Quick Lettuce Wraps

Thanks to a generous invitation, we enjoyed a long, relaxing weekend in Maine with a great group of friends.  Long days on the beach, plenty of fresh air, and of course lots of seafood!  

Lobster, whether served chilled in a hot dog bun (called a "lobsta roll") or cracked out of a steaming shell, is a classic Mainer meal.  Chowda is another local favorite, which is a delicious combination of cream, potatoes, bacon, and the obvious...clams.  Yum.

Back in Jersey, we were in the mood for some bold flavors, but also something light (lobsta is also served with butta & Mainers also love their blueberry pie).  Cooking Light has a lot of recipes that fit this bill, and are surprisingly tasty despite the reduction in tasty tasty fat. 

We settled on a lettuce wrap recipe that featured tofu, fresh veggies, and a spicy peanut-hoisin sauce.  The watery crunch of the crisp lettuce gives the meal a natural lightness.  

The bold Asian flavors of this dish help you forget about the missing bun bread, tortilla, etc. (or in this case, even the meat).  If you don't like tofu, feel free to swap in finely diced chicken breast.  But give tofu a chance...we're still learning to appreciate it.  One tip is to buy the extra-firm tofu, which improves its texture substantially.

Recipe

Ingredients

Sauce:

1 tsp canola/safflower oil

1 T minced shallot (or sub red onion)

1/3 cup water

2 T peanut butter (preferably the 'natural'/non-Skippy kind)

4 tsp hoisin sauce

Dash crushed red pepper, or more to taste

1 T fresh lime or lemon juice

Filling:

1 (14oz) package extra-firm tofu, drained and crumbled [see note in directions]

1 T. dark sesame oil

6 green onions, thinly sliced in 1" pieces, divided

2/3 cup chopped fresh cilantro, divided

3 T soy sauce

1 tsp grated fresh ginger

1 1/2 tsp agave (or 2 tsp white sugar)

1/2 tsp Sriracha, or more to taste

1 cup carrots, julienned

2 cups rice (served hot)

8 lettuce leaves (select fresh, undamaged lettuce; Bibb, Green Leaf, and Romaine are good options)

Directions

1. Cook the rice.  Wash and dry the lettuce leaves.

2. Spread crumbled tofu in a single layer on several layers of paper towels; cover with additional paper towels. Let stand 20 minutes, pressing down occasionally.

3. To prepare sauce, heat a small saucepan over medium heat. Add canola/safflower oil to pan; swirl to coat. Add shallots/onions, and sauté for 2 minutes. Add 1/3 cup water and peanut butter, hoisin, and red pepper flakes, and stir with a whisk. Bring to a boil; cook 1 minute. Remove from heat; stir in lime/lemon juice.

4. To prepare tofu sauté, heat a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add sesame oil to pan; swirl to coat. Add half of the green onions; sauté 1 minute. Add tofu; sauté for 4 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add 2 tablespoons cilantro, soy sauce, ginger, sugar, and Sriracha; sauté 1 minute. Remove from heat; stir in carrots and remaining green onions.

Serve with rice, peanut-hoisin sauce, cilantro, and lettuce leaves.  Spoon a little rice onto each lettuce leaf, then top with a couple big spoonfuls of the tofu mixture.  Add the peanut-hoisin sauce and sprinkle with cilantro.

Hope you enjoy this delicious dish just as much as we did.

-Jeff

A little more love for/from Maine:

For the original recipe, check out the Cooking Light recipe link.

Time for Thai

Chicken with Basil

Visiting our friend in Los Angeles a couple weeks ago, Rachel & I had the privilege of learning a traditional Thai recipe from our friend's father.  Originally from Thailand, her father, Charlie, loves his country's cuisine, which was apparent throughout his exciting cooking lesson.  The dish was chicken with basil, one of our favorite dishes from one of our favorite cuisines.



My teacher, Charlie, and me

Charlie started the lesson by explaining the importance of high-quality, fresh ingredients.  He showed me the proper fish sauce, soy sauce, and the basil that he bought earlier that day at their local Asian market outside of LA.  The recipe, he explained, was like many Thai dishes...very simple, based only on a few key ingredients, and easy to make.  Of course, like any fast-cooking stir-fry dish, it's important to prep everything before you begin.  Cooking steps are so brief that you won't have time to clean, cut, or prep anything mid-way through.

In this particular recipe, the flavor comes from the garlic, peppers, fish sauce, soy sauce, and basil.  Lots and lots of fresh, delicious, aromatic basil.  Another interesting tip from Charlie was the use of ground chicken rather than chunks of breast or thigh.  This texture allowed for more of the sauce, garlic, and peppers to coat the chicken.



Garlic and peppers in the mortar & pestle


Charlie stressed the importance of the chef actually tasting the dish as it cooked.  A recipe is only a guide, and the chef needs to taste the food to decide if extra fish sauce, soy sauce, sugar, or even peppers should be added.  His/her tastes, or the tastes of the guests, may dictate slightly different levels of these ingredients.  So remember this lesson when making your Asian dishes (or for that matter, any cuisine).

Thailand, for those not familiar with this beautiful country, is located in Southeast Asia, not too far north of the equator.  Burma (or Myanmar) to the west, Laos and Cambodia to the east & north, and Malaysia to the south, Thailand is one of many countries in this region with delicious food.  But for one reason or another, many Thai dishes offer more pronounced flavor than its regional counterparts.  Perhaps this is the reason that its cuisine can now be found in cities throughout the world.  Or maybe the Thai government did a good job marketing it.









Enjoy!  I recommend serving with beer, or a sweet white wine (Riesling, Gewurtztraminer).  While white rice seems to be more traditional, you can also serve with brown rice for a healthier option.  Another nice addition would be a serving of papaya salad or a delicious, spicy Thai soup.




Ingredients:
1 lb. chicken, ground (or finely minced with a knife)
8 cloves garlic, finely diced
3 to 5 bird/Thai chilies, minced
1 cup long bean (or green beans), diced*
1 T. fish sauce, or more to taste
1 T. soy sauce, or more to taste
1/2 tsp. sugar, or more to taste
1 cup packed Thai basil
3 T. vegetable oil

*May substitute Thai eggplant


Directions:
1. Using a mortar & pestle, grind the garlic and peppers into a rough paste (you can also use a food processor, but the mortar & pestle is preferred)
2. Heat a wok to high heat, add the vegetable oil
3. Once hot, toss in the garlic-pepper paste, stirring quickly to coat it in the oil
4. Saute for 30 seconds
5. Add the chicken, stirring well
6. Saute for 3-4 minutes, or until the chicken is cooked through
7. Add the fish sauce and soy sauce, stir
8. Saute for another 2-3 minutes; taste to see if additional soy or fish sauce is needed
9. Add sugar, stir
10. Add beans (or eggplant), stir
11. Saute for 1-2 minutes
12. Add basil, stir
13. Taste again for soy sauce, fish sauce, and sugar.  Also see if you want it spicier, and add more peppers if necessary.
14. Turn off heat, serve with steamed rice