Ronnie Woo shares shrimp and pork wontons, 2 other recipes from new cookbook
Chef and food personality Ronnie Woo is constantly asking others, much like his mom always did growing up, "Did you eat yet?"
Now, his endearing turn of phrase is the title of his debut cookbook.
Woo joined "Good Morning America" Wednesday to share a few recipes from the upcoming title, "Did You Eat Yet? Craveable Recipes from an All-American Asian Chef," which is filled with more than 100 "surprisingly achievable, effortlessly stylish" dishes that celebrate a global pantry.
Check out all three recipes below to make at home.
Mama Woo's Pork & Shrimp Wontons
Makes 36 wontons
Ingredients
1/2 pound ground pork
1/2 pound shrimp, peeled and deveined, finely chopped
2 tablespoons minced chives (fresh or dried)
1 tablespoon reduced-sodium soy sauce
1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil, plus more for drizzling
1 teaspoon packed brown sugar (light or dark)
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
36 wonton wrappers, store-bought
6 cups chicken broth, homemade or store-bought
Fresh cilantro, for garnish
Serrano peppers, thinly sliced for garnish
Directions
Make the filling: In a large bowl, mix together the ground pork, shrimp, chives, soy sauce, sesame oil, brown sugar, salt, and black pepper until just combined. Do not overmix.
Wrap the wontons: Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Place a wonton wrapper in the palm of your hand and, using your finger, moisten the border with a little water. Spoon about 2 teaspoons of filling into the center of the wrapper and carefully bring the opposite corners together, pinching along the seams to seal, or follow the step-by-step images on the next page to wrap the wontons. Place the finished wonton on the prepared baking sheet and repeat with the remaining filling and wrappers.
Cook the wontons: In a medium pot, bring the broth to a simmer. While the broth is heating up, bring a large pot of unsalted water to a rolling boil. Carefully drop the wontons one at a time into the boiling water, making sure not to overcrowd the pot. Boil just until they float to the surface, 3 to 4 minutes, stirring occasionally so they don't stick to the bottom of the pot. Divide the cooked wontons into bowls and top with a couple of ladles of the broth. Add a drizzle of sesame oil and garnish with cilantro and serrano slices right before serving.
Storage: Although uncooked wontons will get mushy if stored in the fridge, the good news is that they freeze beautifully! Place them on a parchment paper-lined plate in the freezer for a couple of hours. Once firm, transfer them to a freezer bag and store in the freezer for up to 6 months. When you want to eat them, cook them exactly how you would fresh wontons, adding a few minutes to the boiling time.
Spicy Almond Pesto Udon with Baby Spinach & Burrata
Serves: 2
In the noodle world, ramen and spaghetti are always in the limelight, but what about the gorgeous and voluptuous udon noodle? I'm an equal opportunity noodle lover, and I think udon deserves a little more lovin' than it usually gets. Like I always say, if you have a girthy noodle, you're bound to have a good time (that's why I don't like angel hair… but that's OK, no one likes angel hair). Most people think udon belongs only in a broth, but these springy, toothsome noods are just begging to be used in other ways. Which brings me to this recipe -- thick, sexy strands of chewy udon are tossed with my warm spicy almond pesto and some baby spinach, then served topped with luscious burrata cheese for a decadent, creamy finish. This simple but exciting combination is not only unexpected, it's the mash-up you had no idea you were craving… until now.
Tip: Make sure you get fresh udon noodles (in the refrigerated section) and NOT the dried kind (which are notoriously mediocre). If you can't find fresh udon, just about any other type of noodle will work for this recipe (except angel hair).
Ingredients
1/2 cup Garlicky Almond & Spinach Pesto (recipe below)
1 tablespoon fish sauce
2 teaspoons crushed red pepper flakes
14 ounces fresh udon noodles
2 cups packed baby spinach
4 ounces burrata cheese
Making the sauce: Bring a large pot of unsalted water to a rolling boil. Meanwhile, in a large skillet over medium heat, add the pesto, fish sauce and pepper flakes and cook until the sauce is warm, 2 to 3 minutes, stirring continuously. Reduce the heat to the lowest possible setting while you cook the udon.
Cook the udon: When the water is boiling, add the udon and cook until al dente according to the package directions (do not overcook!). Using tongs or a spider, transfer the udon directly to the sauce in the skillet. Add the spinach and gently toss everything together until the spinach is just wilted, about 1 minute. Divide between two pasta bowls and top with the burrata before serving.
Garlicky Almond & Spinach Pesto
Makes: 1 cup
Ingredients
1 cup packed fresh regular or Thai basil (leaves and small stems)
1/2 cup packed baby spinach
1/4 cup almonds, roasted and unsalted
6 cloves garlic, roughly chopped
1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Directions
In a food processor (or blender), combine the basil, spinach, almonds, garlic, oil, Parmesan, salt and black pepper and blend until mostly smooth.
Store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days. You can also freeze it for up to 3 months (simply thaw in the fridge overnight and give it a quick stir before using).
Milk & Honey Panna Cotta with Vanilla Mangoes
Serves: 6
Ingredients
For the Panna Cotta
2 cups whole milk
0.25 ounce packet unflavored gelatin
1 cup heavy cream
3 tablespoons granulated sugar
3 tablespoons honey
1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
For the Vanilla Mangoes
2 mangoes (preferably honey mangoes), peeled and cut into chunks
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
Directions
Bloom the gelatin: In a medium saucepan off the heat, add the milk. Evenly sprinkle the gelatin over the milk and let it sit for 5 minutes so the gelatin can soften.
Make the panna cotta: Set the saucepan over medium heat and whisk in the heavy cream, sugar, honey and vanilla. Bring to a simmer while continuously whisking until the gelatin fully dissolves. Remove from the heat and let the mixture cool for 10 to 15 minutes, whisking occasionally. Carefully ladle the panna cotta into six serving glasses and let cool at room temperature for 30 minutes. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate until set, at least 8 hours.
Prepare the mangoes: In a medium bowl, toss together the mangoes and vanilla. Refrigerate until needed. When the panna cotta has set, spoon the vanilla mangoes on top and serve immediately.
Storage: Panna cotta without the mangoes can be covered tightly in plastic wrap and stored in the fridge for up to 7 days.
Recipes reprinted with permission from "Did You Eat Yet?" by Ronnie Woo. Copyright © 2023 by Ronald Chi Woo. Reprinted by permission of Harvest, an imprint of HarperCollins Publishers.
