Recipe from The Macy's Culinary Council Thanksgiving & Holiday Cookbook by Ming Tsai

Makes about 70 wrappers

• 4 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for kneading and dusting
• 1⁄2 teaspoon salt
• 2 cups boiling water for shaping
• 1 large egg
• 2 tablespoons water

To mix the dough by hand: In a large heatproof bowl, stir together the flour and salt. Add the boiling water in 1⁄4-cup increments and mix with chopsticks until a ball forms and the dough is no longer too hot to handle. You may not need all of the water. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured work surface and knead until smooth and elastic, 15 to 20 minutes. If the dough feels sticky as you knead, mix in more flour 1 tablespoon at a time. Shape the dough into a disk, wrap tightly with plastic wrap, and let rest at room temperature for 1 hour.

To mix the dough in a stand mixer: In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the dough hook, stir together the flour and salt. On low speed, gradually add the boiling water until the flour mixture is evenly moistened and forms a ball. The dough should not be sticky. If it is sticky, mix in more flour 1 tablespoon at a time. Very lightly flour a work surface, place the dough on it, and bring the dough together into a disk. Wrap tightly with plastic wrap and let rest at room temperature for 1 hour.

To roll out the wrappers: Liberally flour the work surface and place the dough on it. Divide the dough in half and leave one-half covered. Shape the other half into a log, then roll it back and forth under your palms into a rope about 1 inch in diameter and 18 inches long. Cut the rope into about 35 1⁄2-inch pieces. Stand 1 piece on end, flatten it with your palm, and, using a lightly dusted rolling pin, roll out the dough into a circle about 3 inches in diameter and 1⁄16 thick. (You can also use a tortilla press to make the dough circles.) Roll the edges of the dough circle a little thinner than the center, so when you double them over around the filling, they will be the same thickness as the rest of the wrapper. Repeat with 4 more dough pieces, then fill the 5 wrappers as directed below. Roll out and fill the remaining dough pieces the same way, and then repeat with the remaining half of the dough.

It is important to roll out only 5 wrappers at a time and fill them right away because the wrappers dry out quickly and they cannot be stacked without sticking to one another. If possible, recruit a coworker, so that one of you can roll out the wrappers and the other can fill them.

In a small bowl, whisk together the egg and water to make a wash. Have ready 2 baking sheets very lightly dusted with flour or 2 nonstick baking or cookie sheets.

To form the dumplings: Lay 5 wrappers on a work surface. Place 11⁄2 teaspoons of the *filling in the center of each wrapper. Avoid getting any filling on the edges of a wrapper, which would prevent it from sealing properly. With a finger or pastry brush, paint the circumference of each wrapper with the egg wash. Fold each wrapper in half to form a half-moon, then press the edges together to seal. Holding the dumpling in one hand, and starting at the center of the curved edge, make 3 evenly placed pleats, working toward the bottom-right corner. Again starting at the center of the curve, make 3 more pleats, working toward the bottom-left corner. Press the bottom of the dumpling gently on the work surface to flatten it so it will stand upright. As the dumplings are formed, set them on the prepared baking sheets. Cook them in one of the following ways.

To pan sear the dumplings: Heat a large, nonstick lidded saute pan over high heat. When the pan is hot, add about 2 tablespoons canola oil and swirl to coat the pan bottom. When the oil is hot, arrange the dumplings, flattened bottoms down, in 2 or 3 rows of 5 dumplings each. Cook the dumplings without disturbing them until the bottoms are browned, 3 to 4 minutes. Add about 1⁄2 cup water and immediately cover the pan to avoid splattering. Lift the cover and make sure the water in the pan is about 1⁄8 inch deep. If it isn’t, add more water as needed. Re-cover the pan and cook the dumplings until they are puffy yet firm and the water has evaporated, 8 to 10 minutes. If the water evaporates before the dumplings are done, add more water in 1⁄4-cup increments. If the dumplings appear done but water remains in the pan, drain off as much water as possible and return the pan uncovered to high heat to evaporate any remaining liquid. Continue to cook uncovered until the bottoms of the dumplings are once again crisp, 2 to 3 minutes. Be careful they do not burn. Transfer the dumplings to a platter.

