Recipe: Appetizer: Lettuce Wraps

Once you master the basic technique, you’ll find dozens of ways to whip up fillings. This is a great way to use leftover roasted chicken, boiled shrimp, leftover Chinese takeout and/or rice (warm it up in the microwave with a little water before using!), and extra veggies. And the dipping sauce ingredients will become kitchen staples – ready to stir together in minutes.

If you’ve never had a lettuce wrap at a restaurant, think soft taco or burrito. But instead of the tortilla, you use a lettuce leaf. Any kind of lettuce will work, but we find that butter lettuce is more pliable and won’t tear as easily as crispier varieties like romaine.

Just separate the leaves from butter lettuce heads, arrange on a platter and fill with your choice of goodies. It adds to the visual appeal if you take some care arranging the filling and include long strips of veggies or cilantro. Roll like a burrito (fold one long side over, then fold up the bottom short edge, then continue rolling lengthwise to close). Arrange on a serving platter with dipping sauce and enjoy!

Dipping sauce:
¼ cup sugar
½ cup plus 2 teaspoons water
2 tablespoons soy sauce
2 tablespoons rice wine vinegar
2 tablespoons ketchup
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1/8 teaspoon sesame oil
1 teaspoon hot Chinese mustard (optional)
½ teaspoon garlic and red chile paste (optional)

First dissolve the sugar in water in a small bowl. Then add the other ingredients and stir until well blended.

Some of our favorite fillings:

Gingered pork or chicken:
Brush pork chops or slices of pork tenderloin or chicken tenders that have been lightly pounded with olive oil, sprinkle with kosher salt and freshly grated ginger. Grill or broil for 2-3 minutes on each side. Let cool. Slice thinly. Use in lettuce wraps, along with cilantro sprigs and grated carrots.

Shrimp and ground pork:
Sauté ground pork until cooked through. Season to taste with fresh ginger, soy sauce, rice wine vinegar, a few drops of sesame oil, salt and pepper. Mix with steamed or boiled shrimp that has been roughly chopped (but chopped small enough to be able to wrap!). Stir in a few chopped water chestnuts, some grated carrot, and/or chopped cilantro. Wrap as is, or add boiled and cooled rice stick noodles.

Vegetable and peanut:
Use any combination of julienned or grated carrots, cucumbers, mung bean sprouts, minced scallions, chopped cilantro, chopped mint, crushed peanuts, toasted sesame seeds, fresh lime juice. Arrange vegetables neatly, sprinkle with crushed peanuts and sesame seeds, spritz with lime juice, and wrap!

Crab and scallion:
Mix lump crabmeat with a spritz of lemon juice, a few drops of Tabasco, and salt and pepper to taste. Use in lettuce wraps along with julienned scallions.

Wine Skinny Match: Great with summer weather wines – like Riesling, Sauvignon Blanc, Gewürztraminer, and crisp, dry Rosés!

(Quick Entertaining, august 2003)