Chinese food has been a favorite of mine since I was a kid. My first experience with one of the world’s great cuisines was takeout chop suey from the local Chinese restaurant in Minneapolis. In time, our family graduated to sweet-and-sour ribs and beef rice and we thought we knew everything. At some point in my teens, I woke up and started learning about hot-and-sour soup, noodle dishes, and Sichuan chicken salad. After college, I moved to Chicago, which had a huge (to me) Chinatown and I took my first Chinese cooking classes. Since then, I have been fortunate to travel to China and Hong Kong several times, where I have sat down to many memorable meals. During one trip I attended cooking classes in Hong Kong taught by the estimable Ken Hom. Another time, I traveled to mainland China with Jacques Pepin and his wife Gloria; I have such fond memories of that learning opportunity—and Jacques’ sense of humor and pranks, which made it all the more special.
The Bay Area is home to a large Chinese community, which has spawned scores of traditional restaurants for all of us to enjoy. For many years, people living in the Napa Valley either had to learn how to cook Chinese food or had to hit the road to San Francisco, Berkeley, Oakland, or farther south because of a lack of local options. Times have changed and the valley now supports a handful of good Asian restaurants. But I still like cooking Chinese food at home and in my restaurants, and Chinese New Year remains one of the most popular holidays we celebrate with a menu at Mustards.
Mushroom and Pork Wontons
MUSHROOM AND PORK WONTONS
WITH RICH CHICKEN BROTH
A number of steps are involved in making this dish, but the result is well worth the effort. Sometimes I get an assembly line going of family or friends, whomever I will be feeding, and have them help me fold the wontons—the task goes by in a flash.
The wontons may be made up to 2 hours ahead and refrigerated until cooking. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or waxed paper and sprinkle a fine layer of cornstarch over the paper. Arrange the wontons, not touching, in a single layer on the baking sheet and dust the tops with a little more cornstarch. This is to ensure that the humidity of the refrigerator won’t turn the wonton wrappers soggy. You will have more wontons than you need for this menu—3 to 5 wontons per bowl is a good-size serving—but the balance can be frozen. Freeze them in a single layer until solid and then bag them and store them in the freezer for up to 1 month. Or, you can cook them, coat them lightly with toasted sesame oil, refrigerate them, and use them within a day.
If you are making the whole menu, you can use the broth left over from the spareribs as part of the broth for serving the wontons. Otherwise, use a good homemade chicken or other poultry stock or store-bought reduced-sodium broth. If you cannot find small shiitakes, cut larger ones into wedges and use a single wedge per wonton. Ground chicken or turkey (use dark meat for more flavor) is another good choice for the meat. I even once used ground wild turkey, which proved delicious. | MAKES ABOUT 48 WONTONS; SERVES 6
48 OR SO SMALL FRESH SHIITAKE MUSHROOMS (NO LARGER THAN YOUR THUMBNAIL), STEMMED
12 OUNCES GROUND PORK
2-INCH PIECE FRESH GINGER, PEELED AND GRATED
2 GREEN ONIONS, WHITE AND LIGHT GREEN PARTS ONLY, MINCED
⅓ CUP MINCED FRESH CILANTRO (ABOUT ¼ BUNCH, TOUGH STEMS REMOVED)
1 TABLESPOON TOASTED SESAME OIL
1 TABLESPOON SOY SAUCE
½ TEASPOON SEA SALT
¼ TEASPOON FRESHLY GROUND WHITE PEPPER
1 (12-OUNCE) PACKAGE (48 SHEETS) WONTON WRAPPERS
1 EGG WHISKED WITH 2 TABLESPOONS WATER, FOR EGG WASH
2 SHALLOTS, UNPEELED, STEMMED AND SLICED
2 JALAPEÑO CHILES, STEMMED AND SLICED
3 GREEN ONIONS, WHITE AND LIGHT GREEN PARTS ONLY, SMASHED
3 (¼-INCH-THICK) FRESH GINGER SLICES, SMASHED
1½ TEASPOONS SEA SALT
1 JALAPEÑO CHILE, STEMMED, SEEDED, AND CUT INTO THIN RINGS
3 TO 4 TEASPOONS TOASTED SESAME OIL
3 TO 4 TEASPOONS SOY SAUCE
1 CUP FRESH CILANTRO LEAVES
To make the filling, bring a saucepan filled with water to a boil, add the mushrooms, and blanch for 1½ minutes. Drain and reserve. In a large bowl, combine the pork, ginger, green onions, cilantro, sesame oil, soy sauce, salt, and pepper and mix well. Sauté a small nugget of the mixture, taste, and adjust the seasoning of the mixture if needed.