To steam the dumplings: Use two 12-inch stacking bamboo steamer baskets with a lid and a wok with its lid. Place 1 basket in the wok. Add water to the wok, filling to 1⁄2 inch below the bottom of the steamer basket (once the water is boiling, it must not touch the basket). Remove the basket from the wok, cover the wok, and bring the water to a boil over high heat. Oil the racks of both steamer baskets with canola oil. Arrange the dumplings, flattened bottoms down, in 2 or 3 rows of 5 dumplings each, making sure the dumplings do not touch. Stack the steamer baskets in the wok over the boiling water and reduce the heat to medium. Cover the top basket and steam the dumplings until the filling feels firm when a dumpling is pressed with a fingertip, about 12 minutes. Remove the baskets from the wok and transfer the dumplings to a platter.

To boil the dumplings: Bring a large pot three-fourths full of water to a boil over high heat. Working quickly, add 12 or 15 dumplings, one at a time, and then immediately stir them gently so they don’t stick together. Bring the water back to a boil, and as soon as the dumplings start to float to the top, add 1⁄2 cup cold water (the cold water slows down the cooking process, which allows the filling to cook and keeps the water from boiling so hard that the dumplings break apart). Once the dumplings start to float again, taste one to see if it is done. If not, add another 1⁄2 cup cold water and wait until the dumplings float again. When the dumplings are ready, using a slotted spoon or a skimmer, transfer them to a platter, being careful that they do not touch or they will stick together.

*Recipe for filling on next slide
 

Recipe from Momofuku by David Chang and Peter Meehan

Serves 4 to 6

Pork Belly
One 3-pound slab skinless pork belly
1⁄3 cup kosher salt
1⁄3 cup sugar

Accompaniments
*Mustard Seed Sauce
2 cups Short-Grain Rice
2 to 3 heads Bibb lettuce, leaves separated, well washed, and spun dry
Maldon or other high-quality coarse sea salt
 

1. Nestle the belly into a roasting pan or other oven-safe vessel that holds it snugly. Mix together the salt and sugar in a small bowl, and rub the mix into the meat; discard any excess salt-and-sugar mixture. Cover the pan with plastic wrap and put it into the fridge for at least 6 hours, and as long as 24.

2. Heat the oven to 450°F.

3. Discard any liquid that has accumulated, put the belly in the oven, and cook for 1 hour, basting it with the rendered fat at the halfway point, until it’s an appetizing golden brown.

4. Reduce the oven temperature to 250°F and cook for another 30 minutes or so. The belly should be a little resistant, a little firm, shy of jiggly tenderness. Remove the pan from the oven, decant the fat and the meat juices from the pan, and reserve. Allow the belly to cool somewhat.

5. When the belly is cool enough to handle, wrap it in plastic wrap or aluminum foil and put it in the fridge until it’s thoroughly chilled and firm. (You can shortchange this step if you’re pressed for time, but the only way to get neat, nice-looking slices is to chill the belly thoroughly before slicing it.)

6. Light a good hot fire in your grill.

7. Cut the pork belly into 1⁄2-inch-thick slices that are about 2 inches long. Grill the pieces of belly until well browned on one side, about 2 minutes. (We typically turn them 45 degrees at the midway point to get a crosshatch of grill marks on the meat. Do so if your grill grate gets hot enough; if not—and most home grill grates, like those that come with kettle grills, don’t—just get a good, even char.)

8. Serve the grilled belly warm with the accompaniments.

*Recipe for Mustard Seed Sauce on next slide

Recipe from The Country Cooking of Ireland by Colman Andrews

Serves 4

• 2 lb/1 kg corned beef, preferably bottom round (sometimes labeled “silverside” or Brisket)
• 2 carrots, chopped
• 1 onion, chopped
• 2 Tbsp butter
• 2 Tbsp white flour
• 3/4 cup/175 ml milk
• 2 tsp minced fresh parsley
• 1/2 tsp English mustard
• Pinch of nutmeg
• Salt and pepper

1. Put the corned beef, carrots, and all but about 1 Tbsp of the onion into a large pot, cover with water, and bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce the heat to medium-low, and skim the foam from the surface of the water. Cover and simmer for about 2 1/2 hours, or until the corned beef is tender. Remove from the liquid, wrap in foil, and set aside. Reserve about 3/4 cup/175 ml of the cooking liquid.

