I was hoping to make dumplings for lunch but didn't have any ground pork and no hope of finding any I would want to cook with in Ventura. Then I realized, duh, that I had a pork shoulder in the freezer that I could grind myself. I can't believe I hadn't already been grinding my own pork. It's so easy and there's no doubt that the meat is fresh. The recipe I used was from Nancy Oakes, the chef/owner of Boulevard in San Francisco. What makes her filling different is that she bakes the mushrooms and scallions first. Start by tossing thinly sliced shitake mushrooms, minced scallions (including green tops) with cilantro, minced ginger, soy sauce and oil. Bake in a 350 degree oven for about 5 minutes. Transfer the mushroom mixture to a bowl and cool. Stir in chopped shrimp and ground pork. Season with salt. Lay a few gyoza or wonton wrappers on a work surface. Put a spoonful of filling in the center of each. Moisten the outside edge of the wrapper with a little water and pinch edges of dumplings together to seal. Cook in the bamboo steamer over simmering water for 6 to 7 minutes. 
Serve with a dipping sauce. Today I mixed together soy sauce, Chinese garlic chile sauce, sesame oil and a little hoisin sauce.
Serve with a dipping sauce. Today I mixed together soy sauce, Chinese garlic chile sauce, sesame oil and a little hoisin sauce.
Look at these beautiful oyster mushrooms we found at the Farmer's Market this morning:
I cooked them very simply in a little olive oil, butter, salt and pepper and served them for dinner tonight with a rib eye steak that John bbqd perfectly.
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