Entertaining Appetizer - Pork and Abalone Soup and Crab Asparagus Soup

Pork and Abalone Soup (4 servings American, Chinese 4 servings)

1 (4 ounce) can abalone
3 / 4 cup (4 ounces) lean pork
4 cups chicken broth
2 tablespoons sherry
1 / 4 cup bamboo shoots
2 tablespoons oil
1 / 2 teaspoon salt
2 thin slices fresh ginger root
1 / 8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
4 sprigs parsley

1) abalone Drain and reserve the liquid. Cut the abalone and the pork into 1 1 / 2 inch squares, 1 / 8 inch thick.
2) Combine abalone liquid, chicken broth and sherry. Cut bamboo shoots into 1 / 8 inch thick slices and cut slices into matchstick size strips 1 1 / 2 inches long.
3) Heat chicken broth mixture to boiling point. Heat the oil in a wok or skillet. Add salt. Add ginger root and stir fry for 2 minutes until lightly browned. Discard ginger root.
4) Add the pork and stir fry for 2 minutes or until meat turns white and loses all its pink color. Thurs brown not let the pork. Transfer the pork to the saucepan containing boiling chicken broth.
5) Add abalone and bamboo to the broth. Season with pepper. Cook only to heat through or abalone will toughen. Serve in individual bowls. Float a parsley sprig in each bowl.

Asparagus Crab Soup (6 servings American, Chinese 6 servings)

8 ounces fresh crab meat
1 pound fresh, thin stemmed asparagus
1 tablespoon sherry
1 / 2 tablespoon soy sauce
6 cups chicken broth
1 tablespoon oil
1 scallion, minced
1 tablespoon cornstarch
3 tablespoons water
1 1 / 2 teaspoons chili sauce or
1 / 2 teaspoon Chinese chili paste
1 tablespoon finely chopped
chives

1) Flake the crab meat and remove hard membranes. Cut the top third of asparagus into pieces 1 1 / 2 inches long.
2) asparagus in boiling salted water Parboil for 3 minutes. Bring sherry, soy sauce and chicken broth to boiling point.
3) Drain and rinse asparagus under cold running water. Heat the oil in a wok or skillet. Add scallion and stir fry for 30 seconds.
4) Add crab meat and asparagus and stir fry for 30 seconds. Add crab meat and asparagus to chicken broth.
5) Add chili sauce. Stir in cornstarch dissolved in cold water. Stir 1 minute to thicken broth slightly. Ladle into bowls and garnish with chives.