chicken in butter lettuce cups
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This is a great summer weekday meal from the Damn Delicious paper cookbook. I also highly recommend perusing the Damn Delicious website. This is a great, easy, flexible kind of recipe.
In other words, perfect for feeding the ohana. |
Filling
1 package of ground chicken, turkey or pork 1 onion, finely chopped 1 small can of waterchestnuts, also finely chopped 1 bag of bean sprouts A few stalks of green onion, finely chopped A few handfuls of shredded carrots (optional) 1 head of butter lettuce A bit of white pepper |
Sauce
A drizzle of olive oil 2-3 cloves of garlic, finely chopped 1/4 cup of hoisin sauce 2T shoyu 1T Japanese vinegar 1T freshly grated ginger* At least two squirts of Sriracha, or a spoonful of sambal oelek Finishing Stuff Honey roasted peanuts, also for garnish |
Prep the bean sprouts by boiling a pot of water. Use a 6-quart pot if you have it, a pasta pot or the dutch oven will be too but, but will work in a bind. When the water boils, drop in the bean sprouts and blanch for about 45 seconds. Drain and toss with a bit of white pepper to taste, and set aside to cool.
Time to cook the filling. Drizzle the olive oil into a wok or frying pan. Cook your preferred ground meat, smooshing it around to make sure that it breaks up properly. You want to have truly small bits of ground meat. Add all the other sauce ingredients, plus the chopped onion. When the onion is cooked, add the green onions, waterchestnuts, and carrots if you have them. Cook until well mixed and the vegetables are just tender. It's quick.
Spoon the filing into the lettuce cups and top with beansprouts and honey roasted peanuts.
Time to cook the filling. Drizzle the olive oil into a wok or frying pan. Cook your preferred ground meat, smooshing it around to make sure that it breaks up properly. You want to have truly small bits of ground meat. Add all the other sauce ingredients, plus the chopped onion. When the onion is cooked, add the green onions, waterchestnuts, and carrots if you have them. Cook until well mixed and the vegetables are just tender. It's quick.
Spoon the filing into the lettuce cups and top with beansprouts and honey roasted peanuts.
Notes:
*1. The original recipe uses 1T of fresh ginger. This makes for a very strong ginger flavor. Because I don't like ginger, this can be omitted.
2. For additional flavor, you can also use Korean-style bean sprouts
3. Also added the honey-roasted peanuts to for additional bite, and salt/sweet balance. Butter lettuce is soft and sweet, and I wanted to add something crunchier than the waterchestnuts and cooked vegetables.
*1. The original recipe uses 1T of fresh ginger. This makes for a very strong ginger flavor. Because I don't like ginger, this can be omitted.
2. For additional flavor, you can also use Korean-style bean sprouts
3. Also added the honey-roasted peanuts to for additional bite, and salt/sweet balance. Butter lettuce is soft and sweet, and I wanted to add something crunchier than the waterchestnuts and cooked vegetables.