2. Melt the butter in a small saucepan over medium heat. Mince the reserved onion and add to the butter. Cook for about 1 minute, then whisk in the flour and cook for about 1 minute more. Add the reserved cooking liquid, milk, parsley, mustard, nutmeg, and salt and pepper to taste, whisking the ingredients together until smooth. Cook 4 for 5 minutes more, whisking constantly, until the sauce thickens.

3. To serve, slice the corned beef and spoon the sauce over it.
 

Recipe from The Macy's Culinary Council Thanksgiving & Holiday Cookbook by Michelle Bernstein

Serves 6 to 8

1⁄4 cup canola oil
4 cups thinly sliced onions (about 2 large onions)
2 cups sliced, peeled carrots (about 2 medium carrots sliced 1⁄4 inch thick)
4 cloves garlic, chopped
2 bay leaves
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 teaspoon onion powder
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 cup chicken or beef broth
1 cup ketchup
1⁄2 cup whole-grain mustard
2 envelopes Lipton’s onion soup mix
1⁄3 cup Worcestershire sauce
1⁄4 cup minced fresh flat-leaf parsley
1 brisket (preferably first cut), about 6 pounds, with a good amount of marbling
About 2 cups beef broth
2 tablespoons chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley

Preheat the oven to 400°F.

For the onion sauce: In a large sauté pan, heat the canola oil over medium heat until it shimmers. Add the onions and cook, stirring occasionally, until soft and golden brown, 10 to 12 minutes. Add the carrots and cook, stirring occasionally, for 4 minutes, then add the garlic and bay leaves and cook for 2 minutes longer. Season with the salt, pepper, onion powder, and garlic powder and stir until fragrant, about 1 minute. Pour in the 1 cup broth and mix well. Remove from the heat and whisk in the ketchup, mustard, onion soup mix, and Worcestershire sauce until fully incorporated.

For the brisket: Place the meat, fat side up, in a roasting pan or baking dish just large enough to accommodate it. Pour the onion sauce over the brisket and cover the pan tightly with aluminum foil. Place in the oven and cook for 2 hours. Reduce the oven temperature to 350°F and continue to cook for 21⁄2 hours longer. Remove from the oven and reduce the oven temperature to 325°F. Remove the foil, spoon some of the sauce in the pan over the brisket, and return the pan to the oven, uncovered. Cook, basting the brisket every 10 minutes or so with the sauce, until the meat is tender when pierced with a fork, about 30 minutes longer. Remove from the oven and let the brisket cool to room temperature in the pan.

To serve: Preheat the oven to 325°F. Transfer the cooled brisket to a cutting board and slice it against the grain as thinly as possible. If the sauce is very thick, dilute it with as much of the 2 cups broth as needed to achieve the consistency of a thick gravy. Slip the meat slices into the sauce, and cover the pan with aluminum foil. Reheat the brisket in the oven until warmed through, about 30 minutes.

Transfer the meat slices to a warmed deep platter, spoon the sauce over the slices, and scatter the parsley over the top. Serve right away.
 

Recipe from The Macy's Culinary Council Thanksgiving & Holiday Cookbook by Todd English

Serves 6

4 cups water
1 tablespoon salt, plus more to season
24 littleneck clams, scrubbed
1⁄4 cup extra virgin olive oil, plus more for serving (optional)
2 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
1 small leek, including light green part, or onion, diced
14 cherry tomatoes, halved
1⁄4 cup dry white wine
Freshly ground black pepper
24 PEI mussels, scrubbed and debearded
1 pound spaghetti
2 pounds cooked lobster meat, roughly chopped or cut into chunks, at room temperature
8 fresh basil leaves, cut into strips
4 fresh flat-leaf parsley sprigs, chopped

1. In a large bowl, combine the water and 1 tablespoon salt and stir to dissolve the salt. Add the clams and soak at room temperature for 20 minutes to purge them of grit. Drain and rinse the clams before proceeding.

