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TungTung House inspired me to make Wonton Soup. I’ve always loved dumpling soups but I’d never actually made dumplings before. The February 2008 issue of Martha Stewart Living had a feature with dumplings from all corners of the globe, and I’d been keeping that in the back of my mind. Today was the right day to grab supplies and give it a try.

Pork/Cabbage Wontons (Makes about 40 wontons)

1/2 lb ground pork
1 c finely chopped cabbage (Napa or Savoy)
1/4 c finely chopped leek
1 green onion, chopped
1 T minced cilantro
1 t minced fresh ginger
1/2 t sesame oil
1/2 t corn starch
1 T soy sauce
1/2 t sugar
1/2 t kosher salt
a generous pinch white pepper
12 oz pkg wonton skins, thawed overnight in the fridge if frozen (I found them frozen at my Asian market, and refrigerated in the Asian produce section of my grocery store, which to tell the truth is a bit upscale. Don’t know if they have them at Safeway…)

You’re going to want to make the full batch of wontons, and then freeze what you don’t cook for immediate use in soup. Place the extra wontons on a tray and cover with plastic, freeze. Once they are frozen, transfer them to a plastic container for storage. You can add them to soup frozen, they will just need to cook longer.

A note about the cabbage: I wanted to blanch it before adding to the filling mixture – I cut a wedge of cabbage and placed it in a pot of salted boiling water for 2 minutes, then fished it out and submerged it in cold running water to cool it quickly, then chopped it fine. I saved the pot of water to cook the wontons in later.

Combine the pork and vegetables, stirring with a fork. I sprinkled the seasonings over the bowl so they wouldn’t be all clumped up in one area, and stirred thoroughly to make sure they were all blended in. You want the mixture to be sticky and hold its shape, not too dry or too wet.

Open up the package of wonton skins and cover them with a clean damp towel. Have a small bowl of water handy and a cutting board or plate as a work surface. There are many ways to fold wontons – the simplest way is to place a teaspoonful of filing in the top half of the square, dampen the edges, and fold the wrapper in half. You can do this diagonally or as a rectangle. One step fancier is to stick the corners together, using a wet finger to seal them. ** One thing I will do differently next time is put my finished wontons on a paper towel or waxed paper because I was a little too messy with my water and the bottoms got sticky and adhered to the plate. But none of the ones I cooked actually fell apart so that’s good. Cover the wontons with plastic until ready to cook.

** I removed the link to “Wonton Central” because it crashed a friend’s computer, and appears to contain malware. Stay away from the following URL if you are searching the web for wonton soup:
http://www.homemade-chinese-soups.com

Super-Basic soup for wontons (serves 2)

3 cups chicken broth
1/2 carrot, sliced thin
1/4 leek, sliced on the diagonal
1/8 cabbage, cut in bite-sized pieces
(saute the veggies in a bit of oil before adding to the soup for extra yumminess.)
1/2 c. dried sliced shitake mushrooms
2 T soy sauce
1 T mirin
1 T rice vinegar
1 green onion, sliced, for garnish

Bring the broth to a boil. Add everything except the green onion. Return the soup to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer for 5 minutes or until the vegetables are tender. Keep the soup warm while you cook the wontons.

Bring a pot of salted water to the boil. Drop in enough wontons to form a single layer, don’t crowd the pot – they cook quickly and you can do several batches. When the wontons come to the surface, add a cup of cold water. When they float up again, fish them out with a slotted spoon and place them in bowls. Add the soup and garnish with green onions.

This salad caused a stir last night at our Family Game Nite / Costume Party. I had a hard time refraining from eating it before we even arrived at the party, I was very hungry – but I managed to wait until the potluck dinner was underway and I could enjoy my portion with a big handful of tortilla chips. I imagine it would make a great summer picnic dinner, on a bed of lettuce to accompany grilled chicken.

