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Fast & Easy Dinner: Grilled Shrimp and Romaine

partysugar — Wed, 20 May 2009 06:50:45 -0700

One of my favorite tapas dishes to have in Spain is grilled lettuce drizzled with olive oil. I was excited when I found this recipe because it takes that concept and turns it into a complete meal by adding grilled shrimp and grated Parmesan cheese.

To make it more authentically Spanish, I'll toss minced garlic in with the oil that's used to coat the shrimp and romaine. Serve with crusty bread for mopping the sauce and a refreshing tinto de verano to drink. Want to come with me on an adventure to the Iberian Peninsula? Get the recipe and read more.

Grilled Shrimp and Romaine
From Better Homes and Gardens

Ingredients

1/4 cup olive oil
1/2 tsp. kosher salt or 1/4 tsp. salt
1 lb. fresh or frozen large shrimp, peeled and deveined
2 hearts of romaine lettuce, halved lengthwise
1/4 cup finely shredded Parmesan cheese
2 lemons
Olive oil
Kosher salt or salt and freshly ground black pepper

Directions

In small bowl whisk together the 1/4 cup olive oil and 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt. Set aside.
On four 10-inch metal skewers, thread shrimp, leaving 1/4-inch space between each shrimp*. Brush oil mixture over cut sides of lettuce and the shrimp.
For a charcoal grill, grill shrimp on the rack of an uncovered grill directly over medium coals for 5 to 8 minutes or until shrimp are opaque, turning once halfway through grilling. Grill lettuce, cut side down, for 2 to 4 minutes or until grill marks develop on the lettuce and lettuce is slightly wilted. (For a gas grill, preheat grill. Reduce heat to medium. Cover and grill shrimp and lettuce as above.)
Place lettuce in serving bowl. Remove shrimp from the skewers. Place in bowl with lettuce and sprinkle with the Parmesan cheese. Squeeze the juice of one of the lemons over the shrimp and lettuce and drizzle with additional olive oil. Sprinkle with additional kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper. Cut the remaining lemon in wedges and serve with the salad.

Serves 4.

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Monday's Leftovers: Five Spice Turkey Lettuce Wraps

YumSugar — Mon, 30 Mar 2009 07:50:04 -0700

Start off the week on the right foot with a wholesome meal that's both healthy and hearty. Chinese-inspired lettuce wraps - made with leftover ground turkey - are sweet, thanks to hoisin sauce, and spicy, courtesy of five-spice powder, which contains cinnamon, cloves, fennel seed, anise, and Szechuan peppercorns.

If you want to get a head start on your meal plans, you can make the filling a day ahead, or make extra to reserve for lunch the next day. To enjoy this well-balanced meal that's full on flavor, read more.

Five Spice Turkey Lettuce Wraps
From Eating Well

Ingredients

1/2 cup water
1/2 cup instant brown rice
2 teaspoons sesame oil
1 pound 93%-lean ground turkey
1 tablespoon minced fresh ginger
1 large red bell pepper, finely diced
1 8-ounce can water chestnuts, rinsed and chopped
1/2 cup reduced-sodium chicken broth
2 tablespoons hoisin sauce (see Note)
1 teaspoon five-spice powder (see Note)
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 heads Boston lettuce, leaves separated
1/2 cup chopped fresh herbs, such as cilantro, basil, mint and/or chives
1 large carrot, shredded

Directions

Bring water to a boil in a small saucepan. Add rice; reduce heat to low, cover and cook for 5 minutes. Remove from the heat.
Meanwhile, heat oil in a large nonstick pan over medium-high heat. Add turkey and ginger; cook, crumbling with a wooden spoon, until the turkey is cooked through, about 6 minutes. Stir in the cooked rice, bell pepper, water chestnuts, broth, hoisin sauce, five-spice powder and salt; cook until heated through, about 1 minute.
To serve, spoon portions of the turkey mixture into lettuce leaves, top with herbs and carrot and roll into wraps.

Serves 4.