2. Bring a large pot three-fourths full of salted water to a boil.

3. Meanwhile, heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat until it shimmers. Add the garlic and leek and saute until tender, 3 to 4 minutes. Add the clams, cherry tomatoes, wine, a pinch of salt, and a grind of pepper, then cover the pan and simmer for 8 minutes. Add the mussels, re-cover, and simmer until all of the shellfish are open, 2 to 3 minutes longer. Remove and discard any shellfish that failed to open. Taste the cooking liquid and adjust the seasoning with salt and pepper if needed. Move the skillet to a warm place while you cook the spaghetti.

4. Add the spaghetti to the boiling water and cook until al dente, according to package directions. Scoop out and reserve 1 cup of the cooking water, then drain the pasta in a colander.

5. Transfer the pasta to a large bowl, add the lobster meat, the clams and mussels and their cooking liquid, the basil, and the parsley and toss to combine. Season with salt and pepper. Add some of the reserved cooking water if the pasta seems too dry. Drizzle with additional olive oil, if desired, and serve immediately.

Todd’s Tip: PEI (Prince Edward Island) mussels from the Atlantic north of Nova Scotia are widely available and consistently plump and tasty.
 

Recipe from Bite Size: Elegant Recipes for Entertaining by Francois Payard

Makes 24

• 6 slices white toast bread, crust removed
• 2 tablespoons melted clarified butter (page 000)
• 1 ½ cups shredded Gruyère
• ¼ cup heavy cream, whipped until thickened
• 1 pinch nutmeg
• Fine sea salt
• Freshly ground white pepper
• 4 ounces smoked salmon, thinly sliced
   

1. Preheat the oven to 400° F.

2. Brush 1 side of each slice of bread with the clarified butter. Chop the shredded Gruyère very finely. With a spatula, gently fold the cheese into the cream.

3. Season the cream and cheese mixture with the nutmeg, salt and pepper. Spread it on the non-buttered sides of each bread slice. Layer the salmon on top of the cream on 3 of the slices of bread, then place the remaining slices of bread on top, cream side down.

4. Place each croque on a square of aluminum foil and wrap tightly. Heat a dry skillet over medium heat, and put the wrapped bread in it for 1 minute on each side. You want to get the foil hot so that it toasts the bread. Repeat with each package. Transfer to a baking sheet and put the packages in the oven. Bake for 15 minutes, turning once halfway through cooking.

5. Remove from the oven, and when unwrapped, both the top and bottom should be toasted and well browned.

6. Cut 1 croque in half lengthwise and widthwise into 4 pieces. Cut each piece on the diagonal to obtain 8 triangles. Repeat with the remaining 2 croques. Arrange on a platter and serve immediately.
 

• 5 ounces unsalted butter
• 10 ounces all-purpose fl our
• 1½ quarts whole milk, warm
• 2½ teaspoons ground cinnamon
• Large pinch nutmeg, preferably freshly ground
• 1½ to 2 teaspoons kosher salt
• Cracked black pepper
• 5 large eggs, lightly beaten

1. In a large, heavy pot, melt the butter over low heat, whisking with a large balloon whisk. Add the fl our and whisk to a very crumbly roux, not a smooth paste. Whisk constantly and energetically for about 5 minutes to cook off the raw fl our taste, but do not allow to brown (slide the pot off and on the heat every now and then if you sense it is getting too hot).

2. Still whisking constantly, drizzle in the warm milk until smooth. Continue cooking, adjusting the heat as necessary to keep the mixture at a very low simmer, until very thick. Whisk in the cinnamon, nutmeg, kosher salt to taste, and a generous amount of pepper.

3. Scoop out about ¼ cup of the warm sauce. In a bowl, whisk the sauce into the eggs to temper them. Remove the pan from the heat and whisk all the egg mixture back into the béchamel.
 

• Recipe from Chef Peter Tempelhoff on behalf of South African Tourism
•  
• Makes 12 puddings
•  
• 300g brown sugar
• 120g unsalted butter
• 4 Eggs
• 180ml apricot jam
• 500 ml milk
• 560g cake flour
• 20 ml bicarb of soda
• 4 ml salt
• 80 ml white wine vinegar

1. Cream the butter and sugar, add the egg and beat until light and fluffy. Work in the jam.

2. Dissolve the bicarb in milk, and add the flour and salt alternatively with milk. Lastly mix in the vinegar.

3. Spoon into greased bread tin and bake for approximately 20min. Test by inserting a bamboo skewer into it, if it comes out clean then it is ready.

