Recipe - Xiaolongbao

This is definitely not an easy thing to make, but I think it is worth it! I took a class last week, but wanted to try this myself to see what it really was like!  Plus Ayi had never made either, so we did together. It started yesterday with a trip to Metro to purchase a Pork Leg. Considered butchering myself, but decided my neighbors wouldn't appreciate the extra drama on the street! So, instead picked up a cut I needed at Metro. For anyone considering doing this, I included a picture so you can see. All the fat and skin are still on it. This is the leg, so the bone inside is pretty small. You might also see pork shoulder or pork hoof. I think the leg is best because it maximizes the fat ratio!  More on that in a minute.


What makes these so good is three things in my mind. First, the skins should be thin. If too thick, then top where the pleats come together just taste like dough, no flavor. Second is the soup jelly that is rendered out of the pork leg. This is what becomes the soup inside the dumpling skin that make xiaolongbao so good!  Third is using minced pork that has enough fat in it. If you don't, you will have a little hunk of pork surrounded by this beautiful broth. 

Ok, so let me say a bit about the soup jelly you will be making for this recipe. You will probably see that basically what makes xiaolongbao good is that the soup inside is about 30-40% fat. Of course that is why it tasted so good. It will probably seem a bit gross, but it really is the key to good soup inside these. So, get over it! Wash the leg before cooking. Here in China, the butchering is not always a clean cut, so wash the small shards of bone out the ends. 

Don't worry if this takes a long time to get right. This was my second time making today, and I focused on getting the dough the right consistency and pleating. I totally could not pleat the first time.  Was happy that today I did finally get how to pleat. Whew! Still suck at it, but at least I have a starting point. Not so happy with the skins we made. Not nearly thin enough. And I need to get a steamer set up that works a bit easier.  Special thanks to Suzanne for the moral support and teaching me the tick for pleating!




RECIPE

Recipe - Fennel and Celery Salad

So, I finally have time to get back to trying some new recipes and tastes. Last night, I tried a recipe from Bon Appetite, though of course I modified to adjust to our tastes a bit. Natalie didn't love it, but she didn't hate it! I take that as a good sign. Oh, and got to use my favorite red bowl for serving it!


Fennel and Celery Salad
This is a nice salad that is easy and kid-friendly. You can substitute Italian parsley for the cilantro if you prefer the taste.


ingredients:
3 celery stalks, cut crosswise into paper-thin slices
1 small fennel bulb, trimmed, halved vertically, sliced paper-thin
1/2 cup fresh cilantro leaves
1/4 cup toasted salted pumpkin seeds (pepitas)
2 tablespoons olive oil, preferrably good extra-virgin
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
3/4 cup Parmesan cheese shavings (about 1 1/2 ounces)


preparation:
Combine celery, fennel, parsley, and pumpkin seeds in large bowl. Whisk oil and lemon juice in small bowl. Season with salt and pepper; toss with vegetables. Toss in most of cheese; top with remaining cheese. Let stand 5-10 minutes before serving.

Migrated Blog

Due to some ftp policy changes on Blogger, I have moved my blog from my own website to blogger's site. And yes, I am planning on actually updating more often! My website is WAY out of date, so am in process of redoing that too. For now, FaceBook is about the level of output I can do. I hope to increase the communication in the near future!

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