To fill the wontons, lay a wonton wrapper on a work surface and brush the left and bottom edges (in the shape of an L) with the egg wash (this will help seal the wonton). Place a mushroom cap, stemmed side up, toward the bottom left corner of the wrapper, nestling it in the triangle you have created with the egg wash. Place a teaspoon or so of the filling inside the mushroom cap. Lift the top right corner of the wrapper and fold it over to create a triangle. Push out the excess air and press down firmly with your fingers to seal the edges securely. Repeat until all of the filling is used up. You should have 48 wontons.
To make the broth, in a large stockpot, combine all of the ingredients and bring to a boil over high heat. Decrease the heat to a simmer and cook for about 2 hours, until the liquid is reduced to 6 cups. Strain the broth through a fine-mesh sieve and reserve until needed.
To assemble the dish, preheat the oven to warm. Place your serving bowls in a single layer in the oven. Bring 2 large pots filled with salted water to a boil over high heat. At the same time, heat the broth to just below a boil.
When the water is boiling, drop in the wontons in small batches (make sure the wontons are not crowded and can move easily) and cook until the water returns to a boil and the wontons float to the surface. This should take 5 to 7 minutes. Using a wire skimmer, transfer the wontons to the warmed bowls (3 to 5 wontons in each bowl). Ladle just enough hot broth over the wontons in each bowl to prevent them from sticking together and return the bowls to the oven. Allow the water to return to a boil before you add another batch of wontons. Repeat the process until you have cooked all of the wontons you need.
Bring the remaining broth to a boil. Remove the bowls from the oven and ladle additional hot broth into each. Garnish each serving with some jalapeño rings, a drizzle each of sesame oil and soy sauce (about ½ teaspoon of each per bowl), and a scattering of cilantro. Serve right away.
SESAME OIL IS MOST OFTEN THOUGHT OF AS A SEASONING OIL (WHICH IS ADDED TO A DISH AFTER COOKING) DUE TO ITS LOW SMOKE POINT. I DID A LOT OF RESEARCH ON THIS POINT WHEN DEVELOPING THESE RECIPES, AND FOUND IT’S THE PREFERRED CHOICE FOR JAPANESE, KOREAN, AND THAI COOKS WHEN QUICK SAUTÉING OR SEARING VEGETABLES. IF YOU’RE CONCERNED ABOUT BURNING THE OIL, YOU CAN USE CANOLA, VEGETABLE, OR PEANUT OIL INSTEAD TO STIR-FRY OR SAUTÉ. ADD A BIT OF SESAME OIL AFTER COOKING FOR FLAVOR.
