Sweet Potato & Ginger Dumplings, Star Anise Broth

• 2 Tbs vegetable oil
• 1 shallot-minced
• 1 garlic cloves-minced
• 1 tsp fresh ginger-minced
• ¼ tsp chili flakes
• 1 cup sweet potatoes-peeled and diced
• sea salt to taste
• 12 wonton skins-cut into 3" rounds*

• 2 Tbs star anise
• 2 cups vegetable stock (or substitute water)
• 1 fennel bulb-coarsely chopped
• 2 garlic cloves-coarsely chopped
• 2 shallots-coarsely chopped
• 2 Tbs fresh ginger-sliced
• 2 oz soy sauce
• 3 oz honey
• 6 oz vegetable oil for cooking
• ½ cup fresh bean sprouts
• 2 Tbs scallions-finely cut

Prepare the dumplings

1. In a medium size sauté pan, heat 2 T vegetable oil over medium heat.  Add shallot, garlic, ginger and chili flakes and cook until soft.  Add sweet potatoes and cover.  Place in a 350F oven until sweet potatoes are cooked through and soft (about 40 minutes).  

2. Meanwhile, place star anise in a 2 qt saucepan over medium heat.  Add vegetable stock, fennel, garlic, shallots and ginger and bring to a simmer.  Simmer 25 minutes and remove from heat.  Add soy sauce and honey.  Season with sea salt.  Strain through a fine mesh strainer and cool.

3. Remove sweet potatoes and let cool to room temperature.  Put mixture into a food processor and blend until very smooth.  Remove and season with sea salt.  Chill.

4. On a flat work surface lay out six wonton skins.  Place a teaspoon of sweet potato mixture onto the center of each wonton.  With a small paintbrush, lightly brush water around edges of wonton.  Lift edges up and seal together.  Place on a dry tray.  Continue with the remaining wontons.  Wontons can be stored at this point for 6-8 hours if necessary.

To Serve

1. Heat star anise broth over medium heat.  In a non-stick pan, place 1 oz of vegetable oil over medium high heat. Place 8 dumplings into hot oil and let brown.  Reduce heat and pull off stovetop.  Add ½ cup of anise broth and cover. 

2. Place back over heat and cook for 2 minutes or until dumpling wrappers are soft.  Remove and keep warm.  Discard any remaining liquid from the pan and wipe clean.  Repeat until all dumplings are cooked.  Divide dumplings into 6 warm serving bowls.  Garnish with bean sprouts and scallions.  Pour ½ cup of warm anise broth into each bowl and serve.

About Green Zebra

Located in a former hat shop from the 1930s the Green Zebra is a contemporary urban restaurant with a cozy staggered seating arrangement, a sunken garden in the front corner and warm autumn-inspired hues.  Under the direction of Chef Shan McClain, named Best Chef Midwest by the James Beard Foundation in 2006, the Green Zebra intrigues with his vegetarian-focused small plate's concept. Each plate is a work of art in both presentation and flavor, as McClain dishes up items like creamy sunchoke raviolis with melted goat cheese, hazelnuts and fresh dates and warm blue cheese cake, pea tendrils, almond "ice cream" and Riesling reduction. Meat eaters will also find two non-veggie dishes such as Shoal Farms Chicken Breast with fingerling potatoes, crisp skin and wild honey and a roasted loup de mer with cauliflower, maitake dumplings and red wine.  An esoteric, eclectic and organic wine list matches the small plates.

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