SCHMALTZY RECIPES

Steps:

• Heat oven to 350 degrees.
• In a large Dutch oven over medium-high, add enough oil to lightly coat the bottom. Season the chicken with salt on both sides, then add to the pot skin side down. Cook until the skin turns golden and crispy, 8 to 10 minutes. If the skin browns too quickly, lower the heat. Flip, and sear the other side briefly, about 1 minute. Transfer the chicken to a plate and set aside.
• Add the garlic to the schmaltzy oil over medium-high, and stir until fragrant and very lightly golden at the edges, 1 to 2 minutes. Stir in the white pepper, then immediately add the wine and 1 cup water. Scrape up any stuck-on bits from the bottom of the pot while bringing the liquid to a simmer. Nestle the chicken in the pot skin side up, cover and cook in the oven until the chicken and garlic are meltingly tender, and the wine has reduced, about 1 hour. Taste for seasoning, adding more salt if needed. Serve with rice.

Steps:

• For the dough: Combine the flour and salt in a large heatsafe bowl. Slowly pour in the boiling water while stirring, until you have a coarse meal mixture. Stir in 1/2 cup cold water to form a dough.
• Knead the dough on a lightly floured surface for 10 minutes, adding more flour as necessary, until the dough is smooth and slightly sticky. Cover the dough with a damp towel and let sit for 20 minutes.
• For the filling: In a large bowl, combine the ground chicken, chicken broth, sugar, soy sauce, vinegar, ginger, salt, scallions and a bunch of turns of pepper.
• To assemble the dumplings, divide the dough into 24 balls. Roll them out into 4-inch circles, flouring the surface as needed. Place 1 tablespoon filling in the center of each and fold in half to make a half-moon shape, pleating the edges to seal well.
• Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Heat a thin layer of oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Boil the dumplings in batches for 4 minutes. Remove them with a slotted spoon, allowing excess water to drip off, then transfer to the hot oil (be careful because this step can get spitty). Cook until the dumplings are browned, 2 to 3 minutes. Transfer to a plate lined with a paper towel and let cool slightly. Alternatively, to steam the dumplings, line a bamboo steamer with blanched cabbage and steam over boiling water until the filling is cooked through, 10 to 15 minutes.
• For the dipping sauce: In a small bowl, combine the soy sauce, vinegar, sesame oil, scallion and red pepper.
• Serve the dumplings with the dipping sauce