Sweet potato Dumplings
Sweetpotato Velouté, Baby Leek, Compressed Celery, Sweetpotato Bread
Chefs Serena Chow Fisher and David Fisher of Marlena | San Francisco
Adapted by StarChefs | november 2022
INGREDIENTS:
Compressed Celery:
Yield: 15 servings
1 stalk celery, fibrous exterior removed
100 grams extra virgin olive oil
Sweetpotato Velouté:
Yield: 20 portions
Extra virgin olive oil
900 grams peeled and diced North Carolina sweetpotatoes
200 grams diced white onion
2 shallots, thinly sliced
4 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
200 grams peeled and diced carrots
2 ribs celery, diced
120 grams crème fraîche
25 grams brown sugar (optional)
Kosher salt
Baby Leeks:
Yield: 20 servings
2 pounds baby leeks
150 grams extra virgin olive oil
Salt
Lemon juice
Sweetpotato Dumplings:
Yield: 20 servings
8 grams kosher salt
800 grams North Carolina sweetpotatoes, washed
350 grams Kennebec potatoes, washed
1 egg
100 grams ricotta
100 grams grated parmesan
100 grams 00 flour, plus more for dusting
Extra virgin olive oil for greasing
Sweetpotato Purée:
North Carolina sweetpotatoes
Salt
Sweetpotato Rolls:
Yield: 25 rolls
280 grams whole milk
1 tablespoon active dry yeast
113 grams butter, tempered and softened, plus melted butter for brushing
336 grams malted bread flour
250 grams spelt flour
1 tablespoon kosher salt
Egg wash
Sea salt flakes
To Assemble and Serve:
Yield: 1 serving
1 ounce butter
5 grams parmesan
Picked thyme
METHOD:
For the Compressed Celery:
In a vacuum bag, combine celery and olive oil. Seal to compress for 30 seconds. Let sit at least 1 hour. Cut into diamonds. Reserve.
For the Sweetpotato Velouté:
In a medium-sized rondeau over medium flame, heat olive oil. Add potatoes, alliums, carrot, and celery. Cook until nearly tender, roughly 5 minutes. Cover with 2 kilograms water. Bring to a gentle simmer, then continue simmering 1 hour and 30 minutes or until the potatoes are very tender and desired flavor has been achieved. Transfer to a Vitamix blender. On high speed, blend until smooth. Pass through a chinois into a mixing bowl. Add crème fraîche and brown sugar as needed for sweetness. Season with salt. Whisk until fully incorporated, tasting and adjusting seasoning as needed. Place over an ice bath to chill.
For the Sweetpotato Dumplings:
Heat oven to 350°F. Cover the surface of a sheet tray with salt. Roll potatoes in salt so they are fully covered. Bake until fork-tender, approximately 35 minutes. Carefully peel the skin. Run the cooked flesh through a food mill. Dump the riced potatoes onto a work surface, then make a well in the center. Crack an egg into the well. Using a fork, beat the egg to homogenize yolk and white. Add cheese to the well. Sprinkle flour over the potatoes. Using a bench scraper, gently cut the mixture into itself. Slowly knead to ensure the dough stays warm and is not overmixed. Cut the dough into 15-gram portions. Roll each portion into a ball, then place on a parchment-lined sheet tray. Cover with 00 flour to prevent the dumplings from sticking. Heat a stock pot of salted water to 195°F. Add the dumplings. When they float to the surface, remove from water and place on a greased sheet tray. Refrigerate.
For the Sweetpotato Purée:
Heat oven to 400°F. Using a fork, poke each sweetpotato 6 to 8 times. Wrap each potato in aluminum foil. Bake until fork-tender, approximately 30 minutes. Let cool slightly, then remove the skin. Transfer the flesh to a food processor. Purée until smooth. Season with salt. Reserve.
For the Sweetpotato Rolls:
In a pot, heat milk to 110°F. Pour into the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a hook attachment. Add sugar and yeast. Using a whisk, stir to combine. Let yeast bloom, approximately 5 minutes. Once the volume has increased, add butter and 113 grams Sweetpotato Purée, followed by flours and kosher salt. On low speed, mix 2 minutes. Increase speed to medium and mix until dough is homogeneous and sides of the bowl are clean. Place the dough in a stainless steel bowl. Cover with plastic. Place in a warm area and proof 1 hour or until doubled in size. Flip onto a clean work surface. Portion into 50-gram balls. Roll each ball until there is no seam, then place on a baking sheet. Loosely cover the balls with plastic. Let proof until doubled in size. Heat oven to 350°F on convection. Brush with egg wash. Bake 15 to 22 minutes, rotating at the halfway point, until bottoms have browned. Brush with melted butter. Season with sea salt flakes. Set aside.
For the Baby Leeks:
Heat the water bath of an immersion circulator to 180°F. In a vacuum bag, combine leeks and olive oil. Seal. Cook sous vide 20 minutes or until leeks have softened. Prepare and heat a charcoal grill. Remove leeks from vacuum bags and place over coals. Grill until charred. Remove from heat, then cut into 5-inch rounds. Place in a mixing bowl and season with salt and lemon. Toss to combine. Set aside.
To Assemble and Serve:
In a small saucepot, heat 4 ounces Sweetpotato Velouté until boiling hot. Meanwhile, bring a small pot of salted water to a boil and place 1 Sweetpotato Roll in a hot oven. Heat until warmed through. Add 2 Sweetpotato Dumplings and boil until they float to the surface. Strain and transfer to a sauté pan over medium heat. Add butter and 2 ounces water. Spoon the butter sauce over the Sweetpotato Dumplings to glaze. Liberally grate parmesan over the top. Place the Sweetpotato Dumplings on the right side of a serving plate, diagonally from each other. Lay 3 rounds Baby Leeks next to the Sweet Potato Dumplings. Garnish with thyme and 5 pieces Compressed Celery. Fill a soup pitcher with the warm Sweetpotato Velouté. Place the warm Sweetpotato Roll on a small, serviette-lined serving plate. Tableside, pour the Sweetpotato Velouté over the Sweetpotato Dumplings.
