Best Lions Head Recipes

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LION'S HEAD MEATBALLS



Lion's Head Meatballs image

People throw out the term "melt-in-your-mouth" pretty casually, but these meatballs really are. Some people think the name comes from their large size, while others believe eating these gives you the strength of a lion, but the actual answer is not quite as mythical. The look of this crinkled-up napa cabbage reminded the inventors of this dish of a lion's mane.

Provided by Chef John

Categories     World Cuisine Recipes     Asian     Chinese

Time 2h15m

Yield 6

Number Of Ingredients 24

1 ½ cups boiling water
1 ounce dried shiitake mushrooms
¼ cup minced canned water chestnuts
1 (8 ounce) container firm tofu, chopped into small bits
1 pound fatty ground pork (at least 20% fat)
¼ cup finely sliced green onions (white and light green parts only)
4 cloves garlic, finely minced
1 ½ teaspoons finely grated peeled fresh ginger
2 tablespoons Shao Hsing rice wine or dry sherry (see Note)
1 tablespoon soy sauce
2 teaspoons kosher salt
¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 tablespoon brown sugar
1 large egg
1 ½ teaspoons cornstarch
1 small head napa cabbage
2 cups chicken broth
2 tablespoons soy sauce
2 tablespoons sherry wine
½ teaspoon sesame oil, or to taste
1 tablespoon brown sugar
1 ½ teaspoons cornstarch
¼ cup sliced green onion tops
2 tablespoons hot chili oil

Steps:

  • Pour boiling water over shiitake mushrooms, and let sit until soft enough to slice, about 1 hour.
  • Meanwhile, combine chestnuts and tofu in a large bowl. Add ground pork, green onions, garlic, and ginger. Pour in rice wine, soy sauce, salt, cayenne, brown sugar, and egg. Dust with cornstarch. Mix with a clean hand until thoroughly combined. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 1 hour.
  • Form mixture into 6 large meatballs with wet hands.
  • Set an oven rack about 8 inches from the heat source and preheat the oven's broiler. Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil and oil lightly. Place meatballs on the prepared baking sheet.
  • Broil in the preheated oven until browned, 8 to 10 minutes. Remove from the oven and let cool while prepping the pot.
  • Trim off the bottom of the head of cabbage and slice 1/2 of the head. Arrange sliced cabbage on the bottom of a large soup pot or Dutch oven. Arrange the remaining leaves on the top. Slice and scatter the mushrooms on top of the cabbage; reserve shiitake liquid. Nestle the meatballs into the cabbage leaves and pour juices over.
  • Strain reserved shiitake liquid into a bowl. Add chicken broth, soy sauce, sherry, sesame oil, brown sugar, and cornstarch. Whisk until dissolved. Add to the pot, pouring over each meatball. Bring to a boil over high heat.
  • Reduce heat to medium-low, cover, and cook for 20 minutes. Uncover and raise heat to medium-high. Continue cooking, basting the meatballs often, until liquid reduces slightly and meatballs are no longer pink in the centers, about 10 minutes. Taste for seasoning.
  • Ladle into serving bowls and arrange cabbage over the meatballs. Top with green onions and chili oil.

Nutrition Facts : Calories 315.4 calories, Carbohydrate 18.5 g, Cholesterol 82.1 mg, Fat 18.1 g, Fiber 2.6 g, Protein 20.6 g, SaturatedFat 5.2 g, Sodium 1607.8 mg, Sugar 7.4 g

LION'S HEAD



Lion's Head image

Provided by Food Network

Categories     main-dish

Time 25m

Yield 4 servings

Number Of Ingredients 6

1 pound ground pork
2 tablespoons low-sodium soy sauce
2 tablespoons cornstarch
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 medium head Napa cabbage, cut into 1-inch pieces
Two 14.5-ounce cans chicken broth

Steps:

  • In a medium bowl, mix the pork, soy sauce and 1 tablespoon cornstarch with a chopstick. Form into large meatballs. On a small plate, sprinkle the remaining 1 tablespoon cornstarch and roll the meatballs in the cornstarch.
  • In a wok or large skillet over medium-high heat, add the vegetable oil. Brown the meatballs in hot wok until deep golden brown. Remove from the wok. Drain on paper towels and keep warm.
  • Wipe the wok or skillet clean with a paper towel. Return the wok to high heat and cook cabbage until just wilted.
  • Place the cooked cabbage on the bottom of a large soup pot or casserole dish. Add the meatballs and broth. Cover and simmer until meatballs are cooked through, about 6 to 7 minutes. Stir and serve warm.

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