Chive Shortcakes With Smoky Corn And Okra Stew Recipes

OLD-FASHIONED SHORTCAKE

Steps:

• Preheat an oven to 450 degrees F (230 degrees C). Grease an 8-inch baking pan.
• Sift flour, sugar, baking powder, salt, and nutmeg in a large bowl. Cut in butter with a knife or pastry blender until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Beat egg and milk in another bowl; stir into flour mixture until batter is just blended. Spread batter in the prepared baking pan.
• Bake in preheated oven until golden, about 15 minutes. Cool in the pan for 10 minutes before removing to cool completely on a wire rack.

CHIVE CAKES

Steps:

• For the filling: In a large bowl, combine fresh shrimp, salt, fish sauce, tapioca starch. Set aside. Stir-fry the chives in half of the oil and half of the lard with garlic and water chestnuts until the chives are soft. Place chives on the center of a large piece of cheesecloth, wrap up the cloth, and squeeze the mixture until there is no liquid. Set aside.
• In a small bowl soak the dried shrimp in warm water to cover for about 20 minutes. Drain, discard the liquid, and coarsely chop the shrimp. In a skillet or sauté pan over medium-high heat, warm the canola oil and remaining lard until shimmering. Add the dried shrimp and stir until the shrimp turns brown. Remove and set aside. In the same skillet add the fresh shrimp, pepper and green onions and saute until cooked through, 2-3 minutes. Remove from heat and combine shrimp-both fresh and dried-and chives.
• For the dough: In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, combine the starches, bread flour, sugar, salt, and oil. Mix on high speed, slowly adding the hot water until a sticky dough forms, about 5 minutes. Turn the dough out onto your work surface and divide into 10 pieces. Using a small rolling pin, roll out the ball into circles about 1/8 inch thick and 4-5 inches in diameter. Holding the dough in your palm, add about 2-3 tablespoons of the filling in the middle of each circle and pinch the ends together. Lightly pat down to flatten the cake. Repeat with the remaining dough and filling.
• Set up a steamer and steam the chive cakes until the dough is translucent, about 7-10 minutes.
• Remove the dumplings from the steamer and set aside to cool. Just before serving, coat the bottom of the skillet with oil and pan fry the chive cakes until browned on both sides.
• Serve with both hot Sriracha and soy sauce for dipping.

CORN AND OKRA STEW

Steps:

• Simmer corn, broth, and water in a 4- to 6-quart heavy pot, uncovered, until corn is very tender, 8 to 10 minutes. Transfer with tongs to a plate and cool.
• Cut off kernels and return cobs to liquid with shrimp shells. Simmer 5 minutes, then pour broth through a sieve into a large bowl, discarding cobs and shells.
• Chop garlic in a food processor. Add onions and poblano and pulse until chopped.
• Cook onion mixture in oil with cayenne and black pepper in cleaned pot over moderate heat, stirring occasionally, until onions are softened, about 8 minutes. Add sausage and cook, stirring, 2 minutes.
• Add broth and bring to a simmer. Add okra, tomatoes, and salt, then simmer, partially covered, until okra is tender but not falling apart, about 30 minutes. Add corn and shrimp and cook, stirring, until shrimp are just cooked through, 2 to 3 minutes. Stir in scallions and season with salt and pepper.