Okay, so I was absolutely geeked last month when I finally gained access to the private forum of Daring Cooks. (Wow, there is so much wrong with that statement).

Adding to the excitement (as if that was possible) was the fact that the photos were of potstickers!  Yes, another item on my list.  But how and the heck did all these Darings already complete the challenge???  I didn’t read anywhere in the 20 page contract (I kid) that you had to be uber prompt in posting your completed challenge.  I didn’t see “race to complete” anywhere in the fine print.  So what gives?  Could all these other Darings be more um, geeked than I?  (doubt it) 

Oh right, that would be last months challenge (duh)…  Oh well.  It is still a worthy challenge, so I participated anyway (is it really participating if your the only one?  Hmm, I guess it depends whatcha doin!  Hey that’ss not what I meant! Knock it off.).  In fact there are so many amazing recipes on The Daring Kitchen website that I will be “participating” in alot of the challenges that precedes my membership.  Go check it out, the recipes will entice you and the Darings’ photos will inspire you. 

But enough about all that.  How about the potstickers???

These potstickers seriously exceeded all expectations (thank you to Jen Yu for the challenge).  And while the overall time (it is time consuming guys) was about 1 1/2 hours from starting to eating a full meal of potstickers, fried rice and shrimp with snow peas, it actually went really quick (remember I have two kids running around, broke both my wrists recently and I went out to put the chickens away).  

The rolling pin method though… Frankly, it sucks (to me).  It’s not that I have no rolling skilz, coz I do.  But I rolled the first 12 wrappers with a pin, and was pretty disappointed, I struggled to get the dough thin enough and resulting in anything that resembled a circular shape plus it kept shrinking back up after being rolled out (even with resting), what gives?  So, in an act of defiance and total domination, I ran the remainder of the dough through my pasta machine…

*sound of  Chinese Grandmothers falling over everywhere*

…with stellar results!  Let me tell you, that I will use the pasta machine from here on out and never purchase potstickers again (sorry Ling Ling).  I cranked (literally) out the remaining 24 dumplings in half the time it took to roll the original 12 and with thinner dough and increased pleating confidence, they went really fast (in dumpling-space-continuum time).  Benefits to using the pasta machine?  The dough was more uniform, thinner and had a better texture, too.   

 So why are there no photos of the finished potstickers?  Well we ate them all before I could get out my camera!  So I guess I’ll be making them again soon… Like tomorrow.

Below is the recipe from Jen Yu, Hostess of the June Challenge.

And in the mean time,  here are a couple of notable Darings that experimented with dessert dumplings…

First, check out what Lisa Michele did with her potstickers - Hello Lover… I mean 5 Spice Caramel Apple Potstickers!  Come to Mama!  Oh and btw, that’s pretty much what my photos would have looked like too.  Really.  Seriously.  I have mad skilz.   (ha-ha, I wish!).

Okay, another great Daring who embraced a dessert dumpling that I cannot wait to try is Frenchie’s Coconut-Ginger Rice Pudding Dumpling with Passionfruit Curd - yum me! 

Jen Yu’s Recipes…

 Shrimp Filling

• 1/2 lb raw shrimp, peeled, deveined, and coarsely chopped
• 1/2 lb ground pork
• 3 stalks green onions, minced
• 1/4 cup ginger root, minced
• 1 cup water chestnuts, minced
• 1 tsp salt
• 3 tbsp sesame oil
• 2 tbsp corn starch

The Dough (double this for the amount of filling, but make it in 2 batches)

• 2 cups (250g) all-purpose flour
• 1/2 cup (113g) warm water
• bench flour

Dipping Sauce

• 2 parts soy sauce
• 1 part vinegar (red wine or black)
• a few drops sesame oil
• chili garlic paste (optional)
• minced ginger (optional)
• minced green onion (optional)
• sugar (optional)

Filling

Combine all filling ingredients in a large mixing bowl and mix thoroughly (I mix by clean hand).  Cover and refrigerate until ready to use (up to a day, but preferably within an hour or two).

Dough

Place the flour in the work bowl of a food processor with the dough blade.  Run the processor and pour the warm water in until incorporated.  Pour contents into a sturdy bowl or onto a work surface and knead until uniform and smooth.  The dough should be firm and silky to the touch and not sticky.  OR In a large bowl mix flour with 1/4 cup of water and stir until water is absorbed.  Continue adding one teaspoon at a time and mixing thoroughly until dough pulls away from the sides of bowl.   We want a firm dough that is barely sticky to the touch.

Knead the dough about 20 strokes then cover with a damp towel for 15 minutes.  Take the dough and form a flattened dome.  Cut into strips about 1 1/2 to 2 inches wide.  Shape the strips into rounded long cylinders.  On a floured surface, cut the strips into 3/4 inch pieces.  Press palm down on each piece to form a flat circle (you can shape the corners in with your fingers).  With a rolling pin, roll out a circular wrapper from each flat disc.  Take care not to roll out to thin or the dumplings will break during cooking - about 1/16th inch.  Leave the centers slightly thicker than the edges.  Place a tablespoon of filling in the center of each wrapper and fold the dough in half, pleating the edges along one side.  Keep all unused dough under damp cloth.

To Boil:  Bring a large pot of water to a boil and add dumplings to pot.  Boil the dumplings until they float.

To Steam: Place dumplings on a single layer of napa cabbage leaves or on a well greased surface in a steamer basket with lid.  Steam covered for about 6 minutes.

