Noodles and Dumplings

I have somehow become the webmaster of sorts for my CSA’s location, meaning I created a WordPress site where I post the week’s delivery and the (always lovely) note from the farmer. The site also serves as a place for members to share recipes, which, since nobody has suggested a better way to organize them, are categorized by main ingredient, with a page for each vegetable we receive. We’ve gotten scallions three out of the last four weeks, and at first, I didn’t think a page for scallions was necessary, because aside from scallion pancakes, what are you really going to make that features that ingredient? Scallions are a garnish, an accent, or even a substitute for another member of the lily family when you’re out of onion or chives. They are nothing to get excited about.

Or that’s what I thought until I wound up with three large-ish bunches of the things in my fridge, and was planning dinner for I., K., M., and myself. The question “How can I use these things up?” led to a quick Google search, which led to David Chang’s patented ginger-scallion noodles. I have eaten at several of the Momofuku restaurants, and I confess that I find nearly everything Chang does fascinating, brilliant, and (most importantly) delicious. And since I also had a couple of cucumbers begging to be eaten, this was a no-brainer.

To start: scallions. Lots of them.

Slice them up, very thin, using the entire length of the scallion. (I frankly don’t understand recipes that call for the whites only, or even only half the greens. It seems wasteful.) You will need 2 1/2 cups.

Mix in 1/2 cup of minced ginger, 1/4 cup of some neutral oil (grapeseed or whatever), 1 1/2 tsp soy sauce, 3/4 tsp sherry vinegar, and 3/4 tsp salt. Toss it all together and let it marinate for at least 20 minutes.

When I waved the bowl under M.’s nose so she could get a hint of what we’d be eating, she responded, “It smells like dreams,” which is now the standard I aim for with every recipe I make.

Toss the sauce with the noodles (soba in this case, though I’m still not sure I know how to cook them properly–the texture never seems to come out right) and there you go.

Meanwhile have your friend I. slice up the cucumbers on your mandoline and toss them with a tablespoon of sugar and a teaspoon of salt (more or less, as you see fit; the suggestion is a 3:1 sugar: salt ratio, but the actual amount is to taste). These also need to sit for 20 minutes before you serve them.

And the last step is to find a vegetable you like and pan sear it in a little oil. I believe the official cookbook calls for cauliflower, but it is high summer squash season, so that is what we used. And M. did a yeoman’s job of manning the skillet.

She was also instrumental in cooking the dumplings (stuffed with ground pork and sliced leeks mixed with a little soy sauce and sesame oil), which we all helped assemble. This process was not photo-documented, largely because I’m not a very good journalist but also because I wasn’t entirely sure how they would turn out. I had returned from the shore the previous Sunday with a pile of wonton wrappers (isn’t that what your mom sends you home with after you visit for a weekend?), and this seemed like as good a use as any I was likely to find. It turns out that (a) fried dumplings are preferable to steamed and (b) dumplings are more exciting than noodles. I suppose I should not be surprised at either of those findings.

In any case, we sat down to a beautifully set table (I. and K. are expert napkin folders, even working with paper instead of cloth) and enjoyed our Asian feast immensely.

There was also some silliness in addition to dinner. But I think that’s inevitable with this crowd.

Pork Dumplings
This “recipe” is obviously very adaptable. You can spice it up with chile oil or add in some minced ginger or fish sauce or garlic or really anything. Also I have no idea how many it makes…

1 stack of wonton wrappers
1/2 lb. ground pork
1 large or 2 small leeks, cleaned and sliced into thin half-rounds
2-3 tsp soy sauce
1 tsp sesame oil
peanut or vegetable oil (something with a high smoke point)

Mix the pork with the leeks, soy sauce, and sesame oil. Put small spoonfuls in the center of each wonton wrapper and close them up, brushing a little water around the edge to seal them properly. Try to get as much air as possible out of the dumplings.
To steam, place in a single layer in a steamer (the metal kind works though bamboo is probably easier) over boiling water. Cook for 5-10 minutes, until they are firm to the touch.
To fry, heat a little oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Cook a few minutes on each side, again until they are firm to the touch.
Serve with the dipping sauce of your choice (the ginger-scallion dressing is a good one, thinned out with a little more grapeseed oil).