Southwest Corn and Bean Salad (makes about 8 cups)

15 oz can black beans, rinsed and drained
2 c frozen or fresh corn kernels
2 medium tomatoes, chopped
1/2 medium bell pepper, chopped
1/4 c chopped red onion
1 clove garlic, crushed
2 T chopped fresh cilantro
2 avocados

Juice from 1 lime
4 t olive oil
1 T red wine vinegar
1/2 t salt
1/4 t freshly-ground pepper
1/4 t chili powder – I used chipotle chili powder
Dash cayenne pepper (omit if using chipotle)

Combine the beans and vegetables, except avocado, in a medium bowl. Slice each avocado in half, and twist apart to expose the pit. Whack the pit with the blade of your knife and twist to remove it. Score the avocado flesh crosswise and lengthwise, and scoop out the cubes with a spoon, into a small bowl. Sprinkle with half the lime juice and stir gently to coat. Add the avocado to the salad. Combine the remaining lime juice with the rest of the dressing ingredients, and toss the dressing with the salad. Chill until just before serving.

Brussels, those much-maligned sprouts, are actually one of my favorite vegetables in the side-dish category. The secret is to roast them gently in the oven – they get beautifully browned and take on a nutty, almost sweet flavor.

Roasted Brussels Sprouts

Wash and trim about a pound of Brussels – cut off the tough portion of the stem and cut each in half (or quarters if they are large.) In a large bowl, toss the sprouts gently with a tablespoon of olive oil, and sprinkle them generously with salt and pepper. Spread them in a single layer in a large baking pan or dish, making sure most of them are turned cut-side down for best browning. Roast in a preheated 375° oven for 15 minutes or until well-browned and easily pierced with a fork.

I bought a “sugar pie” pumpkin at the farmer’s market on Saturday. It was almost too cute to eat! Last time I tried pumpkin curry I roasted the pumpkin along with the potatoes and carrots, but that just made it dry and fragile. This time I wanted to try something different and it worked out much better. This is what we usually order when we eat at Thai restaurants – so that’s the inspiration for this curry.

Pumpkin Curry (serves 4-5)

1 small pumpkin – the one I bought was about 5 inches in diameter and weighed a pound or so.
2 potatoes
2 carrots
1 onion, cut into wedges
Vegetable oil
1 lb boneless, skinless chicken, thinly sliced
2 cups chicken broth
14 oz can coconut milk
4 oz can Thai yellow curry paste, I use Maesri brand that I find at the Asian market.
Salt & pepper

Steamed rice
Fresh cilantro leaves to garnish, optional

Peel and cut the potatoes and carrots into large chunks. Toss with 2 tsp oil, salt, and pepper. Spread in a single layer on baking pan and roast for 20 minutes at 400° or until they are tender but not too soft.

Meanwhile, prep your pumpkin. Cut it in half from base to stem, and scrape out the stringy pulp and seeds. Peel each half with a potato peeler and cut into wedges.

Heat 2 tsp oil in a large, deep skillet. Add the onions and fry them, stirring often, until they are browned around the edges. Remove the onions and set aside. Add 2 tsp of oil to the skillet and add the pumpkin wedges. Stir until they are coated with oil, and then pour in the chicken broth. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and cover the pan. Simmer the pumpkin until it’s tender, 8-10 minutes. Lift the pieces out with a slotted spoon and set them aside.

Add about 1/2 the can of curry paste to the remaining chicken broth in the pan, and stir until dissolved and bubbling. (The leftover paste will keep in a glass jar in the fridge for a long time.) Stir in the coconut milk, and raise the heat until it just starts to simmer. Add the sliced chicken, and gently simmer until it’s cooked through. Add the reserved onions, pumpkin, and roasted potatoes and carrots. Stir to combine, and heat through. Adjust seasoning and salt and pepper. Serve over rice, garnished with cilantro.

