Beef Dumplings in Clear Broth

Copyright 2012 LtDan'sKitchen blogs

This soup came about out of necessity, although the pairing does make sense if you think about it for one second. I was making Puchero (Cocido style) where it is served in a deconstructed way which is how it is served in Spain. Basically, instead of having a meat stew in tomato sauce, the stew is cooked almost like a hotpot and the vegetables and meats are cooked separately and served with the tomato sauce as a condiment together with a side of poached eggplant salad. Served this way, the soup is consumed first but if you are having guests over, serving them clear soup is a bit depressing so I figured, adding steamed beef dumplings might do the trick. The dish is reminiscent of Polpette in Umido but with definitely an Asian twist. 

This dish can definitely be made as is without having to make the Cocido. Any good broth will be perfect for this dish or even more basic, just prepare the dumplings and eat them without the soup complemented with a side of a soy-based dipping sauce.

Beef Dumplings in Clear Broth

1 lb ground beef
8 oz whole water chestnuts, canned
4 green onions
2 garlic cloves, peeled
2 tbsp sherry
1 tbsp soy sauce
1/2 tsp ground ginger
salt and pepper
1 egg
30-40 dumpling wrappers
hot broth

1. In a food processor, pulse the water chestnuts, garlic and green onions
    until finely chopped. Combine with the ground beef.

2. Add the ginger, soy sauce and sherry. Mix well. Season with salt and
    pepper and check for flavor.

3. In a small bowl, crack the egg and add 2 tbsp of water. Whisk until well
    blended.

4. To make the dumplings, brush one side of the dumpling wrapper with
    the egg wash and fill with a tablespoon of the filling. Gather the edges
    and pinch to seal.

5. Steam for 10 minutes or until cooked. Arrange the dumplings in a bowl
    and pour the clear soup over them. Garnish with thinly sliced green
    onions.

Copyright 2012 LtDan'sKitchen blogs

If you do want to serve it as a dumpling, you can definitely do so. A good dipping sauce recipe includes: 3 tbsp of soy sauce, 1 tsp of lemon juice, 1 tsp of thinly sliced green onions, and 1/2 tsp of sesame oil. Season with a few turns of black pepper.