Lion’s Head Meatballs in Broth

These Chinese meatballs are so named because of their large size. When served in the center of cabbage leaves, the dish resembles a lion’s head and mane; or at least that’s what they say. In any case it is an unusual, delicious dish that’s easy to make.
NotesFrom: China
4 servings
Cooking Time3 min
Cooking Time - Text180
Cooking Methodpoaching, stir-frying
CostModerate
Total Timeunder 4 hours
OccasionFormal Dinner Party
Recipe Coursemain course
Equipmentfood processor
Mealdinner
Taste and Texturejuicy, meaty, savory, spiced
Type of Dishhot soup
Ingredients
- 2 pounds boneless pork shoulder (butt or picnic), coarsely ground in a food processor or meat grinder
- 1 scallion, trimmed and minced
- One 1-inch piece fresh ginger, peeled and minced
- 2 tablespoons soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon Shaoxing wine or dry sherry
- 2 teaspoons sugar
- 1 teaspoon white pepper
- 2 egg whites
- 2 tablespoons corn oil, grapeseed oil, or other neutral oil
- ½ pound Napa cabbage, cut into 2-inch pieces
- Salt to taste
- 1 quart beef or chicken stock, preferably homemade
- 1 tablespoon dark sesame oil, or to taste
Instructions
-
Mix the first 8 ingredients together, just until combined, using your hands or a wooden spoon. Set aside.
-
Heat the oil in a large casserole over medium-high heat. Add the cabbage and stir-fry until softened, about 5 minutes, seasoning with salt. Add the stock and bring to a steady simmer.
-
With wet hands, form 4 meatballs with the pork mixture; handle gently. Slide the meatballs into the stock, cover, and simmer, undisturbed, until cooked through, about 2 hours.
-
Place the cabbage in a soup tureen and put the meatballs on top. Spoon the stock over the dish, season with sesame oil, and serve immediately.
-
VARIATIONS
-
Deluxe Lion’s Head. Add ½ cup chopped reconstituted wood ear mushrooms and ¼ cup chopped peeled, fresh water chestnuts (or peeled jicama) to the pork mixture.
-
Lion’s Head Pie. A kind of delicious meat loaf: Omit the cabbage and stock. Press the pork mixture into a large shallow dish. Steam over hot water until cooked through, about 1 hour.
-
Pearl Balls. You may have eaten these in a dim sum house: Omit the cabbage, stock, and sesame oil. Soak 1 cup glutinous or sticky rice in water for 1 hour, then drain. Form the meat mixture into 1-inch balls, then roll them in the sticky rice to cover. Place the balls in a steamer and cook until the meat cooks through and the rice puffs and becomes sticky, about 30 minutes. Remove and serve
Read NextFontina and Asparagus Soup
2005 Double B Publishing, Inc