Weekend Recipes: WP24 Dumplings

Weekend Dining visits with Chef de Cuisine Sara Johannes to sample some dumplings.

Dumplings Recipes
(Adapted from WP24 by Wolfgang Puck, The Ritz-Carlton, Los Angeles)
By Chef de Cuisine Sara Johannes

Chicken and Mushroom “Dan Dan” Dumplings

Recipe makes approximately 48 dumplings

Chicken Dumpling Filling:

1.5 lbs Chicken Thighs
1 lbs Pork Butt
.5 cup Pork Fat Back
42 Tbs. Sea Salt
1/3 cup Corn Starch
1/3 cup Sugar
2 tsp. White Pepper
2 Tbs. Sesame Oil
2 Tbs. Chopped Ginger

Grind the above ingredients together in a meat grinder.

1 cups Cooked, drained and chopped spinach
.25 cups Cooked, drained and chopped Chinese Black Fungus

1. Add above ingredients to the mixture and mix until very well incorporated.
2. Chill mixture thoroughly.
3. Use this farce to form small wonton wrapped dumplings.
4. Poach the dumplings in boiling water and dress with Dan Dan sauce to serve.

To Form Dumplings:

1 pkg Wonton Wrappers, defrosted
2 ea Egg Yolks, beaten with 2 TB water


1. Spoon 1 TB of dumpling filling into center of a fresh wonton wrapper.
2. Brush edges of wrapper with beaten egg and seal the dumpling by folding the wrapper in half around the filling, including three folds on each side of the filling.
3. Sit the dumpling upright so the opening faces up and looks like it has a “Mohawk.”
4. Extra filling can be frozen for up to one month.

Dan Dan Sauce:

4 oz Ground Pork
1 T Mushroom Soy Sauce
2 TB Garlic, finely minced
2 TB Shallots, finely minced
1 TB Sambal Chili Paste
1 TB Palm Sugar
1 TB Chili Infused Sesame Oil
2 tsp Sichuan peppercorn, ground
2 tsp Paprika
2 TB Shaoxing Rice Cooking Wine
2 cups Chicken Stock
1 TB Kochujan Korean Pepper Paste
1 TB Red Miso Paste
1 TB Rice Vinegar

1. Season the pork with salt and pepper.
2. In a heavy sauce pot, brown the pork in peanut oil. Remove the pork, drain and reserve.
3. Add garlic, shallots and oils to the pork pan and stir to incorporate. Sweat for 2-3 minutes.
4. Add sambal, sugar, paprika, kochujan, and miso paste to the pot and sweat.
5. Deglaze with Shaoxing rice wine and reduce by half.
6. Add Chicken Stock and reduce by a quarter.
7. Add Soy Sauce, cooked Pork and Sichuan Peppercorn. Bring back to a boil.
8. Remove from heat and adjust seasoning if necessary.

To Plate:

Toasted, crushed peanuts
Sliced scallions
Fresh cilantro leaves

1. Blanch formed Chicken Dumplings in ample boiling water until just cooked through.
2. Drain well and place in a warm sauté pan.
3. Add “Dan Dan” sauce and coat dumplings, reducing sauce slightly.
4. Place the dumplings and sauce in a bowl and garnish with ground, toasted peanuts, sliced scallion and picked cilantro leaves.

TINY PORK BELLY POTSTICKER DUMPLINGS

Pork Potsticker Filling:

2 lb Pork Belly, finely minced
2 TB minced garlic
2 TB minced peeled fresh ginger root
2 TB sugar
1 TB oyster sauce
½ tsp black pepper
½ tsp white pepper
2 TB minced cilantro
2 TB minced scallions
1 tsp sesame oil
1 T Corn starch
¼ Cup Dried Cherries, soaked in warm water for 10 minutes, drained and minced
Cornstarch for dusting

1. Finely mince the pork belly and return to the cooler so it stays very cold.
2. Mix together all the rest of the ingredients in a large bowl. Combine well and add the minced pork. Mix very well.
3. Return the entire mixture to the cooler and chill for at least two hours.

Forming the Pork Belly Potstickers:

When working with the filling, only take out a small amount and keep very cold.

1. Place a round, thin potsticker skin on cutting board. Wing Hing is a suggested brand.
2. Brush edges of half of the wrapper lightly with a beaten egg.
3. Place 1 TB of the Pork Belly filling in center of skin.
4. Pull sides of skin up and to the back, making a half moon. Press skin together at the top.
5. Making tiny folds, shape skin to filling, making a half moon shape, until the dumpling is completely sealed on both sides.
6. Dust lightly with cornstarch to prevent sticking and place on parchment lined cookie sheet in the cooler until ready to cook.
7. Make the sauce while dumplings are firming up in the cooler.

Black Vinegar Dipping Sauce:

¾ cup Chinese black vinegar
¾ cup sugar
1 ¼ cup soy superior
2 ½ cup rice vinegar
1 ¼ cup Minced ginger

Mix well. Let stand 30 minutes before using.


Cooking the Pork Belly Potstickers:

1. In a pot of salted boiling water, cook the potstickers until they are firm, about 5-6 minutes depending on size. The dumplings will float easily when done.
2. Strain the dumplings out of the water and place onto a plate to dry.
3. Heat a sauté pan on high and add 3-4 TB of good quality cooking oil such as Peanut oil or Canola.
4. When pan is very hot (your dumplings will stick and tear if it is too cold,) gently place the dumplings in the pan with the seam facing up. Be careful if your dumplings are still wet from boiling. Excessive water may cause flames.
5. Lightly brown the dumplings on one side and remove from the pan.
6. Arrange the dumplings on a serving plate and serve with fresh scallion, cilantro and the Black Vinegar Dipping Sauce
7. Enjoy!

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