Slap Yo Mama!

My laptop took a little holiday vacay to the repair shop after she crashed right before Christmas. I haven't been able to post a MOST delicious recipe because the pictures were trapped on my disintegrating Dinosaur of a Dell.  In her defense, she has been a loyal friend for many years now, and I don't treat her as kindly as I should.  Besides tossing her around like she is a stack of junk mail, I have also not been very timely (read: since 2009) in updating her virus protection, which caused her to contract a nasty infection, and then have a massive panic attack, blue screens and alarm bells. She's fixed up quite nicely now though, and the repairman even blew all the dust bunnies out of her insides. How nice. She's now humming away like a champ. I am hoping she has a few more good years in her.

Anyway, my friend Darby emailed me a recipe that she has lovingly christened Slap Yo Mama Asian Lettuce Wraps. And I've never really contemplated slapping my mama before, but if there is a meal that just might make me give her a big congratulatory slap on the back, then this is it.

When the mood strikes, I will order the Chicken Lettuce Wraps appetizer from Miyo's as a meal because they are so delicious. This recipe is seriously more delicious than the Miyo's version, and I made it for a fraction of the cost (when you include tax, tip, and a couple of glasses of pinot).  It is also a perfect stay-at-home date-night meal because it's a bit unusual and is incredibly fun to eat!

 

So, here we go... You will need:

3 TBSP Sesame Oil

Large Onion, finely chopped

1 5 oz. can of water chestnuts, finely chopped

1 lb of ground chicken, turkey, or beef (my trusty old mainstay is Jennie-O 99% fat free ground turkey)

1/2 cup of peanut sauce (+ a little more)

1 TBSP hoisin sauce (+ a little more)

1 TBSP soy sauce (+ a little more)

1 TBSP Asian Chili with Garlic Sauce (+ a little more)

4 stalks green onion, finely chopped

1 head of iceberg lettuce, washed
Extra Soy sauce and/or Ponzu for dipping

Heat sesame oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat.

Dump your onion into the pan and saute until cooked through.

Add chopped water chestnuts and saute for 1 minute.

Add ground meat (I chose turkey, obvi) and saute until cooked through.

I combined my hoisin, peanut, and chili sauces in a measuring cup before pouring them in to the pan. I "measured" very liberally though... just eyeball it if you don't feel like measuring.  Then mix well with the meat in the pan...

Now, this is the fun part where you get to taste your creation.  I definitely added more of the sauces, but it's been a few weeks, and I honestly cannot remember which ones. I would just go with whatever strikes you as tasty.

The last step is to stir in your green onion.

 And, WAHLAAA! You are finished!

Serve in lettuce leaves wrapped up like little burritos. I thought David was going to look at me with a face that said "You expect ME, a grown man, to eat my dinner rolled up in lettuce??".  And even if he was thinking that at the time, he was kind enough to humor me and pretend he was excited.

Darby says this recipe should serve 4 people, but they must be 4 not-very-hungry-people because the small portion remaining on the platter after David and I finished could barely pass as "leftovers".  And who says lettuce wraps aren't manly?

I got David to pick up a few vegetable spring rolls from Miyo's on his way home from work to complete the meal.  And we even got a few fortune cookies.... Success is soon mine. All mine.