Lettuce Wraps

While Ree’s in NYC, she and I wanted to share this blast from the past, which just happens to be the first Tasty Recipe she posted. Cool, crisp lettuce wrapped around flavorful meat and veggies make a great summertime appetizer or light meal. Enjoy!

I’m excited about the new Tasty Kitchen Blog! Lots of fun new things planned.
 
Among the shiny new features is a weekly step-by-step of a carefully chosen Tasty Kitchen recipe—one that’s been neither “Featured” nor “Recommended” on the main page. One that might be otherwise overlooked. One that has scrumptious potential.
 
Today’s step-by-step is what looks to be a lovely, straightforward recipe for Lettuce Wraps, submitted by Tasty Kitchen member tfenger. Ahh, Lettuce Wraps—the wonderfully popular (deliciously so) restaurant appetizer item. I’ve loved them for years. Who knew wrapping a meat and veggie mixture in a lettuce leaf could be such a spiritual experience?
 
Here’s how you make them.

 
Here are the ingredients you’ll need. Ground turkey, onion, garlic, fresh ginger, red pepper, water chestnuts, chinese cooking wine (substitutions below), soy sauce, oyster sauce, peanut chili/satay sauce, hoisin sauce, sesame oil, and iceberg lettuce. And peanut oil if you have it.

 
 
 
This is ground turkey, but you can use ground chicken or beef, too.

 
 
 
First thing you need to do is dice up the onion, red bell pepper, and garlic.

 
 
 
Then mince some fresh ginger. I used my handy microplane zester, and it works wonders! (Oh, and I store my ginger in the freezer so I always have it available since my grocery store doesn’t carry it.)

 
 
 
Drain a can of water chestnuts…

 
 
 
And dice them up.

 
 
 
Now, cut the core out of a head of iceberg lettuce, then rinse the lettuce under cold water.

 
 
 
Turn over the lettuce and let it drain on a towel.

 
 
 
Combine the remaining ingredients—excluding the wine and peanut oil—in a bowl. Note that all of these ingredients were found at my little grocery store in town, in the Asian Foods section, which is about a two-foot span of shelf in the middle of the store. They didn’t have oyster sauce, so I just used Teriyaki sauce…and it was fine! (I think you could easily just add a little more of all the other ingredients to make up for the oyster sauce (or other ingredient) if you can’t find it.

 
 
 
Stir it around with a fork until combined. Lots of flavor in here!

 
 
 
Now, heat a skillet over medium heat. When it’s hot, add peanut oil and swirl it around the pan.

 
 
 
Add the onions to the pan and toss them around a bit. Cook them for 4 or 5 minutes, or until translucent.

 
 
 
Add the minced ginger and garlic, and stir it around for a minute or two.

 
 
 
Throw in the ground turkey…

 
 
 
And cook it until it’s all browned.

 
 
 
Add the diced red pepper and water chestnuts…

 
 
 
Stir it around and cook it for a few more minutes…

 
 
 
Then dump in the Chinese cooking wine. I didn’t have this, so I just used regular white wine. Cooking sherry would be okay, too. Stir it around until the wine evaporates just a bit.

 
 
 
Next, pour in the yummy sauce!

 
 
 
I will say that I misread the instructions and initially added the cooking wine to the sauce. It turned out to be just fine; this sauce is very forgiving!

 
 
 
Stir it around to combine, and let it cook for a couple of minutes.

And that’s it!

Now separate the lettuce leaves.

 
 
 
And spoon the warm mixture…

 
 
 
Into the cold leaves. I threw in a little cilantro for extra flavor. Yum!

 
 
 
Then you just roll ‘em up into a tight little wrap, lean over your plate (important) and chow down!

They’re a little messy, but wonderfully so. The flavors are really, really nice and balanced, and you can easily add things like diced cashews, red pepper flakes…whatever floats your boat.

VERDICT: I’ll make these again. They’re perfectly delicious, and can be easily adapted and enhanced with whatever extras—or extra spice—suit your taste. Major yum.

Here’s a link to the recipe:

Lettuce Wraps by tfenger

Thanks, tfenger, for sharing!