Susanna Foo has been consistently acclaimed for her stunning interpretations of Chinese food and hailed as one of America’s best chefs by publications as diverse as Esquire, Food & Wine, and USA Today. In this book, she shares the revolutionary recipes that established her reputation, from Crab Sui Mei with Red Bell Pepper Sauce to Soy-Braised Cornish Hens. Each one relies on straightforward preparation and easily available ingredients, illustrating Foo’s belief that good Chinese food is every bit as easy to prepare as Italian food and relies on the same principles of simplicity and freshness.
The Venders near my high school sold seafood wonton soup. The wrappers were so thin that you could see the delicate pink-shrimp filling, and the wontons were so small that you could eat them in one bite. They were served in a clear broth topped with chopped mountain celery and fried shallots. In this recipe, I have added tender salmon and sweet bay scallops to give the filling a more complex flavor. If you halve the soup recipe, make all the wontons at once, but cook only those you need; freeze the rest. The wontons can also be fried in oil heated to 325 degrees for 3 to 5 minutes, turned until they are golden brown and served as dim sum or a starter.
Makes 40 to 50 wontons; serves 10 to 12
Wontons
1/2 pound medium shrimp, peeled, deveined and cleaned with salt
1/4 pound bay scallops, cleaned with salt
1/4 pound salmon fillet, cut into small dice
2 tablespoons vodka
1 large egg white
1 ounce pork fat, finely diced (2 tablespoons), or 2 tablespoons heavy cream
1/4 cup finely chopped scallions
1 tablespoon peeled, grated gingerroot
1 teaspoon coarse or kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground white pepper
1/2 cup finely chopped fresh water chestnuts, jicama or celery heart (center yellow-white stalks only)
China and throughout Southeast Asia, most of the shrimp used in cooking are fresh, with the heads still attached. Fresh shrimp have a much sweeter taste than frozen ones, and the orange fat in the heads contributes richness to the stock
You may be able to find fresh shrimp with heads in a Chinese market. Make sure the heads are firmly attached to the body. If the shrimp feel limp or soft or have a fishy odor, they are not fresh. If fresh shrimp are not available, prepare
this stock using the shells of frozen shrimp, adding 3 tablespoons dried shrimp.
Whenever you peel shrimp, do not discard the shells. Store them in a plastic bag in the freezer until you have enough to make a pot of stock. They will keep for up to 2 months.
2 tablespoons chopped fresh thyme leaves or 1 teaspoon dried
1 teaspoon coarse or kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
Heat the oil in a large stock pot. Add the onion and saute over high heat until lightly browned, about 2 minutes.
Add the shrimp heads and/or the shells. Add the dried shrimp, if you have no heads. Cook, stirring, for 3 minutes. Heat the oil in a large stock pot. Add the onion and saute over high heat until lightly browned, about 2 minutes.
Add the shrimp heads and/or the shells. Add the dried shrimp, if you have no heads. Cook, stirring, for 3 minutes.
Add the wine and bring to a boil. Add the stock, tomatoes, thyme, salt and pepper and return to a boil.
Reduce the heat to low and simmer, uncovered, for 30 minutes, or until the liquid is reduced and flavorful. Strain the stock through a fine sieve and discard the solids. The stock will keep in the refrigerator for up to 2 days or in the
freezer for up to 2 months.
Add the wine and bring to a boil. Add the stock, tomatoes, thyme, salt and pepper and return to a boil.
Reduce the heat to low and simmer, uncovered, for 30 minutes, or until the liquid is reduced and flavorful. Strain the stock through a fine sieve and discard the solids. The stock will keep in the refrigerator for up to 2 days or in the
freezer for up to 2 months.
To make the wontons:
Pat the shrimp and scallops dry with paper towels. Place the shrimp in a food processor and coarsely chop. Do not puree; the pieces should be discernible. Remove and set aside. Do the same with the scallops.
Place the salmon in a medium bowl and mix in the vodka. Add the shrimp and scallops; set aside.
In a small bowl, lightly beat the egg white with the pork fat or cream, scallions, gingerroot, salt and white pepper until well mixed. Fold in the reserved shrimp mixture and mix well. Stir in the water chestnuts, jicama or celery heart.
Place 1 tablespoon of the shrimp mixture in the center of a wonton skin (A). Moisten the edges of the wonton with a little cold water. Fold one side over to enclose the filling, making a triangle (B). Bring the tips of the base of the
triangle together, indenting the filling with your finger, and wrap the tips neatly around in a circle (c). Place each finished wonton (D) on a baking sheet lined with wax paper. Repeat, using the remaining filling and wonton skins.
If you will be cooking the won tons within 2 hours, cover them with damp paper towels and a layer of plastic wrap to keep the dough moist, and refrigerate.
To cook the wontons:
Fill a large pot with water and bring to a boil over high heat. Place the wontons in the water. Stir with a Chinese strainer or slotted spoon to keep the wontons from sticking together. Add 1 1/2 cup cold water to the pot. Return the water
to a boil and cook until the wontons float to the top, about 5 minutes. Taste one to see if it is done, and cook for 1 to 2 minutes more if necessary. Remove with a slotted spoon, drain and set aside.
To make the soup:
Meanwhile, heat the stock in a large pot. Add the tomatoes and simmer for 3 to 5 minutes.
Place 4 or 5 wontons in the bottom of each soup bowl. Place 3 or 4 pea shoots or a few spinach leaves in the bowl, along with a little of the basil. Ladle the hot stock over all and serve immediately.
