CHINESE NEW YEAR -  MENU & RECIPES  -  GOURMET 1/5/03

Menu...w/o recipes:

Hors d’Oeuvres
Chinese Rice Snacks & Hot Peas
Pot Stickers
Lettuce Bundles
Hot & Sour Soup...First Course
Steamed Rice...Second Course, each of the following dishes served separately
Hunan Chicken
Szechuan Shrimp
Stir fried Vegetables
Dessert:    Variety of ices and ice creams, fruits and cookies

Suggested beverages: Chinese Beer, Saki, Fuki Plum wine, Green Tea

the symbol * indicates it can be found in an Asian market...do you want me to give a brief list of markets in CC & Ft. M? b

Hostesses will have a variety of sauces available, duck sauce, hot mustard, hoi sin sauce throughout the meal.

Pot stickers should be served with bowls of chili oil and red rice vinegar.

Hosts will be looking for Chinese serving pieces, chop sticks, etc diners are encouraged to check with hosts should they have these.

Steamed rice will be served throughout the second course and will be provided by the hostesses. sorry to forget, b

Hors d’Oeuvres:

Chinese rice snacks and dried peas....hostess

Potstickers...to be purchased frozen and stir fried at host home

Lettuce Bundles:

l large firm head of iceberg lettuce
1/2 C shredded bamboo shoots
12-16 sliced water chestnuts fresh if possible
6-8 dried black mushrooms *
3/4 lb coarsely ground pork
1 egg slightly beaten
1 1/2T soy sauce
2T dry sherry or shaw hsing wine*
1 1/2 t sugar
1T +1t cornstarch
1/2 c chicken broth
2 t salt
5 1/2  T peanut, vegetable or corn oil
1 c finely diced celery

Discard outside layer of lettuce and split the head in half.  Peel away the
largest leaves and put in refrigerator.
Chop bamboo shoots, water chestnuts into fine dice. Pour hot water over
the mushrooms to cover, let stand for 30 minutes,drain, squeezing out the
excess liquid, trim off stems and chop into fine dice.
Combine mushrooms, bamboo shoots and water chestnuts.
Combine pork with egg, soy sauce and 1T corn starch and set aside.
Combine wine, half the chicken broth, sugar and salt and set aside.
Blend remainder of cornstarch with chicken broth.
Heat 4 T of oil in wok or large frying pan, add pork mixture separating bits,
when cooked add mushroom mixture, then wine mixture, then cornstarch
mixture making sure to blend all the cornstarch, add celery and cook till
warm but still firm. Add remaining oil to glaze the dish. 
Serve lettuce leaves with hot mixture and have guest create their own bundles.
Should be eaten while the pork is hot. Mixtures could be put together at
host house...each menu item will be served separately. Serves 8
Source: The Chinese Cookbook by Craig Claiborne & Virginia Lee

First Course:

Szechuan Hot & Sour Soup

6 dried cloud ear mushrooms*
6 dried black mushrooms*
6 dried tigerlilly buds*
4 1/2C chicken broth
1T peanut oil
1T sesame oil*
1T soy sauce
1/3 lb lean boneless pork or chicken cut into narrow strips
1 4oz cake fresh bean curd cut into thin stips
1/4 c bamboo shoots cut in thin strips
2 eggs slightly beaten
2T chinese red rice vinegar*
2t thinly sliced length wise scallions with some green top
2t sesame oil
1t white pepper, hot oil or chile oil
sugar to taste

Soak cloud ears, mushrooms and lilly buds in boiling water for 15 min. Drain
cut off woody parts and hard tips of lillys then slice thinly. set aside. Heat
broth in large saucepan.  Meanwhile heat peanut oil and sesame oil 1T in wok
or skillet. When hot add soy sauce, pork or chicken, add mushrooms and lilly
buds stir to brown edges slightly. Add meat mixture to broth; add bean curd and
bamboo shoots, when soup comes to a simmer stir in a circular motion and
gradually add eggs. Remove from heat and add the remainder of ingredients.
serves 8 small bowls. Can be brought to host home cooked.
Source: Hotter the Hell by Jane Beutel

Second Courses...to be served one at a time

Hunan Chicken....recipe coming from Janet Dutton

2 chicken breasts cut into strips or cubs

Coat them in a slightly beaten egg; lightly four or cornstarch

Deep fry in peanut oil (wok or deep fryer)

Cover and set aside in warm oven

In a wok or saucepan sauté:

2-4 cloves garlic sliced thinly

1/8 inch minced ginger

cayenne pepper

white pepper

Optional: some chefs add julienne vegetables here …or later in the recipe depending how long they need to be cooked.