To Pan Fry (Potstickers):  Place dumplings in a frying pan with 2-3 tbsp of vegetable oil.  Heat on high and fry for a few minutes until bottoms are golden.  Add 1/2 cup water and cover.  Cook until the water has boiled away and then uncover and reduce heat to medium or medium-low.  Let the dumplings cook for another 2 minutes then remove from heat and serve.

Blondies Notes:

• I made half the shrimp filling recipe and I got 36 dumplings from the filling with some dough left over
• I used my pasta machine and a 3 1/8″ biscuit cutter
• There was alot of chatter in the private forum about the dough being too dry.  I did have to add more water than the recipe called for (and I did weigh my ingredients).  Some comments suggested that the percentage of moisture for a dough such as this should be more like 60-65%.  I may try another recipe for dough next time to gauge my success
• If rolling with a pin or using a tortilla press… roll the dough into little cylinders - like making snakes with playdough!
• Don’t go feed and put away the chickens while frying the potstickers… um, they burn
• Sauce was delish!  I didn’t add ginger, sugar or chili paste to the sauce.  First, Jason doesn’t like things too hot *whimp* and without the heat I didn’t find the sugar was necessary to balance the flavors.  Second, as for the ginger… I was tired of mincing!

Seriously addicting…. Now go make potstickers.  You’ll never go back!

~Blondie

Pah zo leigh - Pozole people, do you know it?  Have you had it?  Did you/Do you like it?  Tell me…  ‘Coz I for one love it. 

It’s all dark and mysterious, it’s spicy, it’s meaty, it’s brothy, it’s good.  Jason, he’s not a fan.  I think it’s too, um… fussy for him?  No, stewy.  He’s no stew boy (what?).  But it could also be the fussy that keeps stew boys (and girls) away.  You know with all the garnishes and toppings, you really have to be friends with your food to get your eat on.  I personally find it suits my picky-eater style, yes that’s right, I am a world class picky-eater.  But I’m in a program now so it’s all good. 

For me pozole and all it’s lovely toppings is akin to chili,  if you got it and topped it yourself.  Except I don’t like chili, well chile verde yes and white chicken chili.  But chili, like American red chili with beef and kidney beans… no thank you.  I mean aside from the fact that I don’t eat beef and I don’t care for tomato sauces there is the issue of kidney beans.  I mean really?  That is the nastiest freakin bean in the world, it should go away and die some lonely painful death. Now I don’t generally get all hostile and aggressive towards food but there are a few.  Veal.  Well, not veal itself.  But what’s up with the sick bastards that eat baby-cow-raised-in-a-box-so-it’s-fork-freakin-tender?  I’m just sayin. 

And I think I’ll look into if my picky-eater program has an affiliate food-aggression program.

In the mean time, here’s my recipe for tender, delicious pork pozole.  It becomes tender with that fall apart quality because you simmer a cheap cut of pork for three hours.  So please don’t use baby-cow-raised-in-a-box-so-it’s-fork-freakin-tender …  Enjoy.

Blondie’s Pork Pozole

• 2 1/2 pounds of pork, in 1″ cubes (pork shoulder or country pork ribs or rib tips) and the bones
• 1 large brown onion, diced
• 10 cloves of garlic, minced
• Large can of hominy
• Olive Oil
• Salt and Pepper
• Cumin
• 4 whole dried Ancho Chiles
• 6 cups homemade chicken stock
• Water

For garnish you will need

• Cabbage, shredded
• Radish, sliced
• Cilantro
• Onion, diced
• Limes

Heat a little oil in a large heavy pot and add the cubed pork.  Seasoned with salt & pepper and brown on all sides, you may have to do this in batches.  When browned on all sides, remove pork from the pan with a slotted spoon, set aside in a bowl or platter (juices will accumulate). 

Add the onion and garlic to the pan and cook in the pork fat that should have rendered out, sautee until translucent.  Remove and add to the deep dish with the browned pork.  Make sure there is sufficient oil in the pan, adding if necessary and put the dried ancho chiles in the hot fat.  Cook them for about 4-5 minutes on each side to blister and develop the flavors.  Remove into a separate bowl and cover with hot water, submerging with another bowl if necessary, until soft and tender about 15 minutes. 

In the mean time, add the pork, onions and garlic back into the pan, along with any drippings, add the hominy and the chicken stock and as much water as needed to cover.  Bring to a simmer.

When the chiles are soft, remove the stems and seeds,  dice or puree the chile.  Add both the chiles and the broth to the pozole.   

Simmer over medium heat for about 3 hours, adding more water if necessary to maintain the level of liquids, until the pork is fall apart tender.  Adjust seasonings with salt and pepper and cumin.

Serve with a platter of garnishes and a ice cold corona or a real margarita.

Note: To all the chili aficionados - I realize that red chili as should be made the Texas way, does not have a tomato sauce - it’s the chiles that make it red.  And that the presence of beans is debatable and is never a nasty freakin kidney bean.  But good proper chili is not so easy to find.  It’s an art and if you make it, your an artist.  And if you’ve ate it, you are indeed lucky.  But I think most chili served in the States closely resembles the gruel that you would find at Wendy’s (not that I have ever had it).

Another Note: I realize that the sweet little innocent calves are not actually raised in boxes. Blonde and stupid are not the same things.

And now, in case you wanted to know: Pozole is a traditional Pre-Columbian soup that perhaps came from Jalisco, Mexico (lots of references to Jalisco on the web). It is a soup or stew with a combination of hominy (corn) and pork and chiles in a broth, served with various accompaniments, to be dressed by the lucky individual who is eating this spicy, delicious soup.