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Melissa’s Prawn and Pork Dumplings with Dipping Sauce

Posted on by The Olive Oil Hunter

My longtime friend and colleague Melissa Wong, a consummate foodie from Melbourne, shared this flavorful recipe with me—see the Pressing Report for all the fun we had preparing it. Dumplings are surprisingly easy to make at home with either square or round dumpling wrappers. The pinching technique isn’t complicated, but a dumpling press makes quick work of it. (See a vegetarian version from The Olive Oil Hunter Newsletter.)

Ingredients

For the dipping sauce:

  • 2 tablespoons white sesame seeds
  • 2 teaspoons ground Sichuan red pepper
  • 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
  • 1 teaspoon minced garlic
  • 1 teaspoon minced ginger
  • 1 small fresh chile, chopped, such as banana or Anaheim (optional)
  • 2 tablespoons finely chopped cilantro
  • 1/2 teaspoon sugar
  • 3 tablespoons soy sauce
  • 3 tablespoons black vinegar
  • 2 teaspoons sesame oil
  • 2 scallions, thinly sliced

For the filling:

  • Piece fresh ginger, 1 1/2 inches, peeled
  • 2 garlic cloves
  • 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, divided use
  • 8 ounces prawns
  • 2 teaspoons white pepper
  • 2 heads bok choy
  • 1 pound finely ground pork
  • 3 tablespoons soy sauce
  • 1 teaspoon fine sea salt
  • 1 teaspoon sesame oil
  • 2 teaspoons cornstarch
  • 1 package dumpling wrappers (about 50)

Directions

Step 1

For the dipping sauce, dry toast the sesame seeds until fragrant, about 2 minutes; transfer to a small dish and set aside. In the same pan, dry toast the ground pepper, about 2 minutes. Off the heat, swirl in the olive oil, garlic, ginger, chile (if using), cilantro, and sugar. Whisk in the soy sauce, vinegar, sesame oil, scallions, and the reserved sesame seeds. Pour into a serving bowl and set aside.

Step 2

For the dumplings, place the ginger, garlic, and
2 tablespoons olive oil into a small food processor and blitz to a rough paste; set aside.

Step 3

Peel the prawns and finely dice them. Marinate in a bowl with the remaining tablespoon olive oil and the white pepper.

Step 4

Separate the bok choy leaves, rinse, and trim the ends, if needed. Bring a pot of water to a boil and blanch the bok choy. Once the leaves are wilted, drain in a colander and rinse with cold water
to stop the cooking. Squeeze as much water as possible from the leaves and chop them finely.

Step 5

Place the pork in a large bowl and add the ginger-garlic paste, soy sauce, salt, sesame oil, and bok choy. Mix thoroughly, then add the marinated prawn pieces and cornstarch and mix again.

Step 6

Line a rimmed sheet pan with parchment paper and cover with a clean kitchen towel. Place a bowl of water next to your work area. Open the package of wrappers and cover with a damp kitchen towel so they won’t dry out.

Step 7

Place a generous teaspoon of filling in the center of a wrapper (don’t overfill or the dumplings won’t stay closed). Dip a fingertip in the water bowl and moisten the outer edges of the wrapper, then fold it and press the edges together to seal them. For round wrappers, crimp the edges together with
7 or 8 folds to make a crescent shape. For square wrappers, use your fingertip to wet the two bottom corners, then overlap them slightly and press together to form a shape like a bishop’s hat. As you finish each dumpling, place it on the sheet pan under the towel. There should be enough filling to make about 50 dumplings.

Step 8

Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Drop in 12 to 16 dumplings at a time and cook for 7 minutes (they will float to the surface). Use a Chinese strainer to transfer them to a large bowl; cover with a pot lid to keep them warm. Repeat until all the dumplings have been cooked. Serve with the dipping sauce.

Serves 8 to 10 

Chinese Eggplant with Tangy Garlic Sauce

Posted on by The Olive Oil Hunter

I particularly love the sauce for the eggplant—try it on chicken, pork, and Asian noodles, too. A common misconception is that olive oil is too flavorful for Asian cooking, but that myth was dispelled some time ago by Melissa Wong, a great friend of the Fresh-Pressed Olive Oil Club and a consummate foodie. You’ll read more about Melissa in the Pressing Report that comes with our next quarterly shipment of olive oils—she’s the force behind one of my amazing Australian selections. If you’re not currently a member of the Club, please click here to join now, so you don’t miss my sumptuous trio of Oz oils in September.

