I am in love with lettuce. Salads can bore me to death but eating fresh lettuce wraps takes me to a place of nirvana. They are simple to make and most of the ingredients are probably in your refrigerator. The varieties of lettuce in local markets have become quite impressive. Even in my tiny Delta town of Indianola there is always a beautiful array of romaine, hydroponic butter leaf, baby kale, and even the lowly, crisp head of iceberg. All of these work well to hold tender, shredded chicken, grilled flank steak, or seared tuna. The beauty lies in the fresh herbs and thinly sliced vegetables tossed on top with a spicy or salty and sweet sauce.
Lettuce wraps make a beautiful presentation as an appetizer or entrée served family style where everyone can choose their favorite ingredients and even concoct their own dipping sauce. Enjoy my favorite sauces, but know that they can be altered to suit your own taste by adding more red pepper, different herbs, or honey. It is worth a trip to your local oriental market for a bottle of Kewpie Japanese mayonnaise and exotic fruit. I am not sure what makes Kewpie mayonnaise so unique combined with Srirachi Hot Chili Sauce, but it is quite addictive and is now my favorite condiment in my refrigerator and sits right next to the Comeback Sauce.
Lettuce wraps are delicious eye candy if you want to eat something fresh, healthy, virtually fat-free, and guiltless. Happy wrapping y’all.
PULLED PORK CABBAGE WRAPS
1 green cabbage, large leaves removed
1 red cabbage, large leaves removed
Salt to taste
1 pound shredded pulled pork (without sauce)
2 tablespoons sesame oil
¼ cup soy sauce
½ cup hoisin sauce
2 small red sweet peppers, chopped
2 small orange sweet peppers, chopped
3 green onions, chopped
1 green onion, curled
1 cup Asian Dipping Sauce
1 cup Sriracha Mayonnaise
For garnish: Alfalfa sprouts
Remove smaller leaves from both of cabbages. Fill a large pot with a steamer insert (or set a colander in pot) with several inches of water. Season water with salt and bring to a boil. Place cabbage leaves in insert or colander and steam for 3 to 4 minutes or until leaves are tender. Remove leaves from pot, and lay on paper towels. In a bowl, place shredded pulled pork, sesame oil, soy sauce, and hoisin sauce. Gently mix until pork is evenly coated with sauces. When ready to serve, place cabbage leaves on a serving platter. Fill each leaf with pork and sprinkle with chopped sweet peppers and green onions. Drizzle each leaf with Asian Dipping Sauce and a small dollop of Sriracha Mayonnaise. If desired, scatter alfalfa sprouts over all. Serve with remaining Asian Dipping Sauce and Sriracha Mayonnaise on side.
Yield: 6-8 servings
SRIRACHA MAYONNAISE
¼ cup Sriracha Hot Chile Sauce
1 cup Kewpie Mayonnaise (available at Oriental food markets) or mayonnaise
Mix Sriracha sauce with mayonnaise until combined. Cover and refrigerate until ready to serve.
Yield: 1 cup
ASIAN DIPPING SAUCE
¾ cup soy sauce
¾ cup rice wine vinegar
Juice and zest of 2 limes
2 tablespoons toasted sesame oil
¼ cup each: chopped fresh cilantro, mint, and basil
2 tablespoons honey
¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
For garnish: fresh chopped cilantro
Mix all ingredients until blended. Check seasonings and adjust for sweetness and heat. Refrigerate sauce until ready to serve.
Yield: about 2 cups
BROILED CATFISH, ORIENTAL SLAW, AND DRAGON FRUIT LETTUCE WRAPS
3 to 4 Simmons catfish filets
2 tablespoons toasted sesame oil
1 teaspoon lemon pepper seasoning
¼ cup soy sauce
Salt and black pepper to taste
2 cups chopped cabbage
2 each, red yellow and orange small sweet peppers, thinly sliced
½ red onion, thinly sliced
1 tablespoon dill weed
½ cup fresh dill, chopped
½ cup mayonnaise
½ cup rice wine vinegar
¼ cup sugar
1 dragon fruit
4 red or green endive heads, leaves separated and ends removed
For garnish: fresh dill
Place catfish filets in a glass baking dish. Drizzle toasted sesame oil, lemon pepper seasoning, and soy sauce over filets, turning to coat both sides. Season with salt and pepper. Set aside. In a medium bowl, combine cabbage, sweet peppers, red onion, dill seed, chopped fresh dill, mayonnaise, rice wine vinegar, and sugar. Stir mixture well. Season with salt and pepper. Cover bowl and place in refrigerator for at least 1 hour. Meanwhile, heat broiler to medium-high heat. Place catfish filets on a baking sheet and cook for 3 to 4 minutes per side or until fillets are cooked through. Remove fish from oven and transfer to a cutting board. When cool enough to handle, gently tear fish into small pieces. Cut dragon fruit in half. Slice one half of fruit into thin slices to use as garnish. Remove skin from other half and gently chop into small pieces. When ready to serve, place endive leaves on a serving platter. Place a tablespoon of slaw in center of each leaf. Divide broiled catfish between leaves and top with chopped dragon fruit. Sprinkle chopped fresh dill over all, and drizzle Asian Dipping Sauce over each filled endive leaf. Serve immediately with additional Asian Dipping Sauce.
