by monkeymom
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my 34 recipes »
A&M's Testing Notes:
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Expand½ cup water Ask a question about this ingredient
3 slices of ginger Ask a question about this ingredient
1 green onion/scallion Ask a question about this ingredient
2 lbs ground pork Ask a question about this ingredient
2 eggs Ask a question about this ingredient
2 Tbsp rice wine or dry sherry Ask a question about this ingredient
2 tsp salt Ask a question about this ingredient
3 Tbsp cornstarch Ask a question about this ingredient
¼ tsp white pepper Ask a question about this ingredient
1/3 cup of water chestnuts, diced finely but not minced Ask a question about this ingredient
1 large head of escarole, well rinsed Ask a question about this ingredient
1/4-1/3 cup vegetable oil Ask a question about this ingredient
cornstarch Ask a question about this ingredient
4 cups of chicken stock Ask a question about this ingredient
4 oz shiitake mushrooms thinly sliced Ask a question about this ingredient
1 Tbsp vegetable oil Ask a question about this ingredient
salt, pepper, and soy sauce Ask a question about this ingredient
Place ginger and scallion in ½ cup of water. Bruise with a pestle or spoon. The water should become slightly green and smell like ginger. Remove outer leaves from escarole heads. Lay them on the bottom of a large dutch oven or heavy pot.
Ask a question about this stepAdd eggs, wine, salt, cornstarch, pepper, water chestnuts, and ginger/scallion water (reserve the ginger and scallion) to pork in a large bowl. Stir with your fingers in one direction (never reverse the direction). Once it has become a uniform consistency, take the meat in one hand and throw it back into the bowl. Repeat this for 2-3 minutes. The meat mixture will be sticky.
Ask a question about this stepHeat oil in a nonstick pan. Dust hands well with cornstarch and form a meatball. Place into hot pan. You will want 8 meatballs total, dusting hands well with cornstarch in between. Brown meatballs evenly on all sides. Brown in batches if necessary to prevent crowding. As they are done, place each on top of the bed of escarole in your dutch oven.
Ask a question about this stepCover meatballs with additional leaves of escarole. Add chicken stock. It should almost cover meatballs. Throw in the ginger and scallion that you used in the first step. Cover pot.
Ask a question about this stepStew on the stove on low heat or in a 325 degree oven for 1-2 hours. Check the liquid and add additional water if needed. If your pot lid doesn’t fit tightly, cover with foil first. Try the meatballs after an hour. If they aren’t tender enough, cook them longer.
Ask a question about this stepWhile the meatballs stew, make the crisped shiitakes. Heat a nonstick pan to medium high. Add shiitakes and a small amout of oil. Add a pinch of salt. Toast in the pan until they mushrooms shrink, brown and the edges crisp up. Turn off heat and leave in pan.
Ask a question about this stepAfter stewing, bring pot back to the stove top. Check the seasoning of the broth and add salt, pepper, or soy sauce to taste. Add rest of escarole and let wilt in soup for about 5-10 minutes (roughly chop tougher stem ends first). Remove the greens to serving bowl(s), then top with meatballs. Sprinkle shiitakes on top. Serve with rice.
Ask a question about this stepNote: For the traditional version, use napa cabbage instead of escarole. Add it all at the beginning if you like a melted texture or near the end for a more firm cabbage texture. Omit water chestnuts and shiitakes.
Ask a question about this stepAlso, instead of the escarole (not so Chinese?) I substituted baby bok choy, it was wonderful. So tasty!
I would concur that this is truely a gourmet recipe. The Shiitake mushrooms really compliment the pork. This is comination to remember - particularly nice as a starter. Thanks
mmm mmm good..love your recipe, saved it will be trying this sometime soon, thanks, monkeymom!
I love crispy shitakes.
That should be spelled shiitakes. I hate it when I submit before I read.
Nate and Mary Kate are the authors of the cookbook Feeding the Dragon: A Culinary Travelogue through China with Recipes.
This recipe has my mouth watering ! I can't wait to make it for a Chinese New Year treat along with Longevity Noodles. I was lucky enough to find a Pei Mei Chinese Cookbook at a yard sale (Volume 1) and I often consult it when I feel adventurous at home and can't make it to Flushing,Queens!!