Ingredients

For the sauce:

  • 2 teaspoons cornstarch 
  • 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil 
  • 1-1/2 teaspoons finely minced garlic
  • 1 teaspoon finely minced ginger
  • 1/4 cup rice wine vinegar
  • 1/4 cup white sugar
  • 1/4 cup water
  • 1/2 teaspoon dried red chili flakes, more to taste
  • 2 teaspoons low-sodium soy sauce 

For the eggplant:

  • 2 small purple or white Chinese eggplant (about 8 ounces), sliced into 1/2-inch discs
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1 tablespoon cornstarch
  • 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
  • 2 teaspoons minced garlic
  • 1 teaspoon minced ginger
  • 2 scallions, thinly sliced

Directions

Step 1

Make the sauce: In a small dish, dissolve the cornstarch in 1 tablespoon water; set aside. Heat a saucepan over medium heat. When hot, add the olive oil, garlic, and ginger, and cook until the aromatics soften. Add in the rice wine vinegar, sugar, water, chili flakes, and soy sauce. Bring it to a boil, stirring constantly. Add in the cornstarch mixture and cook for 1 to 2 minutes more until the sauce thickens. Remove from the heat. 

Step 2

Make the eggplant: To extract excess water, place the eggplant discs in a colander set over a bowl and toss with the salt. After 15 minutes, rinse with cold water, then pat dry with paper towels.

Step 3

Heat a large skillet or flat-bottom wok. Coat the eggplant discs with the cornstarch. When the pan is hot, add the olive oil, garlic, and ginger and cook until the aromatics soften (don’t let them burn). Add the eggplant in a single layer and cook undisturbed for 5 minutes, then flip and continue cooking until brown on both sides. 

Step 4

Transfer the eggplant to a serving bowl and top with 1/2 cup sauce; serve the rest separately.

Yields 4 servings

Grilled Shrimp with Pisco and Merquén

Posted on by The Olive Oil Hunter

This dish features two iconic Chilean ingredients, merquèn and brandy-like pisco (in a pinch, you can use white tequila or rum instead).

Ingredients

  • Juice of 1 lime
  • 1/4 cup pisco
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons honey
  • 2 teaspoons merquèn
  • 1 teaspoon sea salt
  • 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil, plus more for basting
  • 1 1/2 pounds large shrimp, peeled and deveined
  • 3 limes, quartered, for serving

Directions

Step 1

In a small bowl, whisk the lime juice, pisco, honey, merquèn, and salt until the salt dissolves. Add the olive oil and whisk until the mixture is emulsified. Place the shrimp in a bowl large enough to hold them. Gently toss with the marinade. Cover and refrigerate for 30 minutes. Drain the shrimp and thread onto bamboo skewers.

Step 2

Heat your grill to medium-high. Brush and oil the grill grate. Arrange the shrimp skewers on the grate. Grill for 3 minutes per side, basting with olive oil, or until the shrimp are lightly charred and opaque. Baste a final time. Remove the shrimp from the skewers before serving with the limes.

Serves 4

Vieiras a la Parmesana (Parmesan-Crusted Scallops)

Posted on by The Olive Oil Hunter

This dish is a variation on the wildly popular machas a la parmesana, local razor clams (using oysters is also popular). Traditionally, each scallop is cooked separately in its own half-shell. While it’s rare to find scallops still in the shell in the US, you can buy cooking-grade shells for an elegant presentation. For simplicity, I like to make them in a broiler-safe baking dish or individual ramekins.

Ingredients

  • 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil, plus more for drizzling
  • 1 tablespoon white wine
  • 1 teaspoon lemon juice
  • 1 tablespoon finely chopped parsley, plus more for garnish
  • 1 teaspoon fine sea salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
  • 1 pound sea scallops, preferably dry
  • 3 ounces shredded Manchego or Jack cheese
  • 1/4 cup Parmigiano-Reggiano
  • Fresh nutmeg

Directions

Step 1

In a large bowl, whisk together the olive oil, wine, lemon juice, parsley, salt, and pepper.

Step 2

Rinse and pat dry the scallops, then toss them in the marinade—there should be only enough liquid to lightly coat them. Set your oven to broil while they marinate for 15 minutes.

Step 3

Arrange the scallops in a baking dish or among
4 individual ramekins. Top each scallop with a spoonful of shredded cheese, then a sprinkle of Parmigiano-Reggiano. Use a Microplane grater to dust nutmeg over the tops.

Step 4

Place under the broiler for 8 to 10 minutes, or until the cheese has melted and browned and the scallops are firm to the touch. Sprinkle with more parsley and drizzle with olive oil before serving.

Serves 4