Yield: 4-6 servings
ROASTED CHICKEN AND CASHEW LETTUCE WRAPS
2 roasted chicken breasts, with ribs or rotisserie chicken
1 head iceberg lettuce, leaves separated and ends removed
½ cup roasted cashews, chopped
2 to 3 fresh radishes, thinly sliced
1 cup Asian Dipping Sauce
Remove chicken from bones and slice thinly. On a serving platter, place lettuce leaves in a circular fashion and divide sliced chicken breast meat between leaves. Sprinkle chopped cashews and sliced radishes over all. Serve with Asian Dipping Sauce.
Yield: 4-6 servings
SEARED AHI TUNA WRAPS WITH BABY KALE AND LIME
1 (6- to 8-ounce) fresh Ahi tuna steak
Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
1 teaspoon grated fresh ginger
Juice of 2 limes
2 tablespoons toasted sesame oil
2 tablespoons soy sauce
2 tablespoons brown sugar
¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes
1 bunch baby kale leaves, separated and ends removed
For garnish: lime slices
Season tuna steak with salt and pepper and sprinkle with grated ginger. Pour lime juice, toasted sesame oil, and soy sauce over tuna, turning to coat. Meanwhile, heat grill or grill pan to high heat. Remove tuna from marinade and reserve. Sear tuna quickly on all sides, being careful not to overcook. Remove tuna fish from pan and slice very thinly. Add brown sugar and red pepper flakes to reserved marinade, and whisk until completely combined. Place baby kale leaves on individual plates and top each with a slice of tuna. Drizzle each plate with reserved marinade and garnish with slices of lime.
Yield: 2-4 servings
GRILLED SHRIMP WITH MANGO AND JASMINE RICE
1 pound fresh shrimp, peeled and deveined
Juice and zest of 2 limes
¼ cup olive oil
¼ cup soy sauce
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 teaspoons brown sugar
1 head butter-leaf lettuce, leaves separated
2 cups cooked Jasmine rice
1 mango, peeled and chopped
For garnish:
Whole fresh chives
Curled green onions
Sriracha Hot Chile Sauce
Asian Dipping Sauce
Place shrimp in a glass bowl. Add lime zest and juice, olive oil, soy sauce, salt and pepper. Turn to coat and cover bowl with plastic wrap. Let shrimp marinate for 10-15 minutes. Heat grill pan to medium-high heat. Remove shrimp from marinade. Place shrimp on hot pan and cook for 3-4 minutes. Turn shrimp over and continue cooking until shrimp are cooked through. Transfer shrimp to a platter. To serve, place a lettuce leaf on each plate, add a tablespoon of rice and top with shrimp and chopped mango. Garnish with fresh chives and green onion if desired, and serve with Sriracha and Asian Dipping Sauce.
Yield: 4-6 servings
LETTUCE WRAPS WITH CHILE LIME SKIRT STEAK AND FRESH CORN
1 pound beef skirt steak
Zest and juice of 3 limes
3 cloves fresh garlic, minced
½ cup chopped cilantro, divided
4 scallions, chopped, divided
2 tablespoons olive oil
¼ teaspoon cumin
½ teaspoon smoked paprika
¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes
Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
1 head bib lettuce, leaves separated
3 ears fresh corn, cooked, kernels removed
1 teaspoon toasted sesame seeds
½ cup melted butter mixed with zest
and juice of 1 lime
1 cup Sriracha Mayonnaise
1 cup Asian Dipping Sauce
Place skirt steak on a cutting board, and pierce surface all over with a sharp knife. Place meat in a resealable storage bag. Add lime zest and juice, half of cilantro, half of chopped scallions, olive oil, and seasonings. Turn several times to coat meat. Marinate in refrigerator for 12 hours or more. Heat a grill or grill pan to medium-high heat. Remove steak from marinade and discard marinade. Grill steak quickly on both sides, 2 to 3 minutes per side or until rare to medium-rare. Do not overcook meat. Remove steak from heat and place on a cutting board to rest for 5 minutes. When ready to serve, slice meat thinly on diagonal or against grain. Place slices of steak on lettuce leaves and top with a spoonful of cooked corn, chopped scallions, and remaining cilantro. Sprinkle each leaf with toasted sesame seeds. Drizzle with lime butter and serve with Sriracha Mayonnaise and Asian Dipping Sauce.
Yield: 4-6 servings
