A step beyond frozen potstickers - includes recipe

Sunset, June, 1997 by Christine Weber Hale

My husband and I are warehouse-store junkies. We love wandering the huge aisles in search of bargains - especially food. More than once, when carried away by a good deal, we've found ourselves stuck with a 20-pound bag of the weekly special, and just two of us to eat it. But when the product can be doled out as needed, our inventive spirit is challenged.

One item we depend on for quick dinners and snacks is frozen potstickers. A 3 1/2-pound bag is enough for at least three suppers. But by the end of the second meal, plain potstickers grow a trifle tedious - and there are more still in the bag. How could we make the remainder more interesting?

While judging a salad contest last summer, I came across a refreshing solution. Casa Garden Restaurant in Sacramento presented these Asian dumplings, pan-browned, as a salad. Hot potstickers and roasted peppers, served on a bed of lettuce, are seasoned with a pungent hoisin-ginger dressing. The dish takes minutes to prepare, is perfect as a whole-meal lunch or dinner, and is now the reason we're buying more potstickers.

Potsticker and Roasted Pepper Salad

Prep and cook time: About 30 minutes

Makes: 4 servings

1 pound frozen potstickers (any filling)

2 tablespoons salad oil

1 jar (7 1/4 oz.) peeled roasted red peppers, drained

1/4 cup hoisin sauce

1/4 cup lemon juice

1 tablespoon Asian (toasted) sesame oil

2 teaspoons sugar

1 teaspoon minced fresh ginger

1 clove garlic, minced

8 cups (about 9 oz.) tender salad mix, rinsed and crisped

1. In a 10- to 12-inch frying pan, arrange frozen potstickers in a single layer. Add 2/3 cup water and salad oil. Cover and bring to a boil over high heat, then reduce heat and simmer until liquid cooks away and potstickers begin to brown, 12 to 17 minutes. (Or cook as package directs.)

2. Cut red peppers into thin strips.

3. In a large bowl, mix hoisin, lemon juice, toasted sesame oil, sugar, ginger, and garlic.

4. Add salad mix to bowl and mix with dressing.

5. Spoon salad onto dinner plates and top with equal portions of red peppers and hot potstickers.

Per serving: 377 cal., 45% (171 cal.) from fat; 10 g protein; 19 g fat (3.8 g sat.); 44 g carbo (2.3 g fiber); 981 mg sodium; 32 mg chol.

MORE SPEEDY IDEAS FOR FROZEN POTSTICKERS

* For soup, drop frozen potstickers into boiling broth seasoned with minced fresh ginger, sliced green onions, and chopped fresh cilantro.

* For an appetizer, cook potstickers as directed in salad recipe. Serve with this dipping sauce: 1/2 cup reduced-fat mayonnaise mixed with 3 tablespoons mirin or dry sherry and 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard.

* For a cold salad, cook potstickers as directed in salad recipe. Immerse in cold water to chill quickly; when cold, drain and mix with 1 thawed package (10 oz.) frozen petite peas, 1/4 cup seasoned rice vinegar, 2 tablespoons grated lemon peel, 1 tablespoon salad oil, 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg, and salt and pepper to taste.

What's for dinner?

Potsticker and Roasted Pepper Salad Crusty French Rolls Watermelon Wedges and Sugar Cookies Iced Tea with Lime