Beef Dim Sum with Mustard Greens

Steaming yields the moistest, juiciest meatballs of all. At a dim sum restaurant, it is difficult to resist beef meatballs, often cooked with a few leaves of verdant bitter greens as a bracing contrast. The meatballs and greens are steamed together in small dishes to mingle their juices, requiring a set of tiered metal or bamboo steaming racks. An Asian market will have the proper traditional porcelain bowls (about 3 inches wide and 1 inch deep), or simply use large ramekins or Pyrex custard cups.

Ingredients

• 4 ounces sliced fresh pork fatback (see Note)
• 1 pound ground round (85 percent lean)
• 1 scallion, white and green parts, minced
• 1 tablespoon peeled and minced fresh ginger
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 large egg, beaten
• 2 tablespoons dark soy sauce, or 2 tablespoons regular soy sauce plus 1 teaspoon molasses, plus more for serving
• 1 tablespoon dry sherry
• 1 tablespoon cornstarch
• 1 teaspoon Asian dark sesame oil
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 12 stems mustard greens or broccoli rabe (rapini), washed well

Directions

1. Coarsely chop the sliced fatback. Spread on a baking sheet and freeze until semisolid, about 45 minutes. (This makes the fat easier to chop in the food processor.)

2. Transfer the fatback to a food processor fitted with the metal chopping blade. Pulse about 10 times, until finely chopped. Add the ground round, scallion, ginger, garlic, egg, soy sauce, sherry, cornstarch, sesame oil, salt, and pepper. Pulse about 6 more times, until the mixture is well combined. Transfer to a medium bowl. Cover and refrigerate for at least 15 minutes or up to 4 hours. Using your hands rinsed under cold water, shape into 18 equal meatballs. Transfer to a platter.

3. Have ready 6 small Asian heatproof dim sum dishes, 8-ounce ramekins, or 10-ounce Pryex custard cups. Tear 2 mustard greens crosswise and fit into each dish. Add 3 meatballs to each dish.

4. Choose a saucepan just large enough to hold the stacked steamers, Pour about 1 inch of water into the saucepan and bring to a boil over high heat. (If using a metal steamer set, add 1 inch of water to the bottom section and bring to a boil.) Arrange the filled dishes in 2 steamer racks. Stack over the saucepan and cover with the steamer lid. Reduce the heat to medium-low to maintain a full head of steam. Cook until the meatballs are cooked through, about 15 minutes.

5. Using tongs (preferably rubber tipped, which have the best grip), carefully remove the dishes from the steamers. Serve hot, with dark or regular soy sauce passed on the side.

NOTE: Fresh pork fatback, pure white fat cut from pork loin, is available at Asian and Latino markets. Do not confuse it with salt pork. If unavailable, substitute ground pork, which does not need to be frozen or chopped before using. For the correct smooth texture, pulse all of the ingredients in a food processor until well combined and very finely chopped.

Submitted 9/20/11.
Source: I Love Meatballs by Rick Rodgers
Submitted By: b smith

Beef Dim Sum with Mustard Greens