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Asian Lettuce Wraps




Source of Recipe


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Recipe Introduction


Lettuce wraps -- the hottest item at our favorite Asian restaurant -- are a snap to make and delicious to boot. Forget special equipment or time-consuming techniques. Lettuce wraps require little more than a nonstick skillet and a few spices. And every time we serve these Thai-inspired treats of assertively seasoned ground beef rolled inside a crisp lettuce leaf, everyone raves.

Most recipes we found for lettuce wraps called for making a separate dipping sauce to drizzle on top. But since the ingredients for the sauce are the exact same ones used to season the meat, we decided to eliminate that extra step and just make sure the beef itself was plenty flavorful. (You will need some Asian spices and condiments for seasoning, but all of them are available alongside the
other Asian foods in a regular supermarket.)


List of Ingredients




1 pound 93-percent-lean ground beef, fresh or frozen
16 Boston, Bibb or butter lettuce leaves
1 can (8 ounces, 5 ounces drained) sliced water chestnuts 1 large onion (for about 1 cup chopped)
2 tablespoons bottled minced garlic
1 tablespoon reduced-sodium soy sauce
1/4 cup hoisin sauce
2 teaspoons bottled fresh ginger (see Cook's notes)
1 tablespoon rice wine vinegar or red wine vinegar
2 teaspoons Asian chili pepper sauce, (see Cook's notes)
1 bunch scallions (for about 3/4 cup sliced)
2 teaspoons Asian (dark) sesame oil

Recipe



If the beef is frozen, run it under warm tap water to remove any packaging. Place the beef on a microwave-safe plate and microwave, uncovered on high, for 2 minutes to begin defrosting.

Meanwhile, rinse the lettuce leaves, making sure to leave them whole, and set them aside to drain in a colander or on paper towels. Drain the water chestnuts, and use a chef's knife to finely chop them. Set aside.

Remove the beef from the microwave and place it over medium heat in a 12-inch nonstick skillet. Cook, turning and stirring to break up the meat. While the meat cooks, peel and coarsely chop the onion, adding it to the skillet as you chop. Continue to cook, stirring frequently, while adding the garlic, soy sauce, hoisin sauce, ginger, vinegar, and chili pepper sauce. Cook until most of the
meat is crumbled and browned.

Add the reserved water chestnuts. Rinse the scallions and trim away the roots. Thinly slice the scallions, using all of the white parts and enough of the tender green tops to make about 3/4 cup. Add them to the skillet. Add the
sesame oil. Stir and cook just until the scallions begin to wilt, about 2 minutes. Remove the skillet from the heat.

Arrange the lettuce leaves around the outer edge of a large serving platter. (If the leaves are not dry, either spin dry in a lettuce spinner or pat them dry with paper towels.) Pour the meat mixture into the middle of the serving platter. To serve, allow each person to spoon some of the meat mixture (about 1/4 cup) into the middle of each lettuce leaf and wrap the leaf around the meat, taco style. (Like tacos, the wraps are eaten out of hand.) Serves 4

Approximate Values Per Serving: 28 calories (35% from fat), 11g fat (4 g saturated), 68mg cholesterol, 26g protein, 20g carbohydrates, 3g dietary fiber, 473mg sodium

Cook's note: Bottled fresh ginger is sometimes called crushed, ground, minced or chopped, depending on the brand. Bottled fresh ginger is available in the produce section of larger supermarkets. Two teaspoons of finely minced fresh ginger can be substituted. Asian chili pepper sauce sometimes contains garlic, and this type will work fine, too. Two teaspoons produces a hint of spiciness,
and feel free to add more or less to taste. Cayenne pepper (1/8 teaspoon) or red pepper flakes (1/2 teaspoon) can be substituted for the pepper sauce.