My friend Laura brought this recipe unassembled to my place for a  summer lunch and we showed the rest of our co-workers how to form and steam the dumplings.  This dish is expensive to make and very time consuming and it is worth the investment of both.

Friends & fellow foodies-Allan and Laura

1 ½ lb. live lobster

6 c loosely packed spinach leaves (about 8 oz.)

1/3 c chopped jicama

2 whole green onions, minced

½ lb ground chicken

1 T finely mined fresh ginger

2 T thin soy sauce

1 T dry sherry

¼ t freshly ground white pepper

40 won ton skins, preferably round

Cornstarch for dusting

Sauce:

2 c whipping cream

½ c white wine

2 t dark sesame oil

½ t salt

Large pinch saffron

1 T very finely minced fresh ginger

Garnish

¼ c Thai chilli sauce

½ c chopped fresh cilantro

Over highest heat, bring 4 inches of water to a vigorous boil in a large pot.  Add the lobster, head first, then cover the pot and steam until the lobster turns bright red, about 6 minutes.  Remove the lobster from the water and cool to room temperature,  cut the lobster in half lengthwise with a heavy knife or poultry scissors.  Remove all the meat.  Cut the lobster meat into pieces small enough to fit inside the dumpling.

Thoroughly wash the spinach leaves.  Ina 2 ½ qt. saucepan, bring 1 inch of water to a vigorous boil,  Add the spinach and turn it in the boiling water until it wilts, about 20 seconds.  Transfer the spinach to a colander to drain, then rinse with cold water and drain again.  Using your hands, press all of the water from the spinach, then mince.  In a large bowl, combine the lobster, spinach, jicama, green onions, chicken, ginger, soy sauce, sherry and white pepper.  Mix with your fingers until thoroughly combined.

Within 5 hours of cooking, fold the dumplings: if the won tons are square, trim into circles.  Add 2 t filling the centre of each won ton skin.  Moisten the edges with water and fold the won ton in half over the filling., then pinch the edges together firmly.  Moisten each end of the dumpling , then touch the ends together so that the dumplings look like caps.  Place the dumplings in a single layer on a baking sheet lined with non-stick cooking (parchment) paper and dusted with cornstarch.  Refrigerate uncovered.

Make the sauce: in a small bowl, combine the cream, wine, sesame oil, salt and saffron, then refrigerate.  Separately set aside the ginger and garnishes. 

Last minute cooking: Bring 6 litres of water to a vigorous boil,  add the dumplings and give them a gentle stir.  When the dumplings float to the surface, after about 3 minutes gently tip them into a colander to drain.

While the dumpling water is coming to a boil and the dumplings are cooking, place the sauce in a 12 inch sauté pan.  Bring to a rigour boil over high heat and cook until the sauce thickens enough to lightly coat a spoon, about 2 minutes.  Stir in the mined ginger.  Taste & adjust seasonings, especially for salt & pepper.  Transfer the dumplings to a bowl, add the sauce, and toss gently.

Place the dumplings and sauce on a heated platter.  Garnish the edge of the sauce with dots of chile sauce.  Sprinkle on the cilantro and serve at once.

Kath’s quote: “A truly destitute person is not one without riches, but the poor wretch who has never partaken of lobster.”-anonymous

Although the St. Norbert Market just outside Winnipeg is officially open, I understand the produce trucks have not moved in as of yet.  The vegetable harvest will be hard to predict this year as the rain is plentiful but the sunshine scarce (or up until now that is).  I intend to go anyway as I love the home baked and home processed goods that the market has to offer.  Just thinking about it, takes me back to our market day in Nice.

Olives in one direction and olives in the other-more varieties than I have ever seen.

Sea salt mixtures-who knew?

I thought honey from clover was the norm-I was wrong.

The most beautiful marzipan-every creation a work of art.  Too beautiful to eat.

Candied fruit of every imagining.

Spices from around the world-this area was mostly curries.  We bought Herbs de Provence in a herb grinder at the next table.

Focaccia.

Varieties of raisins and other dried fruit.

