Ground Pork Dumplings in Charred Tomato Broth

Ground pork has enough richness to carry dumplings beautifully if the broth stays sharp. Charring the tomatoes first gives the soup a little smoke and depth, while the dumplings stay tender and full of real pork flavor.

1 pound ground pork
3 tomatoes
3 garlic cloves
1 small onion
1 package dumpling wrappers
2 cups stock
1 egg
1 tablespoon butter
Kosher salt
Black pepper

Char the tomatoes under a broiler or in a dry skillet until blistered on several sides, then chop them roughly.
Mix the ground pork with grated onion, salt, pepper, and the egg until it just comes together.
Fill and pleat the dumplings, pressing out air pockets as you go.
Cook the garlic briefly in butter, add the tomatoes and stock, and simmer the broth for 10 minutes.
Lower the broth to a gentle simmer, cook the dumplings until they float and the filling is firm, then serve right away.

Freeze the dumplings flat on a tray first so they do not stick together in the bag.