The Dumpling

July 20, 2009
Two cookbooks celebrate this single dish.
The Dumpling: A Seasonal Guide
Wai Hon Chu
and Connie Lovatt
. Morrow
, $35 (432p) ISBN 978-0-060-81738-1

Chu, a cooking instructor at the Institute for Culinary Education, and Lovatt, a personal chef, offer a global perspective on dumplings, which they liberally define as being made out of some kind of dough, batter or starch and either steamed, simmered or boiled. They provide 135 dumpling recipes from all over the globe, with each labeled as to country of origin, and include an additional 60 recipes for soups, stews and sauces in which to use dumplings. Dishes are divided seasonally—with eight to 13 recipes for each month—when ingredients are at their natural peak. Recipes are arranged from easiest to most challenging. Offerings include January's “Priest Stranglers” with brown butter and sage; March's kasha and mushroom pierogi; August's corn tamales stuffed with stringy cheese and poblano; and September's wild grapes in dumplings. Desserts, such as July's banana cupcakes and December's chocolate tamales highlight the range of dishes. The authors also include substantial sections on ingredients, equipment, and folding instructions and illustrations. Cooks at all levels will delight in this book as they try their hands at familiar favorites as well as new dishes. 8-page color insert.