CHILE AND GARLIC FISH SOUP
Cooks in southern Yunnan Province use bone-in, freshwater fish, cut into steaks for this soup. I used sea bass fillets, but you can use any good fish you want. If you decide on a freshwater white fish, use bone-in pieces, not fillets, because fillets will cook too quickly. This soup is a good starter for this multicourse Chinese menu, but you can also serve it as main course for two with rice and a nice salad for a light, quick supper. The soup comes together quickly, so have all of the ingredients ready before you start cooking. | SERVES 6
2 TABLESPOONS PEANUT OR CANOLA OIL
1 OR 2 CLOVES GARLIC, SLICED PAPER-THIN
4 DRIED ÁRBOL OR OTHER DRIED HOT CHILES, STEMMED AND LEFT WHOLE
12 TO 16 OUNCES FISH (SUCH AS CALIFORNIA WHITE SEA BASS, HALIBUT, FRESHWATER WHITE FISH, OR TROUT), FILLETED OR IN STEAKS (SEE HEADNOTE), SKINNED IF DESIRED, AND CUT INTO 2-INCH CHUNKS OF 2 OUNCES EACH
2 LARGE GREEN ONIONS, WHITE AND LIGHT GREEN PARTS ONLY, CUT INTO 2-INCH LENGTHS AND THINLY SLICED LENGTHWISE
2 CLOVES GARLIC, FINELY MINCED
1 TABLESPOON PEELED AND FINELY JULIENNED FRESH GINGER
2 TOMATOES,
PEELED AND FINELY CHOPPED
4 DRIED ÁRBOL OR OTHER DRIED HOT CHILES, STEMMED AND LEFT WHOLE
1 OR 2 BIRD OR OTHER FRESH HOT CHILES, STEMMED, SEEDED IF DESIRED, AND MINCED (DEPENDING ON YOUR HEAT TOLERANCE)
3 TO 4 SMALL HEADS BOK CHOY (AT LEAST ½ HEAD PER SERVING), LEAVES SEPARATED AND CHOPPED IF LARGE, OR 1 CUP CHOPPED NAPA CABBAGE
½ TO ¾ CUP FRESH CILANTRO LEAVES
½ TO ¾ TEASPOON SEA SALT
FRESHLY GROUND BLACK OR WHITE PEPPER OR A MIXTURE
In preparation for making the seasoning oil, measure the oil into a small sauté pan and combine the garlic and chiles in a small dish. Reserve until needed.
To make the soup, place the chunks of fish, not overlapping, in a large soup pot. Add the green onions, garlic, ginger, tomatoes, dried and fresh chiles, and water almost to cover (about 6 cups). Bring to a boil, decrease the heat to a simmer, and cook for 3 to 5 minutes, until the fish is just cooked and beginning to flake.
While the soup is simmering, finish the seasoning oil. Heat the oil over high heat. When the oil is hot, add the garlic and chiles and cook for 30 to 40 seconds, until nicely aromatic, then remove from the heat.
Pour the seasoned oil into the simmering soup and add the bok choy, cilantro, salt, and pepper. Simmer just until the fish pieces are cooked to your liking.
Ladle the soup into warmed deep bowls and serve. Warn your eating companions not to eat the whole dried chiles, and if you have used bone-in fish, have small dishes handy for discarding the bones.
Asparagus with Cloud Ear Mushrooms and Tofu
ASPARAGUS WITH CLOUD EAR MUSHROOMS AND TOFU
The cloud ear mushrooms, which can be found in Asian markets and well-stocked supermarkets, lend an interesting and unique texture. But dried shiitake mushrooms or fresh enoki mushrooms can replace them. Snow peas or sugar snap peas would work well here in place of the asparagus. | SERVES 6
½ OUNCE DRIED CLOUD EAR MUSHROOMS
½ BLOCK (ABOUT 14 OUNCES) FIRM TOFU
¾ TEASPOON SEA SALT
1 TEASPOON SUGAR
1 BUNCH ASPARAGUS (ABOUT 12 OUNCES), TOUGH ENDS SNAPPED OFF AND CUT ON THE DIAGONAL INTO 1-INCH PIECES
1 TABLESPOON PEANUT OR VEGETABLE OIL
1-INCH PIECE FRESH GINGER, PEELED AND MINCED
In a bowl, combine the cloud ears with hot water to cover and let soak for 30 minutes. Drain and repeat two more times. Trim off any hard parts and cut into nice wedges. Reserve until needed.
