Wild Ginger

Good Shao Mai are a delicious treat and make a wonderful appetizer. Then can be made ahead and frozen for up to a month, but are best steamed after being freshly made. The filling here is enough for about 16 shao mai, so you may double or triple the recipe depending on whether you're cooking for dinner with the family or doing a tray of hors d'oevres for a party. You can buy round dumpling wrappers - alternatively, you can use the 3 inch wonton squares and cut them round with a cookie cutter.

PREPARATION

1. Mix all filling ingredients in medium bowl and let it sit for 30 minutes to let the flavors mingle. Refrigerate until ready to make dumplings.
2. Holding a wonton skin in the cup of your hand, place two rounded teaspoons of filling in the center. Cup your hand with the filling filled wonton in your palm. Gather the side of the wonton wrapper up around the filling, gently folding small pleats around the side, gently pressing into the filling and forming a cup shaped dumpling. This is an open topped dumpling - you don't need to gather the edges together and close at the top.
3. If you have a bamboo steamer and a wok, then put three inches of water in the bottom of the walk, place the steamer above it and boil the water in the wok. Cut rounds out of wax paper to fit your steamer and generously poke with holes for the steam to pass through. Alternatively, you could use the traditional Napa cabbage leaves instea of wax paper. Cover the wok and steam until the dumplings are cooked, about five minutes.
   
   If you don't have a wok and a steamer, use a collapsable vegetable steamer basket, liberally annointed with cooking spray so the dumplings won't stick. Fill a dutch oven or stew pos with enough water to come up almost to the bottome of the steamer basket - cover and steam.
4. Serve, with dipping sauces.

I'm not sure why I don't cook this more often as it's particularly good. Perhaps because it is best prepared using fresh (not frozen) squid which requires a special trip to the right fish monger. But it's a marvelous, simple meal that showcases the subtle clean flavor of Cantonese stir-fry. Cook the squid in small batches because squid releases juices as it cooks and could make the dish soupy if you're not careful. If you score the squid with a sharp knife before stir-frying, it will make for a nicer presentation.

INGREDIENTS
8 small squid, about 12 ounces
1/8 tsp salt
1 tsp soy sauce
1 tsp Shao Hsing rice cooking wine
½ tsp sesame oil
¼ tsp sugar
¼ tsp ground white pepper
2 scallions, white portion only
½ tsp cornstarch
1 tbsp vegetable oil
1 tbsp finely shredded ginger

PREPARATION

• Cut off and reserve the tentacles attached to the squid heads. Remove the internal cartilage and heads from squid bodies and discard. Peel off the purple membrane and wash squid in several changes of water, allowing squid to thoroughly drain in colander.


• Cut each body in half lengthwise. Using a very sharp knife, lightly score the inside of the bodies with a criss-cross pattern. Cut squid into 1½ inch squares.


• Place tentacles and squid pieces in a bowl and toss with salt. Add the soy sauce, rice wine, sesame oil, sugar and pepper and stir to combine. Marinate for 15 minutes


• Remove the squid with a slotted spoon, draining well (reserve the marinade)


• Cut the scallions into 2 inch segments and finely shred


• Combine cornstarch and 1tbsp of cold water in a small bowl - stir in marinade and reserve


• Heat a 14 inch flat-bottomed wok or skillet over high heat until hot but not smoking. Add vegetable oil and squid, and stir-fry 1 minute. Add scallions and ginger, and stir-fry 1 minute.


• Re-stir cornstarch mixture and swirl into the wok and bring to a boil, stirring, about 30 seconds, or until slightly thickened and squid is cooked through. Serve immediately

I love scallops...and I love 'em raw, though most non-sushi lovers are a bit squeamish about raw shell fish (understandably). So ceviche is a good compromise: the acid in the lime juice "cooks" the fish (actually, it denatures the protein, but that's what cooking does!).

My two favorite ceviche preparations are this lovely soy and ginger approach and one that is distinctly Thai and uses a lot of hot Thai peppers and garlic. I will have to get a friend to give me the Thai recipe.

Use good quality scallops from a reputable fish store....something better than Safeway, where the scallops have not only been frozen, but soaked in tripolyphosphate to retain moisture and look good but taste like, well, tripolyphosphate.

INGREDIENTS
1 pound sea scallops, sliced crosswise into 1/8-thick-slices
1 cup lime juice
2 tablespoons flavorless oil
1 tablespoon thin-sliced scallion (white and green parts)
1 tablespoon minced fresh cilantro leaves
1 1/2 teaspoons minced fresh ginger
1 1/2 teaspoons soy sauce
1 teaspoon rice vinegar
Table salt and ground black pepper

PREPARATION

• Place scallop rounds in glass or porcelain bowl and pour lime juice over them. Refrigerate 30 minutes.
• Drain juice from scallops and toss with oil, scallion, cilantro, ginger, soy sauce, and vinegar. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
• Serve.

This is another easy, but luxurious dish. Hell, half a stick of butter is pretty luxurious....particularly for a dish that really serves only two (three if you're serving a four course meal). Fresh scallops (not frozen) are a must!

INGREDIENTS
5 tbsp butter
12 large sea scallops (about 1 pound)
1½ teaspoons chopped fresh thyme, divided
1/3 cup chopped shallots
¼ cup husked hazelnuts, toasted, chopped
1 tbsp balsamic vinegar

1 small bunch watercress, thick stems trimmed

PREPARATION

• Cook butter in large, heavy skillet over medium heat until deep golden brown, stirring frequently, until most of the foam disappears (3-4 minutes).
• Transfer butter to bowl.
• Sprinkle scallops with salt, pepper, and ½ tsp thyme
• Add scallops to skillet and cook until just opaque in center, about a minute and a half per side. Transfer scallops to plate.
• Add shallots, hazelnuts, and remaining 1 teaspoon thyme to skillet; stir 30 seconds. Remove skillet from heat.
• Add browned butter and vinegar - stir to blend. Season vinaigrette with salt and pepper.

Divide watercress between plates and place scallops on top, pouring the butter vinaigrette over the scallops. Serve immediately.