Beef and Shiitake Mushroom Pot Stickers
These hearty pan fried pot stickers are packed full of seasoned ground lean beef and flavourful shiitake mushrooms. Infused with asian flavours, these bites are the perfect quick and healthy appetizer.
September 1st.
My 100th post.
It is SO good to be back. It seems like an eternity since I was last here.
And while it may have seemed quiet in this particular space, it has been anything but on the outside. In addition to spending a big chunk of summer at an isolated lake front cabin (aka a slice of heaven), I also managed to become a contributor to Bison World, Redbook and the Queen Latifah show. Not a sentence I could have ever predicted writing 3 months ago, let alone 3 years ago. I couldn't be more excited and rejuvenated to cook and share here - and September is such a beautiful month for new beginnings.
The last couple months have brought some of the most spectacular weather. Hot. Well, west coast hot. Which for us... is hot. It has meant plenty of time with sprinklers on and ovens off. There wasn't much we didn't figure out a way to cook outside this summer. But Mother Nature definitely flipped the switch. The cool evenings are here and what better way to welcome Fall then with a hearty beef and mushroom appetizer.
Those that know me will be surprised at the title of the recipe. It is also one (of the several) reasons this recipe took so long to land here. You see this girl has NOT been a lover of the fungi over the years (even though I married a fun guy....grrrroan). It dates back to as far as I can remember. I think it may have been the first time I heard the slllluuurp of the Campbell's mushroom soup can. I'm not even sure if it was texture or flavour. I continually tried them year after year and it just didn't work for me.
But it all changed a few years ago in Napa, CA.
We stumbled across Thomas Kellers' Ad Hoc just in time for a brunch seating. The menu is preset - and the 2nd of a stunning 3 course breakfast was steak, eggs and mushrooms.
It changed my outlook on mushrooms entirely.
I think that perhaps I just hadn't had mushrooms prepared the right way before. Or hadn't been open to giving them a second chance... There is an earthy "unami" element they bring that is hard to replicate with any other meat. And I love the idea of adding them to ground beef (or bison!) to extend the meat further - good for the heart and the palate.
Mushrooms Canada and Ontario Beef came together to create a Blend and Extend initiative. It involves blending finely chopped mushrooms with ground beef to not only boost flavour, but to add volume to meals, extend portions and boost nutrition. I love beef. Any way it's sliced, ground or cured. LOVE it. It's the Alberta prairie girl in me for sure. And although Ontario Beef is not available here, I did source some beautiful grass-fed local organic beef for these pot stickers.
These pot stickers were so simple to make. One bowl, everything goes in at once. Roll, seal & cook. I chose to fry them. I also steamed a batch and fried them after and that also worked well - they were a little lighter. The key is mincing the mushrooms so they resemble the ground beef and grating the cabbage fine (but not too fine) so you have a bit of crunch inside the dumpling.
You will find a great recipe for homemade wontons here at a beautiful blog called Kitchen Simplicity. They could not be easier. Going to the store and buying them? Also pretty easy. The ingredient list is very short. Either way, the dipping sauce is a must. I love a good condiment and this one... beats any sugar and dye combo in the grocery aisle.
So it really is great to be back. I love a change in seasons and all the new foods and flavours it conjures up. When the weather turns in your neck of the world, give these Beef and Shiitake Mushroom Pot Stickers a try. And if you too are not a fan of the fungi, I urge you to try the Blend and Extend challenge and give them just one more shot. I am confident you won't be disappointed.
Beef and Shiitake Potstickers
Author: Food Well Said
Ingredients
- 4 oz shiitake mushrooms, stems removed, coarsely chopped
- 8 oz organic, grass fed lean ground beef
- 1 cup finely grated cabbage
- 3 gloves of garlic, grated
- 1 "thumb" of fresh ginger, grated
- 2 scallions, chopped (reserve about 3 inches of 2 stems for garnish)
- 2 tablespoons toasted sesame oil
- 1 tablespoon tamari
- 2 tablespoons soy sauce
- 1 teaspoon ground pepper
- 36 2-inch wonton wrappers
- 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
- sesame seeds (for garnish)
- Dipping Sauce
- 4 tablespoons rice vinegar
- 4 tablespoons soy sauce
- 2 Garlic cloves, grated with microplane
- 1 teaspoon fresh ginger, grated with mircoplane
- 1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil
Instructions
- Add the first ten ingredients in a bowl (mushrooms through pepper) and mix thoroughly using your hands until everything is well combined.
- Lay out the wrappers on counter top and fill a small finger bowl with lukewarm water. Scoop out 1 teaspoon (maybe 1 1/2 teaspoons but no more) and place just off centre of each wonton. With your fingers or the back of a spoon, flatten the mixture slightly. Using your finger, moisten the edges of half of a wrapper and fold the dough over to create a triangle. Press the edges down firmly to ensure they are sealed.
- Add the vegetable oil to a large skillet and heat to med-high. In single layer batches, fry the wontons until golden brown and crisp (about 3 -4 minutes per side)
- To make the dipping sauce, combine all sauce ingredients and serve alongside pot stickers.
- Serve immediately.
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