Pork Mandu
Salted Cabbage, Castelvetrano Olives, Sungold Tomatoes, Pecorino Romano PDO, Chile Oil Vinaigrette, Sesame Seeds
Chef Tae Strain of Burnt Hill Farm | Clarksburg, MD
“Pecorino Romano PDO is such a versatile cheese. Outside of obvious pairings, it always makes me think of miso or other umami-forward Asian condiments. I see this dish as sitting right between Asian and Italian sensibilities. As a Korean American, dumplings are a personal passion, and I wanted to highlight Pecorino Romano PDO in one for its salty, umami, and rich qualities. Many components of the dish draw from classic moments: the cheese for salinity and umami to mirror the soy sauce; the chile oil as a nod to the spicy Calabrian versions often paired with olives in Italy; and the black vinegar and balsamic vinegar as distant relatives in their deep, caramelized acidity. At first, olives and mandu might seem like an odd pairing, but their salinity ties them to both the vinegars and the cheese. We use Pecorino Romano PDO in the filling to tease out its sweetness, and again on top to showcase its sharper, more traditional profile.” — Chef Tae Strain
Adapted by StarChefs | October 2025 | Photo: Cameron Whitman
INGREDIENTS
Chile Oil Vinaigrette:
Chile oil
Black vinegar
Balsamic vinegar
Rice vinegar
Soy sauce
Extra virgin olive oil
Pork Filling:
Yield: 30 dumplings
1½ cups salted cabbage, grated
6 grams kosher salt
1 cup chopped scallions
½ cup chopped cilantro
1 tablespoon chopped ginger
2 cloves garlic, chopped
1 pound ground pork
1½ cup chopped mushrooms, roasted
½ cup mirin
75 grams Pecorino Romano PDO
40 grams melted butter
30 grams tamari
6 grams granulated sugar
2 teaspoons cornstarch
1 teaspoon ground white pepper
To Assemble and Serve:
Yield: 1 serving
3 dumpling wrappers
Kosher salt
Pitted Castelvetrano olives
Sungold tomatoes, halved lengthwise
Kosher salt
Ground black pepper
Pecorino Romano PDO
Toasted sesame seeds
Fresh herbs
Olive oil
METHOD
For the Chile Oil Vinaigrette:
In a mixing bowl, whisk together all ingredients. Transfer to a squeeze bottle and refrigerate.
For the Pork Filling:
In a mixing bowl, combine cabbage and salt. Let sit 20 minutes at room temperature. In a separate mixing bowl, combine scallions, cilantro, ginger, and garlic. Fold in salted cabbage and remaining ingredients until mixture comes together and tacky consistency is achieved. Set aside.
To Assemble and Serve:
Place dumpling wrappers on a clean work surface. Top each with 1 ounce Pork Filling. Fold and seal. Set aside. Bring a pot of salted water to a boil. Add dumplings and cook 4 minutes. Transfer to a paper towel-lined plate and let drain. In a mixing bowl, combine olives and tomatoes. Season with pepper, salt, and desired amount Chile Oil Vinaigrette. Set aside. Transfer dumplings to a sauté pan over medium heat. Sear until dumplings are evenly browned on all sides. Transfer to a shallow serving bowl. Spoon olive-tomato mixture around dumplings. Garnish with Pecorino Romano PDO, sesame seeds, and fresh herbs. Finish with drizzle of olive oil.
