Cheeseburger Dumplings with Steak Sauce

In the Kitchen with David by David Venable

“I’m not one for playing favorites,” says chef David Venable, “but these are some of the tastiest little treats I’ve ever had.” From Venable’s new cookbook, In the Kitchen with David (Ballantine), they marry savory Western cheeseburger flavors with the bite-sized convenience of an Eastern dumpling presentation. To save time, make the dipping sauce ahead of time and store it in your fridge.

Ingredients:

For the cheeseburger filling:
1 pound ground beef
1 cup finely chopped gherkins or pickle relish, drained
1 small onion, finely chopped
2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
2 heaping teaspoons Dijon mustard
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

For the steak sauce:
1 cup ketchup
3 tablespoons Dijon mustard
1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
1 tablespoon molasses
2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce

For the dumplings:
2 large eggs
2 packages (24 each) round pot sticker or gyoza wrappers
20 slices American cheese, quartered and cut into 1/2-inch strips
1/4 cup canola oil

Directions:
1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

2. To make the filling, combine the ground beef, gherkins, onion, Worcestershire sauce, mustard, salt, and pepper in a large bowl. Mix well by hand or with a spoon and season with the salt and pepper. Cover and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.

3. To make the sauce, whisk together the ketchup, mustard, vinegar, molasses, and Worcestershire sauce in a small bowl until smooth. Cover and set aside while preparing the dumplings.

4. To make the dumplings, make an egg wash, lightly beating the eggs with 2 teaspoons water in a small bowl. Set aside.

5. Spoon 1 teaspoon filling on one side of a circular wrapper. Top with a strip of cheese. (Cover the other wrappers with a damp paper towel to keep them from drying out.) Using a pastry brush, brush the edges of each dumpling with the egg wash. Fold the unfilled side over to create a half moon. Press to seal the edges. Place the filled dumpling on a baking sheet. Continue until all the wrappers and filling are used.

6. Heat the canola oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat until it’s almost smoking. Using a spatula, gently transfer 4 or 5 dumplings to the skillet and cook for 2 to 3 minutes. Turn them over and cook until lightly browned, 2 to 3 minutes more. Transfer the dumplings to the baking sheet and bake them for 5 minutes. Serve warm with the steak sauce.

Makes 48 dumplings

Excerpted from In the Kitchen with David by David Venable © 2012. Reprinted with permission from Ballantine Books. Photography by Ben Fink Photography, Inc.