Nutritional Information Per Serving: 285 calories, 11g fat, 66 mg cholesterol, 24 g carbohydrates, 26 g protein, 5 g fiber, 543 mg sodium, 390 mg potassium.

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A Tasty Way to Start the (New Year) Day

partysugar — Thu, 01 Jan 2009 07:00:52 -0800

Last week, I woke up (no surprises here) slightly hungover. It seems I had played ~~one~~ three too many rounds of beer pong. As I lay in bed, my head pounding, I suddenly realized I was in the best place in the world to be hungover: my parents' house - where the fridge was always stocked! Sure enough there was bacon, eggs, an assortment of cheese, and bread. It was time to make the ultimate breakfast sandwich - Thomas Keller's cheesy BLT with a fried egg. You may recognize this sandwich from the movie Spanglish. And if you've never made it, treat yourself to one today (especially if you are hungover!).

The combination of crisp bacon, oozing yolk, and melted cheese is scrumptiously sublime. The sandwich features simple ingredients in a magnificent way that is balanced in both taste and texture. Although it's extremely messy to eat, the dish is surprisingly hearty and beyond delicious. To check out this egg-cellent sandwich, read more.

Cheesy BLT With Fried Egg
From Thomas Keller

Ingredients

4 thick slices of bacon
2 slices of Monterey Jack cheese*
2 thick slices of rustic white bread, toasted and hot
1 tablespoon mayonnaise**
4 tomato slices
2 leaves of butter lettuce
1 teaspoon unsalted butter
1 large egg

Directions

In a skillet, cook the bacon over moderate heat, turning, until crisp, about 8 minutes. Transfer to paper towels to drain.
Set the Monterey Jack slices on 1 piece of toast. Spread the mayonnaise on the other slice of toast, then top with the bacon, tomato and lettuce.
In a small, nonstick skillet, melt the butter. Add the egg and fry over moderate heat, turning once, until crisp around the edge, about 4 minutes; the yolk should still be runny.
Slide the egg onto the lettuce; close the sandwich and eat right away.

Makes 1 sandwich.

*We didn't have Monterey Jack on hand, so I substituted another mild, good-melting white cheese, fontina.
**I left out the mayonnaise and didn't miss it. The runny egg provides enough moistness.

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Fast & Easy Dinner: Sesame and Ginger Chicken

partysugar — Wed, 30 Jul 2008 06:45:35 -0700

Store-bought salad dressings are a wonderful ingredient to have on hand. Besides their original purpose, they make a great seasoning for a variety of dishes. In this recipe, an Asian-style sesame and ginger vinaigrette is tossed with chicken chunks and grated carrots. The deliciously textured combination is served inside lettuce cups. Topped with crunchy peanuts and fresh squeezed lime, this meal is so scrumptious no one will know you took help from a bottle! Learn the recipe and read more.

Sesame and Ginger Chicken
From Better Homes and Gardens magazine

Ingredients

1 lb. skinless, boneless chicken breast, cut into bite-size strips
1/4 cup bottled light Asian-style dressing with sesame and ginger
2 cups packaged julienned carrots
1/8 tsp. crushed red pepper
1 head butterhead lettuce, leaves separated
1/4 cup honey-roasted peanuts, chopped
Lime wedges

Directions

Sprinkle chicken lightly with salt and pepper. Lightly coat a large skillet with cooking spray; heat over medium-high heat.
Add chicken; cook and stir for 3 minutes or until browned.
Add 1 tablespoon of the dressing and the carrots to skillet; cook and stir for 2 to 3 minutes more or until carrots are crisp-tender and chicken is no longer pink.
Stir in red pepper.
On a large platter arrange 4 stacks of lettuce leaves. Serve by filling leaves with chicken mixture: Stack lettuce on plates. Top with chicken-carrot mixture. Sprinkle with chopped nuts. Serve with remaining dressing and lime wedges.

Serves 4.

