Wonton meatballs

I made Nom Nom Paleo's wonton meatballs in a double batch tonight. I made a similar dish some years ago in the style of sui mai dumplings, which was a similar recipe steamed in zucchini "cups." This time I just followed Michelle Tam's recipe and made meatballs. Delicious. I made a double batch b/c I bought a 1lb frozen shrimp package when it was on sale, and just froze some of it to make again later.

At the time of this meatball consumption, I am in the midst of an obsession with Christine and the Queens. This song is the current one on repeat. OMG. I am in love with her. Other videos showcase her moves, which inspire me to dance in the kitchen and get all swoon-ish at the same time.

Wonton Meatballs (by Michelle Tam of Nom Nom Paleo)
¼ ounce dried shiitake mushrooms soaked in water for at least 30 minutes
½ pound shrimp peeled and deveined
1 pound ground pork 
2 scallions finely chopped
¼ cup cilantro minced
1 tablespoon coconut aminos
½ teaspoon Diamond Crystal kosher salt
½ teaspoon fish sauce
¼ teaspoon ground white pepper
¼ teaspoon toasted sesame oil

1) Hydrate your dried mushrooms - mine take 30 minutes in warm water. 

2) Preheat the oven to 400°F, and squeeze the water out of the shiitake mushrooms. Cut off the hard stems, and finely mince them.

3) Finely chop the shrimp until you’ve got a chunky paste.

4) Place the shrimp in a large bowl and add the pork, mushrooms, scallions, cilantro, coconut aminos, salt, fish sauce, white pepper, and sesame oil.

5) Use your hands to squeeze and mix the meatball mixture until a sticky and tacky mass is formed.

6) Heat up a small frying pan over medium heat and add a little cooking fat. When the pan is hot, form a little patty and cook it in the pan. Taste it and see if the seasoning is right. Adjust with additional salt if needed. (Not cooking yet? You can store the meatball mixture in the fridge for up to 12 hours.)

7) Form the mixture into 1½-inch balls. Roll the mixture into round balls and arrange on a baking sheet. You should end up with about a dozen balls.

8) Bake the meatballs in the oven for 15-20 minutes or until cooked through. I finished mine off under the broiler to get a good sear. 
This time I ate these with roasted broccoli and eggplant and some sriracha. I've also used them in noodle soup with tasty results.

Tangy Stew

I made this stew last week, and pronounced it my favorite stew recipe yet. It isn't all that different from my own made-up, or riffed-on stew recipes, except that it had vinegar in it, and anchovies. And mushrooms, which I don't usually put in stew. And more garlic than usual. I love this stew! I love the tang of it. I guess that is why I have previously liked eating sauerkraut with stew.

I appear to be on a Food 52 kick, because this is the 2nd recipe this week from them, and I've bookmarked a couple more that I want to try. I think I just visited there for inspiration a week or two ago, and achieved that end. I modified their recipe some: I didn't have leeks, used less meat, and added a potato and sunchokes. My anchovy paste, having moved a household over 3 years ago and still hanging out in the butter drawer, expired in 2014. (Maybe it moved two households? From here, to there, and back again?) I used it anyway, and also added a dash of fish sauce in case it had lost some potency. It just seems unlikely that anchovy paste goes bad?! I am not a strict adherent to expiration dates, clearly. It all went alright. I guess I'll buy more anchovy paste to have on hand for the next 6 years.

Tangy Stew serves 8
2-3 pounds beef stewing meat, cut into 2-3 inch pieces
salt and pepper for the beef
¹/₃ cup olive oil
2 med onions, diced
8 cloves garlic, minced
2 carrots, diced
4 celery ribs, diced
4 ounces white mushrooms, roughly chopped
¹/₄ cup tomato paste
2 anchovies (or anchovy paste)
¹/₂ cup red wine vinegar
1 cup red wine
3+ cups beef broth
1 cup canned whole tomatoes with juices
1 large potato, chopped
2-3 sunchokes, chopped (opt)
1 ¹/₂ teaspoons salt
3 bay leaves
³/₄ teaspoon dried thyme
¹/₃ cup chopped parsley

1. Season the beef with salt and pepper on both sides. Brown the meat in batches in a 5-6 quart Dutch oven over high heat, adding more oil as needed. Remove to a plate.
2. Lower the heat and add all the vegetables. Cook for 5-10 minutes until softened. Stir in the tomato paste and anchovies and cook to melt the anchovies and distribute.
3. Add the beef back in, with its juices. Add the wine, vinegar, and tomatoes with juice (breaking them up against the side of the pot as you go) and bring to a boil. Add the stock to cover (you may need a bit more than 3 cups). Put in the salt, bay leaf, thyme, bring to a boil. Simmer, partially covered, for 3 hours until the meat is tender.
4. Mix in half of the parsley and garnish with the rest. Serve!