4. Submerge puddings in the *sauce and allow excess sauce to drip off.

5. Cool and keep the strained extra sauce.

*Recipe for sauce on next slide

Recipe from The Macy's Culinary Council Thanksgiving & Holiday Cookbook by Rick Bayless

Serves 8

Caramel

• 1 cup sugar
• 2 tablespoons light corn syrup
• 1⁄8 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
• 2 tablespoons water

Custard

• 3⁄4 cup sugar
• 1 cup whole milk
• 1 (131⁄2-ounce) can coconut milk
• 3 large eggs
• 5 large egg yolks
• 11⁄2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract (preferably Mexican)
• 2 or 3 passion fruits for garnish

For the caramel: Set eight 3⁄4-cup molds (custard cups, coffee cups, or individual souffle dishes) in a roasting pan that’s at least 2 inches deep and large enough to space the molds at least 1⁄2 inch apart. In a microwave-safe container (a 1-quart glass measuring pitcher works well), stir together the sugar, corn syrup, lemon juice, and water. Microwave on full power until the mixture is light brown, 4 to 5 minutes (the timing will depend on the power of your microwave). Remove from the microwave and let the sugar syrup sit for 4 minutes to finish cooking and to darken to a deep caramel color. Immediately pour the caramel into the molds, dividing it evenly and tilting each mold so the caramel completely covers the bottom. Leave the molds in the roasting pan.

To make the custard: Preheat the oven to 325°F. Bring a tea kettle filled with water to a simmer. In a medium (3-quart) saucepan, combine the sugar, whole milk, and coconut milk, set over medium heat, and bring to a simmer. Meanwhile, in a large bowl, whisk together the eggs and egg yolks until thoroughly blended. When the milk mixture is at a simmer, remove from the heat and slowly add to the eggs while whisking constantly. Stir in the vanilla and strain through a fine-mesh sieve into a pitcher or bowl. Pour or ladle the custard into the molds, dividing it evenly.

To bake the flans: Open the oven door and pull out the center oven rack most of the way, but not so far that it will tip when the pan is set on it. Set the pan holding the molds on the rack, then slowly pour the simmering water into the pan to reach two thirds of the way up the sides of the molds. Slowly slide the rack into the oven, and close the oven door. Bake until the flans are set in the middle, 50 to 60 minutes. Remove from the oven and let cool in the water bath, about 1 hour. Then remove from the water bath and refrigerate the flans until thoroughly chilled, about 2 hours.

To unmold and serve the flans: Run a small knife around the inside edge of a mold to release the flan from the sides of the mold. Invert a small serving plate over the mold, grasp the plate and mold firmly, and reverse the two together. Shake the flan up and down, back and forth until you hear it drop onto the plate. Lift off the mold and scrape any remaining caramel out of the mold and onto the flan. Repeat with the remaining flans.

Cut open the passion fruits and scoop out the seeds and juice. Spoon them around each flan. Dessert’s ready.
 

Recipe from Modern Spice: Inspired Indian Flavors for the Contemporary Kitchen 
(Simon & Schuster, 2009)
 by Monica Bhide


Serves 4

3 cups whole milk


2 to 4 tablespoons sweetened condensed milk

1/4 cup white basmati rice, rinsed and drained


1 teaspoon cardamom seeds, crushed


1 ripe mango, peeled and diced

1. In a deep saucepan, bring the whole milk and condensed milk to a boil over medium heat. Stir constantly to prevent scorching.

2. Reduce the heat to medium-low. Add the rice and cardamom and mix well. Continue to cook for about 50 minutes, until the milk has reduced by half and you obtain a creamy consistency. Stir frequently while cooking.

3. Remove from the heat and allow to come to room temperature.

4. Refrigerate, covered, for at least an hour.

5. When ready to serve, spoon some pudding into a wine glass, layer with some mango, and add another layer of rice pudding. Serve immediately.

Note: Use 4 tablespoons of condensed milk if you like your rice pudding really sweet. With 2 tablespoons, it is sweet but not overwhelmingly so.

Note: If you have a mango that is firm, peel it and then use a vegetable peeler to create thin mango slices. Arrange the slices on a plate and place a scoop of the rice pudding in the center of the mango “carpaccio.”