Vietnamese Beef Noodle Soup

Well, I guess I missed soup. No sooner does the cold weather hit than I make soup 3 times in one week! Pho (pronounced “fuh”), or Vietnamese beef noodle soup, is rather scarce here in Eugene. Luckily we have a wonderful Asian market where I can pick up all the goodies needed to assemble this quick and delicious dinner. A few years ago I started from scratch and made the beef broth myself from an internet recipe, but this version is delicious and low-effort.

Pho Bo (serves 4)
Adapted from The Evolution of Pho by Andrea Nguyen, VietWorldKitchen.com

For the broth:
8 c beef broth
1 medium onion, quartered
2-inch chunk fresh ginger, sliced into coins
2-3 star anise
3 whole cloves
1 cinnamon stick (3 inches)
2 T fish sauce
1 small chunk Yellow Rock sugar (2 tsp sugar)
Salt to taste

Bring the broth to a boil. Add the onion, ginger, and whole spices (and sugar if using rock sugar, so it can dissolve). Reduce heat and simmer for 30 minutes to an hour. Place a mesh strainer over a large metal bowl and pour the broth into it – discard solids and return the broth to the pot. Add the fish sauce, taste and adjust the seasonings according to your taste. (It should taste a bit strong since you will be adding noodles, beef, vegetables and herbs.)

While the broth is simmering, gather and prep your other ingredients:

For the bowls:
12 oz dry rice noodles (banh pho, rice stick, or chantaboon – 1/8″ width). Soak the noodles in warm water for 20-30 minutes to soften them.
1 lb paper-thin sliced steak (I’ve found it at my Asian market labeled as shabu-shabu beef or sukiyaki beef…)
1/2 an onion, sliced very thin and soaked in cold water for 30 minutes.
2-3 green onions, sliced
1/4 c chopped cilantro
1-2 Thai chilies, seeded and cut into several pieces (optional)

Garnishes:
Freshly-squeezed lime juice
Hoisin sauce
Sriracha (hot chili sauce)
Bean sprouts (optional)
Thai basil leaves and/or mint leaves (optional)

To assemble:
Bring the prepared broth to a boil. Drain the noodles from their soaking water and submerge them briefly in the broth, until they are limp but still nicely chewy. Pull the noodles out with tongs and distribute them among the 4 bowls. Add some sliced onion, green onions, cilantro, and a piece of chili to each bowl. Arrange the thinly-sliced steak in a single layer over the top of the noodles in the bowl. Make sure the broth is still boiling, and ladle it quickly over the bowls – it will cook the beef on contact. Use a fork to push any pieces of meat that are still pink under the broth. Add some lime juice to each bowl and serve – diners can add hoisin, sriracha, sprouts and leafy herbs according to their taste.

Roasted Potato and Garlic Soup

4 russet potatoes, peeled and cut into 1-inch pieces
2 whole heads garlic
4 t lemon juice
3 T olive oil
1 T butter
1 onion, finely chopped
4 c chicken broth
1 c milk
Salt and pepper

Preheat the oven to 400.° Toss the potatoes in a large bowl with lemon juice, 1 T olive oil, salt, and pepper. Spread them in a single layer on a large baking sheet.

Slice the top 1/4 off of the garlic heads, exposing most of the cloves. Place the garlic in small ramekins, drizzle each one with 1 T olive oil, and sprinkle with salt. Cover tightly with foil.

Roast the potatoes and garlic for 30 minutes, rotating the pans halfway through. The potatoes are done when they are browned and tender. Remove the foil from the garlic and roast another 10 minutes or until the cloves are brown and popping up from the skins.

Meanwhile, melt the butter in a large saucepan, add the onion, and cook, stirring occasionally, until the onions are carmelized (dark brown.)

When the potatoes are done, allow them to cool briefly. Transfer about 1/3 of them to a dish and set aside. Using the tip of a table knife, scoop the roasted garlic cloves from the skins. Put the garlic and the rest of the potatoes into a blender container and pour chicken broth to cover (you may need to process in batches.) Process the potato mixture until smooth. Add to the onions in the pan and pour in any remaining chicken broth. Add the milk. Whisk thoroughly, and heat through.