Cut the tofu crosswise into 4 portions. Then cut each portion into thirds. Place the pieces between two cloth napkins on a plate and top with a weight. Let drain for 20 minutes. Transfer the tofu to a cutting board and dice into small pieces.
In a small bowl, stir together the salt and sugar and reserve. Bring a large saucepan filled with water to a boil, add the asparagus, and cook until not quite fork-tender. Pencil-thin asparagus will cook in a minute or two; stockier asparagus will take a minute or so longer. Drain well and reserve.
In a wok or a large, deep sauté pan, heat the oil over high heat. When the oil is hot, add the ginger and stir for several seconds until aromatic. Add the asparagus and cloud ears and stir and toss for a minute or two. Add the tofu and stir and toss until all of the ingredients are hot. Stir in the salt-sugar mixture and continue to stir and toss for about 1 minute, until the asparagus are fork-tender.
Transfer to a platter and serve.
WARM SESAME DRESSING OVER COOL SPINACH
The spinach can be cooked up to 2 hours and the sauce takes only a minute or two to assemble, making this an ideal dish for the busy cook who is serving a multicourse meal. Although I have called for only 1 tablespoon sesame seeds, you should be as liberal with the amount as you like. | SERVES 6
3 TO 4 BUNCHES SPINACH, TOUGH STEMS REMOVED
2 TABLESPOONS TOASTED SESAME OIL
2 TABLESPOONS XIAOSHING WINE
2 TABLESPOONS SOY SAUCE
2 TABLESPOONS OR MORE SESAME SEEDS,
TOASTED
Bring a large pot filled with salted water to a boil, add the spinach, and blanch for about 1 minute, until just wilted. Drain well, cool under cold running water, and squeeze as dry as possible. Chop the spinach and arrange in a nice rectangle on a plate. Keep at cool room temperature until ready to serve.
In a small saucepan, whisk together the sesame oil, wine, and soy sauce, place over medium heat, and bring just to a simmer. Pour the hot sauce over the cool spinach, sprinkle with the sesame seeds, and serve.
I always eat too many of these sticky, sweet, robust-flavored ribs. The recipe comes from Hunan Province, and the ribs are a great starter or a small course in a multicourse meal. On Monday nights, my dad would go to his men’s club and play indoor baseball and my mom and I would go out to shop or do something else together. Most often our outing would end with dinner at Nankin, a Chinese restaurant in downtown Minneapolis, where we always ate sweet-and-sour ribs. For years, the ribs at Nankin were my benchmark, but these ribs have surpassed them.
If you want to change up your Super Bowl menu, these ribs are a good alternative to the usual chicken wings. Or, you can substitute wings for the spareribs in the recipe, reducing the poaching time to 20 minutes. To make the ribs or wings ahead of time, prepare them through the frying step up to 1 day in advance, and then heat them in the sauce just before serving. See more
thoughts on deep-frying.
| SERVES 6
1½ POUNDS MEATY SPARERIBS, CUT INTO 1½-INCH PIECES (2- OR 3-RIB SECTIONS)
4 (½-INCH-THICK) FRESH GINGER SLICES, PEELED AND SMASHED
4 GREEN ONIONS, WHITE AND LIGHT GREEN PARTS ONLY, SMASHED
1 TABLESPOON XIAOSHING WINE
1 TEASPOON SEA SALT
PEANUT OR VEGETABLE OIL, FOR FRYING
2 TABLESPOONS PEELED AND JULIENNED FRESH GINGER
3 GREEN ONIONS, WHITE AND LIGHT GREEN PARTS ONLY, SLICED ON THE DIAGONAL, PLUS THIN SLICES FOR GARNISH
2 TABLESPOONS DARK SOY SAUCE
¼ CUP SUGAR
1 TABLESPOON BLACK OR RICE VINEGAR
1 TEASPOON TOASTED SESAME OIL
To poach the ribs, in a heavy pot, combine the ribs with water to cover and bring to a boil over high heat. Add the ginger, green onions, wine, and salt, decrease the heat to a simmer, and cook, skimming off any foam that rises to the surface, for 25 minutes. Remove from the heat and drain well, reserving the broth. Let the ribs cool.