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Simple Tip: Use Radicchio As a Serving Bowl

partysugar — Tue, 15 Apr 2008 16:13:33 -0700

At the Junior Achievement's Wine Tasting and Auction, I was inspired by their servingware. Instead of offering guests olives and marinated cheeses in regular bowls, they were festively placed inside radicchio leaves. The bright purple leaves made the antipasto display pop with color!

This is a great idea for the eco-conscious hostess. No bowls need to be washed and the empty leaves can be placed into the compost bin. Iceberg and romaine lettuce leaves would also work well for serving salsas, olives, cheese, crackers, and more.

Got another edible alternative to a serving bowl? Share your ideas with us below!

Fast & Easy Dinner: BLTs with Avocado and Spicy Mayo

partysugar — Fri, 07 Mar 2008 09:01:33 -0800

I love making a classic sandwich - in this case, the BLT - more exciting. I almost always add avocado to my BLTs and I jazz up the mayonnaise with herbs or spices. For this kicked up BLT, the mayo is mixed with garlic, fresh lime juice, and chili powder. The recipe has you cook the bacon on the stove, but for a mess-free variation, bake it in the oven on a cookie sheet covered with parchment paper for 15 minutes at 375°F. To make this filling and comforting sandwich tonight, get the recipe, read more.

BLTs with Avocado and Spicy Mayo
From Every Day with Rachael Ray magazine

1 large garlic clove, crushed
1/2 teaspoon coarse salt
2 teaspoons chili powder
2 tablespoons fresh lime juice, plus more for sprinkling
1/2 cup light mayonnaise
One 12-ounce package center-cut bacon
8 slices of hearty, white farmhouse bread
1 large or 2 small ripe Hass avocados
2 medium tomatoes, thinly sliced
8 lettuce leaves, torn into pieces
8 dill pickle spears

Chop the crushed garlic with the salt and press it with the side of the knife until mashed.
Scrape the garlic into a small bowl and stir in the chili powder, 2 tablespoons of lime juice and the mayonnaise.
In a large skillet, cook the bacon in 2 batches until crisp. Pour off the fat between each batch. Drain the bacon on paper towels.
While the bacon cooks, toast the bread. Slice the avocado and sprinkle the slices with a few drops of the lime juice.
Spread 1 side of each piece of toast with the spicy mayo. Arrange the avocado slices on 4 of the toasts, pressing them firmly against the mayo. Arrange the bacon, tomatoes and lettuce on the avocado slices. Top the sandwiches with the remaining toast. Cut the sandwiches in half on the diagonal and serve with the dill pickle spears.

Serves 4.

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Chicken Lettuce Wraps Two Ways - Beginner and Expert

partysugar — Tue, 26 Feb 2008 11:01:19 -0800

The other day DearSugar asked me to check out a recipe she was considering making. While the dish - chicken lettuce wraps with Asian flavors - sounded delicious, the recipe was unclear and difficult to follow.

Later that same day, I found myself grubbing on Betelnut's lettuce wraps thinking, I need to find a better recipe! Luckily, I've found two recipes. They are both straight-forward and delectable. One involves more ingredients, making it a little more complicated. Check out the two and choose which appetizer recipe suits your needs when you read more.

Beginner Chicken Lettuce Wraps
From Joanne Weir

2 tablespoons peanut oil
1 pound ground dark meat chicken
8 scallions, white and green parts, minced
2 teaspoons cornstarch
2/3 cup water chestnuts, chopped
3 tablespoons soy sauce
1 tablespoon grated fresh ginger
1 tablespoon oyster sauce
1 large head butter lettuce, leaves separated

Warm the oil in a skillet or wok over medium-high heat.
Add the chicken, scallions, and cornstarch and cook, stirring constantly, until the chicken is cooked and broken into pieces, 3 to 4 minutes.
Add the water chestnuts, soy sauce, ginger, and oyster sauce and cook for 1 minute. Remove from the heat.
To serve, take 1 lettuce leaf at a time and spoon a heaping tablespoon of the chicken mixture into the center. Wrap the lettuce around the filling. Serve.

Serves 6.