In a bowl combine:

1/4 c soy sauce

1/4 c white wine

1/2 cup water

1-2 t oyster sauce

3-5 scallions sliced thinly

1-2 T rice vinegar

2/4 T sugar

Add mixture to sautéed garlic

Bring mixture to just boiling

Add mixture of cornstarch and water slowly until mixture thickens enough to stick to the chicken when combined.

Add 1/4 t sesame oil

Pour mixture over chicken

(This recipe also only serves 3, or 2 hungry people)  Suggestion is to double it to serve as 1/3 entrée for 8)

Szechuan Shrimp...recipe coming from Janet Dutton

Boil or stir fry 1 lb shrimp ( set aside)

Saute in oil:

½ - 2/3 cup onion

¼  t chopped ginger

     cayenne to taste

1-3 cloves chopped garlic

Optional:  some chefs add julienned vegetables here …or later depending on how long they need to be cooked

In a separate pan mix together the following:

2 c ketchup

2 c white tine (Chablis) or sherry

2 t sugar

1-w t lemon or rice vinegar

1-2 t soy sauce

Splash of Worcestershire sauce

Add the ketchup mixture to the sautéed mixture

Cool slowly to reduce volume (20-30 minutes)

Put shrimp into sauce just enough to redheat them

(This rice serves about 3 people or 2 hungry people our suggestion is to double it to fee 1/3 entree to eight in January)

Vegetable Stir Fry :
serves four, might need to be doubled

2t sesame seeds
2/3c chicken or vegetable
2T soy sauce
1/2t sugar
2t cornstarch mixed with 1T water
6-8 black mushrooms
1 small zucchini
2t minced fresh ginger
2 C pea pods
1 julienne sliced red bell pepper
3 scallions cut diagonally, white part only
1 can or package of fresh straw mushrooms
1 can or frozen box of baby corn
1/2c unsalted peanuts or cashews

Toast sesame seeds in frying pan for 5 minutes until light brown. Put in a
bowl and add next three ingredients, blend and set aside.
Soak dry mushrooms in enough hot water to cover for 30 minutes. drain.
cut off and discard stems and thinly slice caps. set aside
Slice zucchini horizontally and then each half diagonally in 1/4 in pieces,
set aside.  In a wok or frying pan heat oil until hot. Add ginger until fragrant.
Add mushrooms, baby corn, zucchini, pea pods, red pepper, until crisp tender.
Add cornstarch solution and cook till thickens.  Serve, topping with
scallions and nuts.
Source: Martin Yan, The Chinese Chef

Dessert:

Any combination of ices or ice creams e.g. green tea, pistachio, ginger and
fruits...pineapple, lychee nuts*, mandarin oranges, and fortune cookies, almond
cookies.(recipe below) To be put together at host house.

Suggested beverages: Green Tea, Saki, Fuki Plum wine, or wines and chinese beer of your choice.

Almond Cookies
2C flour
3/4t baking powder
1/2t baking soda
1/2 c butter
1/2 c solid vegetable shortening
2/3 c sugar
1/2 c brown sugar
1 egg lightly beaten
1/2t vanilla extract
1/2t almond extract
40 blanched whole almonds

Mix first three ingredients, put aside.  With an electric mixer beat butter,
shortening and sugars until fluffy.  Add egg and extracts beat until blended,
add flour mixture and mix well.  Shape dough into a ball, refrigerate at
least 1 hour or up to 2 days. Preheat oven to 350' roll dough into small one
inch balls, place two to three inches apart on cookie sheet.  Press an almond
into the center of each ball. Bake 10-12 minutes until lightly browned, cool
for 5 minutes on baking sheet, transfer to rack.  When cool store in airtight
container. Makes 40 cookies.
Source: Feast by Martin Yan
 

To One and All:  (From Susan Margaret)

As a suggestion from Janet Dutton, I am sending another copy of the 10/20 Final (no kidding!) Rotation/Hosting Schedule since there appeared to be some confusion regarding hosting responsibilities.  Remember, that when we agreed to have the hosting families plan the monthly menu, it was decided by the group, that each host would be responsible for forwarding the determined menu and recipes to those members attending dinner at the host home.  Let’s try and follow that methodology…10-Q

Check out the menu and decide which item(s) suit you the best and let your host know of your preference before someone else grabs your favorite item!

Cape Coral New Residents Gourmet Groups

                                          “The Epicurious” – October 20, 2002

Alternates/Substitutes:

“Epicurious” Couples Group Rotation – Red Indicates Hosting Couple  - 10/20/02