Pour the oil to a depth of 2 to 3 inches (deep enough to submerge the ribs) into a wok or deep sauté pan and heat to 360°F on a deep-frying thermometer. Working in batches to avoid crowding the pan, add the ribs to the hot oil and fry for 3 minutes, until they are caramelized and the meat is tender. Using a slotted spoon, transfer to a plate. Repeat with the remaining ribs, always making sure the oil returns to 360°F before you add a new batch. Keep the ribs warm in the oven.
To finish, pour off all but about 2 tablespoons of the oil from the wok and return the pan to medium-high heat. Add the ginger and green onions and stir-fry for about 2 minutes. Stir in 1 cup of the reserved broth (reserve the remainder for the
wontons or another use), dark soy sauce, sugar, vinegar, and sesame oil and bring to a boil, stirring to dissolve the sugar. Decrease the heat to a gentle boil, add the ribs, and heat until the ribs are piping hot and the sauce is syrupy and coats the ribs nicely.
Transfer the ribs and their sauce to an attractive platter and garnish with the green onions. Serve hot.
I learned to make these cookies in my teens from Verna Meyers, my first cooking-school teacher. She always said to make sure they don’t get any darker than golden and that the whole blanched almond in the center of each cookie remains light. Well, for Chinese New Year, I have used red sugar instead of white and raw (skin-on) almonds instead of blanched, and the cookies have still looked and tasted great. If vegetarians will be eating these cookies, use coconut oil in place of the lard. Or, if you just don’t want to use lard, butter will work, but the cookies will not be quite as crisp.
When the tester reported on the cookies, she included a piece of advice: “Do not eat fifteen of these cookies in one sitting or you will get a tummy ache.” My advice is to stop at fourteen! | MAKES ABOUT 60 COOKIES
3 CUPS SIFTED ALL-PURPOSE FLOUR
1 TEASPOON BAKING SODA
½ TEASPOON SEA SALT
1½ CUPS LARD OR UNSALTED BUTTER, CHILLED
1 CUP SUGAR
1 TEASPOON PURE ALMOND EXTRACT
2 EGGS
WHITE OR COLORED SUGAR, FOR ROLLING
AT LEAST 60 BLANCHED ALMONDS, FOR TOPPING THE COOKIES
Preheat the oven to 400°F. Have ready 2 ungreased baking sheets.
In a bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, and salt. In a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, or in a bowl with a handheld mixer, beat together the lard and sugar on medium speed until thick and light. Add the almond extract and beat until combined. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. On low speed, add the flour mixture all at once and beat until the dry ingredients are evenly moistened. (At this point, you can chill the dough, which will make it a bit easier to work with, or you can continue on.)
Put the sugar for rolling into a flat, shallow bowl. Using a ½-ounce cookie scoop (about 1 tablespoon), scoop a portion of dough, shape into a ball, and roll in the sugar, coating evenly. (If you don’t have a scoop, use one spoon to scoop and another spoon to scrape the dough off of the first spoon, then coat in sugar.) Place on a baking sheet and gently press an almond into the top of the cookie. Repeat until the baking sheet is full, spacing the cookies about 1½ inches apart.
Bake the cookies, rotating the pan back to front midway through baking, for 8 to 10 minutes, until just golden. Let cool for 1 minute on the pan on a rack and then transfer to the rack and let cool completely. While the first baking sheet is in the oven, assemble the second sheet and then pop it into the oven when the first sheet comes out. The cooled cookies will keep in an airtight tin at room temperature for up to 1 week. Bet you can’t eat just one.