Add the reserved chunks of roasted potato, cutting them into smaller pieces first if desired. Adjust the seasoning with salt and pepper and adjust the consistency with more chicken broth if desired.

This was the first cozy autumn meal of the season, made with the last of summer’s bounty.

Corn and Red Pepper Chowder

Adapted from Healthy Cooking for Two or Just You, by Frances Price

1 T butter
1 c. red bell pepper, chopped
1/2 an onion, chopped
1 T flour
2 t mustard powder
1/4 t dried thyme
Salt and pepper to taste
2 1/2 c chicken broth
2 c corn kernels, fresh or frozen (about 2 ears fresh)
1 1/3 c milk

Believe it or not, this was the first time I’d made this recipe with fresh corn. I was not surprised to find it was way yummier than with frozen corn. But frozen corn will still work – puree it briefly in the blender with the milk before adding it to the soup. Also add a tsp of sugar.

Melt the butter in a large saucepan. Add the onions, cook, stirring occasionally, until they are starting to brown. Add the red bell pepper and continue to brown the vegetables. Sprinkle with flour, mustard, thyme, salt, and pepper. Cook, stirring constantly, until the vegetables are coated with flour, one minute or so. Add the chicken broth and stir until the mixture has smoothed out and any flour that was stuck to the pan is loosened and incorporated. If using fresh corn, add the kernels (and any juice from scraping the cobs) at this point. Bring the soup to a simmer and cook for 10 or 15 minutes. Stir in the milk and bring the soup back to the point of simmering, adjust the seasoning to taste. Lots of freshly-ground pepper is good.

Quick Drop Biscuits

From Joy of Cooking

1 3/4 c flour
1/2 t salt
3 t double-acting baking powder
4 T butter, chilled
1 c milk

Preheat the oven to 450.° Sift together the flour, salt, and baking powder in a large bowl. Cut the butter into small pieces and use a pastry blender to combine it with the flour mixture until the texture is even and crumbly. Make a well in the center and pour in the milk. Stir until just combined. Drop from a spoon onto a greased or nonstick baking sheet (10 to 12 biscuits in all.) Bake for 10 to 12 minutes or until the tops are lightly browned. Wrap in a large napkin and place in a basket on the table. Pass the honey!

This meal came together from several different things I’d been wanting to try.

Oven-crisp Chicken Breast

- Chicken breast, patted dry
- dusted in flour, then dipped in beaten egg
- crusted with a mixture of Panko breadcrumbs, salt, pepper, garlic powder, and paprika
- I baked it in my ancient (but trusty) toaster oven… you could try 25 minutes at 375°

Meanwhile, in a non-stick skillet:

- dry-toast a few tablespoons of sesame seeds and set aside.
- add a bit of oil and cook the leftover beaten egg from the chicken crust. Remove and set aside.
- stir-fry until browned: sliced cabbage, chopped carrot. Remove and set aside.
- add a fennel bulb, cut into wedges, and turn the pieces occasionally until they are well browned.
- pour in 1/2 cup white wine, and enough chicken broth to mostly cover the fennel. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Bring the mixture to a boil, lower the heat, cover, and simmer until the fennel is tender – at least 20 minutes.

While the vegetables are cooking, mix up a quick teriyaki sauce:

- 2 T soy sauce, 1 T rice vinegar, 1 T mirin, 1 T sugar, 1/4 t chili flakes, 1 t cornstarch. Mix well.
- when the fennel is tender, remove it from the pan with a slotted spoon.
- add the sauce mixture to any liquid left in the pan, and raise the heat to boil until the sauce is reduced and thickened.

Serve the vegetables over rice or noodles, top with sliced chicken breast, drizzle with sauce, and sprinkle with toasted sesame seeds and chopped green onions.