swiss chard wontons

it's time to restock your freezer dumpling stash

my mom loves swiss chard, so she’s always thinking of new ways to use it. she called me the other day and said that she had a feeling it would be really good in wontons. once she said it, i couldn’t stop thinking about it, and of course i had to try.

for my first attempt, i used ground pork but it ended up overpowering the chard, which has a much more delicate flavor than shepherd’s purse. for my second attempt, i used a combination of chicken and shrimp and it made a huge difference!! the chard flavor really comes out in these and the shrimp gives it a little bouncy texture.

recipe: swiss chard wontons

i used (~50-60 wontons):

• 1 pack medium wonton wrappers (sometimes called shanghai wonton wrappers)

• 1 lb swiss chard (~1 large bunch)

• 1 lb ground chicken

• 1/4 lb shrimp, peeled, deveined, and finely diced

• 1 scallion, thinly sliced

• 1 egg

• 1 tbsp cornstarch

• 1 tbsp shaoxing wine

• 2 tsp soy sauce

• 2 tsp sesame oil

• 1/4 tsp white pepper

• 1/4 tsp sugar

• salt

to make

1. finely dice the swiss chard and sprinkle it generously with salt. let it sit for 20–30 minutes until it softens and releases water.

2. rinse the chard well, then squeeze out as much liquid as possible. run your knife through it once more so it’s extra fine

3. add the chard to a mixing bowl with the ground chicken, diced shrimp, scallion, egg, cornstarch, shaoxing wine, soy sauce, sesame oil, white pepper, and sugar

4. mix thoroughly until the filling has a “sticky” look and feel to it

5. microwave about 1 tbsp of filling in a small bowl for 20 seconds, until cooked through. taste and adjust — it usually wants a little extra salt and sometimes another drizzle of sesame oil!

6. fill and fold the wontons

7. cook immediately, or freeze for later

to freeze

lay the folded wontons in a single layer on a tray or plate so they aren’t touching. freeze for 1–2 hours, until firm, then transfer to a freezer bag.

to cook

bring a pot of water to a boil and drop in the wontons. once the water returns to a boil, add about 1/2 cup cold water. bring it back to a second boil, then remove the wontons.

give them a quick rinse under cold water for that classic smooth wonton texture, then serve with choice of dipping sauce (i like mixing a little soy sauce, sesame oil, and white pepper with some of the starchy cooking liquid to make a “soup” of sorts)

enjoy!! x christy