Edible flowers.

A morning to remember forever and always.

Kath’s quote: “The difference of a single day is perceptible. Vegetables can only be tasted in perfection, gathered the same day.”-John Pintard (1759-1844)

The three sisters decided that it would likely be best to start Mom’s cocktail party off with a heartier appetizer and so I was on deck to prepare this first plate.  As you will see below, the pasta is actually a wonton noodle (which I still have mounds of in my freezer) making it even more simple and convenient.

1 c canned pumpkin

1/3 c grated Parmesan cheese

1/4  t salt

1/8  t black pepper

24 wonton wrappers

1 t salt

1 1/2 T butter

1/2 c toasted macadamia nuts (or fav sub)

Combine 1 c pumpkin, 1/3 c Parmesan, 1/4 t salt, and 1/8 t black pepper. Spoon about 2 t pumpkin mixture into center of each wonton wrapper. Moisten edges of dough with water; bring 2 opposite sides together to form a triangle, pinching edges to seal. Place ravioli into a large saucepan of boiling water with 1 teaspoon salt; cook 7 minutes, and drain in a colander. Place 1 1/2 T butter in pan; bring to a boil.  Add nuts, ravioli, tossing to coat.  Sprinkle with chopped sage or parsley if desired.

Kath’s quote: “Never allow butter, soup or other food to remain on your whiskers. Use the napkin frequently.”-Hill’s Manual of Social and Business Forms: Etiquette of the Table (1880)

As my cyber friend and fellow (is there a female version of fellow?) Canadian blogger commented yesterday-“You had me at feta”.  I am feta crazy and was so impressed when I went to a cocktail party of a dear friend of mine who now resides in BC:  Her munchie table was laden with huge white bowls of single items-snaps peas in one, succulent olives in another and the piece de resistence, an enormous platter of columns of feta.  Please check out the amazing blog from yesterday’s commenter.  She is listed on my blog role as “More than Burnt Toast” but if you go there, please come back and visit me again every so often…..

Yesterday I came upon this recipe that I have not yet had a chance to make but has me salivating so I am sharing with you in case you do not have all of your long weekend groceries purchased.

In a large bowl mix 1.25 lb. of lean ground turkey thighs with 1/4 c bread crumbs, 1/2 c of kalamata olives, pitted & chopped, 1 t lemon zest, 1 T lemon juice, 1 egg, s&p.  Shape the meat mixture into 4 equal balls.  Insert your thumb into the centre of each meatball to create a pocket.  Put 2 oz. of feta in the centre of each and close meat around cheese.  Flatten balls into 4 patties.  Grill 5-7  mins. each side over medium heat, or until internal temp reaches 175 degrees F.  Serve with Greek pita, tzatziki sauce, tomatoes and cucumbers.  Used by permission: Granny’s Poultry

Kath’s quote: Darcy: I realize that when I met you at the turkey curry buffet, I was unforgiveably rude, and wearing a reindeer jumper.”  -Bridget Jones Diary

My Mom is in her late eighties.  She is a breast and lung cancer survivor.  She has outlived every member of her immediate family and my Daddy by thirteen years.  She loved to cook for her family and still loves to watch the Food Network even though her meals now revolve around poached eggs and ordering in. 

More than anything my Mom loves to eat but she loves to eat and tell stories and listen to stories at the same time.  It is because of this that we three sisters have honoured her with an elaborate dinner party to celebrate her birthday over the last number of years. Here are some courses from her dinner in 2009: 

 Her actual birthday is in January but because it is often difficult for her friends to get together in the middle of winter, we usually wait until spring. 

This year many of her friends are too infirm to attend so we are changing things up a bit.  We are having her best friend from across the street and a couple who once lived two doors down.  In addition to my brothers, their wives and the two husbands of the three sisters.  We’re serving a selection of small plates -stay tuned for what the three sisters are cooking up.

Kath’s Quote: I know how the nuts taken in conjunction with winter apples, cider, and doughnuts, make old people’s tales and old jokes sound fresh  and crisp and enchanting.”-Mark Twain