Veal Dumplings With Ancho Chili Sauce Recipes

Steps:

• Heat the oil over high heat in a large saucepan. when hot, add the spinach and immediately cover the pan. Low the heat to medium and cook for 2 minutes or until wilted. Remove the spinach from the pan and drain off any excess liquid. when cool, chop finely and set aside.
• In a large bowl, mix the veal, shallots, soy sauce, sesame oil, scallions, basil or cilantro leaves and gingerroot, add the chopped spinach.
• Place about 2 teaspoons of the stuffing in the center of each wrapper.
• Moisten the edges with cold water, then fold them over the filling to form a
• half moon or half circle shape. Pinch together the edges with your fingers.
• The moisten the 2 ends with water and bring them together in a circle around
• the filling and the dumpling can be made in advance and frozen, tightly sealed for up to 3 months.
• Cook only the dumplings you intend to serve. Feeze the rest for later use. Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add about one-third of the dumplings at a time, and cook until they rise to the surface and float. The filling will still be raw. Add 1/2 cup cold water and return to a boil again. When the dumplings float, taste one to see if it is done. If not, add another 1/2 cup cold water and cook until the dumplings rise again. Adding cold water slows the cooking so the dough does not break, allowing enough time for the filling to be throughly cooked. (Sometimes I cook the meat first in the microwave,.
• Its cheating, but then I am in a hurry) Remove the dumplings from the water with a strainer or slotted spoon,
• drain and place 6 dumplings on each serving plate. Heat the Ancho Chili Sauce:
• In a small saucepan over medium heat for 3-4 minutes or until warm. Pour 3 tablespoons over each serving. Serve any remaining sauce on the side. Deocrate with Julienned basil leaves, Sichuan preserved vegetables and fried Shallots if desired. Serve warm.

Steps:

• Place chiles in large bowl; pour 4 cups warm water over. Let stand until chiles are soft, about 2 hours, turning occasionally. Drain, reserving 1 cup soaking liquid. Coarsely chop chiles.
• Heat oil in heavy large skillet over medium-low heat. Add almonds, peanuts, raisins, and sesame seeds; sauté until toasted, about 12 minutes. Transfer mixture to processor; add chiles with 1 cup reserved chile soaking liquid and plum tomatoes. Puree until mixture is almost smooth. Return mixture to skillet; add 2 3/4 cups water and bring to boil, whisking to blend. Reduce heat to medium-low; add chocolate and whisk until melted. Simmer until sauce thickens and darkens, adding more water by 1/4 cupfuls if too thick, about 15 minutes. Season with pepper and generous amount of salt. (Can be made 1 day ahead. Cool slightly. Cover; chill. Rewarm over low heat, whisking often.)

Steps:

• Arrange the tofu slices in a single layer on a clean kitchen towel or between double layers of paper towels. Roll tightly in the towel as if rolling a sleeping bag, then squeeze it over the sink to remove as much liquid as possible. Let stand 10 minutes for the tofu to continue releasing liquid. If the towel gets soaked, transfer the tofu to another dry towel.
• Toss the spinach, chives and salt in a colander. Let stand for 10 minutes, then squeeze the greens in the colander over the sink to release as much liquid as possible. Transfer the greens mixture to a large bowl. Add the drained tofu, squeezing it to crumble into bits as you add it, then mix evenly with the greens. Add the celery, soy sauce and chile crisp, and stir until evenly mixed. Taste, and add more soy sauce and chile crisp, if you'd like. The filling on its own should be very flavorful because the wrappers are not seasoned at all.
• Set up a dumpling assembly line with the bowl of filling, wrappers and a small bowl of water. Using a dessert spoon or other small spoon, scoop a mound of filling, then press it against the side of the bowl into a tiny football. Set the filling in the center of one wrapper. Use your fingertip to dampen the edges with water. Bring together the sides over the filling to enclose in a half-moon. Pinch the center together, then press the edges together to seal, pleating decoratively if you'd like. Sit the dumpling upright on your work surface. Repeat with the remaining filling and wrappers. Cook immediately or freeze in a single layer on a rimmed baking sheet until hard, then transfer to airtight containers and freeze for up to 3 months.
• You can cook as many or as few dumplings at a time as you'd like. Choose your pan size accordingly: An 8-inch skillet will fit 8 to 10; a 10-inch will fit 14 to 16. When ready to cook, coat a well-seasoned cast-iron pan or nonstick skillet with a thin, even layer of oil. Arrange the dumplings in the pan, pleated side up, spacing 1/3 inch apart, and filling the pan. Add enough cold water to the pan to come 1/3 inch up the sides (about 1/4 cup for an 8-inch pan; 1/2 cup for a 10-inch).
• Cover the skillet and cook over medium until the rapid firecracker popping diminishes to a steady, low crackle, indicating that all the water has evaporated, about 10 minutes. Uncover and check to see if the bottoms are browned and the dough is slightly translucent all the way to the top. If so, remove from the heat. If not, cook uncovered 1 to 2 minutes longer. Let stand for a minute so the dumplings release from the skillet naturally. Transfer to a plate, browned side up. Make your own dipping sauce with any combination of soy sauce, chile crisp, vinegar and sesame oil, and enjoy with the hot dumplings.