FILLING MAKES 40 WON-TON
SOUP SERVES 4 IN LARGE BOWLS, 6 TO 8 IN SMALL BOWLS
The fish purée that is the base of these delicate won-ton is easily bought in a Chinatown fish market, or you may make your own by grinding impeccably fresh fish in a food processor. Moist fish with a high oil content, such as sablefish (black cod) and salmon, work well. Use an additional egg white to bind the fish together if its own fats are not sufficient to form a gelatinous purée.
The won-ton may be filled and poached a day or two in advance of serving. Leftovers are yummy deep-fried with most any of our dipping sauces.
WON-TON:
2 cups finely diced Napa cabbage
Kosher salt
⅓ cup finely shredded carrot
1 tablespoon finely minced fresh ginger
2 tablespoons thinly sliced green and white scallion rings
2 tablespoons finely chopped Chinese chives
2 tablespoons finely chopped coriander
1½ teaspoons Chinese rice wine or dry sherry
1 tablespoon China Moon Hot Chili Oil (page 10)
¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 medium egg white, lightly beaten
1 pound fish paste
6 fresh water chestnuts, finely diced
About 40 thinnest possible 3-inch-square won-ton skins
8 cups China Moon Fish Fumet (page 79)
Kosher salt
Roasted Szechwan Pepper-Salt (page 5)
SOUP TRIMMINGS:
1 cup finely slivered Napa or celery cabbage
½ cup finely shredded carrot
¼ cup finely chopped Chinese chives
¼ cup thinly sliced green and white scallion rings
Sprigs of fresh coriander (optional) and Fried Ginger Threads (page 29), for garnish
During my second year in Taiwan, I lived in the blissful indulgence of a household run by an imperious Chinese gourmand. This old gentleman had the fortunate weekly habit of playing mah-jongg with his cronies, leaving his two wives, the servant girl, and me to get “takeout” from our favorite Moslem restaurant around the block. No sooner did the tiles start clicking in the closed room of men friends, than I would be dispatched by the female battalion to pick up an order of four dozen lamb potstickers and a triple order of the hot and sour soup of the day. Moslems eschew pork, so the soup might have beef, chicken, or lamb, according to the whims of the cook and the stinginess of the owner.
On each of these run-and-fetch excursions, my companion was a rather grand insulated ice bucket. It had been a presentational gift to the old man from one of his Shanghai banking buddies and, symbolizing the grandeur and longevity of the culture, it was modeled on the outside to resemble an ancient Chinese bronze ritual vessel. It amused me greatly to know that the real bronze object had once held soup, much as it relieved me that of all the vessels for transporting soup while juggling dumplings, none can beat an insulated plastic ice bucket.
I consider this a unique bit of insider knowledge on the subject of Chinese picnics and potlucks, herewith offered to the cooking world at large.
1. To make the won-ton filling, toss the diced cabbage with ½ teaspoon kosher salt and let stand for 30 minutes. Drain, then squeeze the cabbage to extract any excess water. Combine the cabbage with the remaining ingredients through the egg white. Scrape the mixture into a food processor, add the fish paste, and process to combine. Stir in the water chestnuts by hand to retain their crunch. Poach a dab of the purée in unsalted water and taste. Adjust with additional salt, pepper, and/or chili oil if needed.
2. If working in advance, press plastic wrap directly on the surface of the purée and refrigerate over a bowl of ice for up to a day. The purée will firm up after several hours chilling and be easier to handle, so you may wish to refrigerate it even if you plan to wrap the won-ton almost immediately.
3. Fill, shape, and poach the won-ton following steps 2 and 3, pages 95 and 96. Do not freeze these won-ton; the fish paste loses its texture and moistness.
4. To make the soup: Heat the infusion to a simmer in a non-aluminum pot large enough to hold the won-ton as well. Season with enough kosher salt to bring out the flavor of the fumet, then with a pinch or more of pepper-salt to tingle your tongue. Slide the won-ton into the pot, stir gently, then allow the soup to regain a steaming near simmer, by which time the won-ton will have heated through.
5. Portion the slivered cabbage among heated bowls. Remove the won-ton and divide among the bowls. Ladle the infusion on top. Garnish with big pinches of the remaining trimmings and a sprig of coriander and serve immediately.
MENU SUGGESTIONS: For a simple supper, the soup pairs wonderfully with springrolls, Mandarin Breadtwists (page 66), or baked or steamed buns. A long baguette, split and toasted in the oven with a brushing of oil and topped with paper-thin slices of cured ham or aged Parmesan cheese, is another personal, Marco-Polo favorite.
