauce

Serves 4

Recipe from Kate Wangsgard

1/4 cup vegetable broth

3 tablespoons soy sauce

1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil

1 teaspoon cornstarch

2 teaspoons Asian chili sauce

2 medium cloves garlic, minced

1/8 teaspoon red pepper flakes

1 teaspoon plus 1 tablespoon vegetable oil

1 1/2 pounds broccoli, cut into 3/4 inch pieces

1/4 teaspoon sugar

Whisk broth, soy sauce, sesame oil, cornstarch, and chili sauce together in small bowl. Combine garlic, pepper flakes, and 1 teaspoon vegetable oil in second small bowl. Heat remaining tablespoon vegetable oil in 12-inch nonstick skillet over medium high heat until just beginning to smoke. Add broccoli and sprinkle with sugar; cook stirring frequently, until broccoli is well-browned, 8 to 10 minutes. Push broccoli to sides of skillet to clear center; add oil-garlic mixture and cook, mashing with rubber spatula, until fragrant, 15 to 20 seconds. Stir to combine garlic mixture with broccoli. Add broth mixture and cook, stirring constantly, until florets are cooked through and sauce in thickened, 30 to 45 seconds. Serve.

Glazed Carrots with Bacon & Pecans

I brought these to our family Sunday dinner 2 weeks ago & they were so popular, it was requested that I bring them again the following week. Not a bad review for cooked carrots!

Glazed Carrots with Bacon & Pecans

serves 4

3 oz. bacon (about 3 slices), cut into 1/2" pieces

1/3 C. chopped pecans

1 lb. carrots (about 6 medium), peeled and sliced 1/4" thick on the bias

1/2 t. salt

3 T. light brown sugar, divided

1/2 C. chicken broth

1/2 t. minced fresh thyme leaves (I used scant 1/4 t. dried thyme)

1 T. unsalted butter, cut into 4 pieces

2 t. lemon juice from 1 lemon

Ground black pepper

(**green onions, optional)

Cook bacon in 12-inch skillet until crisp. Transfer to paper towel-lined plate to drain. Remove all but 1 T. bacon drippings from pan & add pecans & cook until fragrant & lightly browned, about 3 minutes. Transfer the pecans to the plate with the bacon.

Add the carrots, salt, 1 T. of the brown sugar, chicken broth and thyme to the skillet. Bring to a boil, covered, over med-high heat. Reduce heat to medium & simmer, stirring occasionally, until carrots are almost tender, about 5 minutes. Uncover & simmer rapidly, stirring occasionally, until liquid is reduced to about 2 T., 1-2 minutes.

Add the butter and remaining 2 T. brown sugar to the skillet. Toss carrots to coat & cook, stirring frequently, until the carrots are completely tender, about 3 minutes. Off heat, add the lemon juice & toss to coat. Transfer carrots to a serving dish, scraping the glaze from the pan into the dish. Season to taste with pepper, sprinkle the bacon & pecans on top and serve immediately.

(**I also added 3 green onions, thinly sliced. Reserve 1 T. green onion tops for garnish with bacon & pecans, but add the rest of the onions to the skillet with the butter & brown sugar.)

Recipe from Cooks Illustrated, February 2005

Homemade Ketchup

6 oz. tomato paste
1/3 cup water
1/4 tsp. ground mustard
1/4 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. cinnamon
pinch cayenne pepper
pinch cloves
2 T. vinegar
1/4 - 1/3 cup honey

Mix and enjoy.

Recipe from Anna Low.