I'm a big fan of recipes that try to replicate restaurant classics, especially when they come out close to or better than the real thing. Last night, I decided to try and recreate the lettuce cups from P.F. Chang's. I had these for the first time with my aunt when they first came out years ago and have loved them ever since! This recipe is a VERY close second, and knowing I made it at home (and knowing exactly what went into it and that fresh, quality ingredients were used) helped me feel better about keeping healthy. Plus, low carb at night helps my stomach look a teeeeeeeensy bit flatter in the morning. ;) The trick to this recipe is the vinegar/soy cocktail poured over the meat at the end. It gives it complex flavor while adding the perfect amount of tang.
Ingredients
1 pound Wagyu beef (or any lean ground beef)
2 teaspoons olive oil
1 large onion, chopped
3 cloves fresh garlic, smashed
1 tablespoon soy sauce, plus one tablespoon reserved
1/4 cup hoisin sauce
3 tablespoons minced pickled ginger
1 and 1/2 tablespoons rice vinegar (I used rice vinegar, but you can use rice wine vinegar too. What's the difference?), plus 2 tablespoons reserved
2 teaspoons Asian chili pepper sauce
2 (8 ounce) cans water chestnuts, drained and chopped
1 bunch scallions, chopped
2 teaspoons Asian (dark) sesame oil
Peanuts, chopped
2 carrots, cut into matchsticks
1 head iceberg lettuce
Directions
In a nonstick skillet, brown the beef (Wagyu beef cooks quickly!). Transfer the beef to a bowl and keep warm while you make the sauce.
In the same pan, add the olive oil and saute the onion until slight;y translucent. When the onions are limp and nearly cooked through, add the garlic and sautee for about 2 minutes, until fragrant.
To the onion and garlic, add soy sauce, hoisin sauce, ginger, rice vinegar, and chili pepper sauce to the onions, and stir to combine. (You can add water here if you want your sauce a bit thinner.)
Stir in water chestnuts, scallions and sesame oil and allow to come to a slow simmer.
Once slightly bubbling, add the browned ground beef and stir to coat. While this is heating through, mix your reserved rice vinegar and soy sauce in a small bowl.
**Most important part!** When everything is combined and heated through, pour the soy/rice vinegar mixture over the meat.
Wash and pat the lettuce dry and then peel the lettuce to reveal little lettuce "cups." Arrange the lettuce cups on the plate, with matchstick carrots and other veggie toppings of your choice on the side. Put the meat in the center of your plate and garnish with chopped peanuts. I serve this dish with additional soy and rice vinegar in a cup on the side, but you can also serve with asian chili sauce, soy sauce, spicy mustard sauce or hoisin sauce. Spoon the meat mixture into a lettuce cup, add your toppings and enjoy!
Adapted from: http://dinnersforayear.blogspot.com/2010/09/crispy-beef-lettuce-wraps.html
