Wednesday, December 10, 2014

Pork in Lettuce Wraps

Meals Kids Love

Let's face it, most mom's feel happy anytime they can get their kids to eat some vegetables.  Pork in Lettuce Wraps is one of those sneaky recipes where kids are happy because they get to play with their food and yet mom does stealth veggie stashing.  Everyone wins!



Pork in Lettuce Wraps

1 lb pork chops cut into 1/4" or smaller dice
1 T dark soy sauce
1 T dry sherry
2 t dark sesame oil
4 green onions sliced and chopped
1 medium zucchini cut into 1/4" or smaller dice
1 green bell pepper cut into 1/4" or smaller dice
1 c celery cut into 1/4" or smaller dice
4 cloves garlic minced
2 t ginger minced

1 head of iceberg or other Bibb lettuce (kids seems to love iceberg...go figure?)
3 T coconut oil

sauce:
1/2 c unsweetened canned coconut milk
3 T sherry'
2 T Thai fish sauce
1 T hoisin sauce
1-2 t curry powder  (if the curry powder has heat, use only 1 t)
1 t arrowroot
1/2 c chopped fresh mint
1/4 c chopped fresh basil

At least 1/2 hour before cooking, put the chopped pork in a bowl and stir in the soy sauce, sherry and sesame oil.  When you are ready to cook, make sure all all vegetables are chopped, minced or prepped before you start.  Make the sauce.  Stir the coconut, sherry, fish sauce, hoisin, curry and arrowroot in a bowl. Set the chopped mint and basil aside to use at the last minute.

To cook, heat a wok or large frying pan on high heat.  Add the coconut oil.  When the oil is hot, add the pork mixture and cook stirring for a few minutes until the pork is slightly browned on most sides.  Remove pork from pan and set aside in a bowl.  Add the garlic and ginger and cook stirring for about a minute. Add the zucchini, pepper and celery to the garlic and ginger and continue cooking and stirring until the vegetables are cooked through.  Add the sauce to the mixture and bring it to a boil stirring constantly while sauce thickens.  Add back in the pork and the chopped fresh mint and basil and stir.  Serve immediately. To serve, place a spoonful of mixture onto a lettuce leaf and roll or fold the leaf up like a taco or burrito. Eat with hands.




1 comment: