Instructions: Hoisin sauce adds a pleasing sweetness to these pork and shrimp balls.

Poached in chicken stock, these tasty pork balls are elegant when served in lettuce cups with a dab of hoisin sauce and a sprinkling of green onion and chopped peanuts. The meatballs may be cooked several hours ahead of time and rewarmed in a 300-degree oven.

2 pounds ground pork butt
2 tablespoons finely minced garlic
2 tablespoons minced fresh ginger
1/3 cup hoisin sauce
1/3 cup soy sauce
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1/4 cup sweet rice wine (mirin)

1/4 cup minced water chestnuts
1/4 cup minced shrimp
1 egg white
Approximately 2 cups chicken stock or broth Lettuce leaves, hoisin sauce, chopped green onions and chopped peanuts, for garnish

Combine pork, garlic, ginger, hoisin sauce, soy sauce, sugar, rice wine, water chestnuts, shrimp and egg white. Mix well, cover and refrigerate overnight.

Form pork mixture into 24 small balls. Bring chicken stock just to a simmer

In a large saucepan and add pork balls. Stock should just barely cover pork balls; add more stock during cooking if necessary. Pan should not be crowded; cook pork balls in two batches if necessary. Simmer, covered, for 15 to 20 minutes. Serve hot. Additional information and recipes are available in the newly revised "Cooking A to Z: The Complete Culinary Reference

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