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Expert Chicken Lettuce Wraps
From Dallas News

1 tablespoon hoisin sauce
2 tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon light soy sauce (divided use)
3 tablespoons water
1 tablespoon plus 2 teaspoons dry sherry (divided use)
1 tablespoon cornstarch (divided use)
1 teaspoon sesame oil
1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1 pound boneless skinless chicken breasts cut into ¼ -inch cubes
1/8 teaspoon pepper
2 tablespoons vegetable oil (divided use)
1 (8-ounce) can sliced water chestnuts, drained and chopped
2 stalks celery, chopped
1 cup chopped mushrooms
1 teaspoon grated fresh ginger
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 green onion, chopped
6 to 8 large leaves Boston leaf or iceberg lettuce

For cooking sauce: blend together hoisin sauce, 2 tablespoons soy sauce, water, 1 tablespoon sherry, 2 teaspoons cornstarch, sesame oil and red pepper flakes. Set aside.
For chicken and vegetables: combine chicken, 2 teaspoons sherry, 1 teaspoon soy sauce, 1 teaspoon cornstarch and pepper in a bowl; set aside.
Be sure the rest of the ingredients are chopped and measured.
Heat 1 tablespoon oil in large, nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add chicken and cook, stirring frequently, until fully cooked. Remove chicken from skillet, drain and set aside.
Add remaining 1 tablespoon oil to skillet and add chopped water chestnuts, celery and mushrooms. Cook, stirring frequently, 2 minutes.
Return chicken to skillet. Stir in ginger and garlic. Stir cooking sauce ingredients again, then pour over chicken and vegetables. Cook, stirring constantly, 1 to 2 minutes or until sauce is thickened and chicken and vegetables are evenly coated. Remove from heat. Stir in green onion.
Divide mixture among lettuce leaves and roll each like a burrito.

Makes 6 to 8 appetizer servings.

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Fast & Easy Dinner: Avocado and Feta Salad Wraps

partysugar — Tue, 26 Feb 2008 06:28:31 -0800

With their creamy flesh and delicate color, avocados are an incredibly versatile fruit. Not only are they wonderful in classic Mexican dishes, they also taste delicious when mixed with fresh ingredients like tangy feta cheese and burst-in-your-mouth grape tomatoes. Served on top of a bed of lettuce, and a warmed tortilla, this chunky salad is both flavorful and filling. To take a look at the recipe, read more.

Avocado and Feta Salad Wraps
Modified from Vegetarian Times magazine

1 ripe avocado, seeded and diced
1/2 cup crumbled feta cheese
2 tsp. fresh lime juice
Freshly ground black pepper to taste
1/2 cup sliced scallions
2 Tbs. bacon bits
1/4 cup sunflower seeds, preferably toasted
2 Tbs. fat-free mayonnaise
16 grape tomatoes
1 cup shredded leaf lettuce plus half head for garnish
4 8-inch low-fat plain or flavored flour tortillas

Preheat oven to broil.
Put diced avocado into a mixing bowl, and stir in feta cheese, lime juice and black pepper.
Add scallions, bacon bits, sunflower seeds and mayonnaise, stirring gently to combine. Stir in grape tomatoes and shredded lettuce.
Spray tortillas lightly with nonstick cooking spray, and heat in oven until softened, for about 30 seconds. Remove from oven, and place each tortilla on individual plates.
To serve, line each tortilla with whole lettuce leaf, and mound salad mixture on top.

Serves 4.

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Camping Gone Gourmet Side: Grilled Lettuce

partysugar — Sat, 25 Aug 2007 08:31:58 -0700

The next time you're camping, serve grilled lettuce instead of a predictable side salad. Grilled lettuce makes for an excellent twist on a salad and it's deliciously crisp. Make the blue cheese dressing and bacon crumbles before you leave for the campground and pack both in your cooler with the lettuce. Grill the lettuce like you would any other veggie and pair with sliced tri-tip or barbecued chicken. It's the perfect camping gone gourmet side, so check out the recipe read more

Grilled Lettuce With Blue Cheese Dressing
From Fine Cooking magazine
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For the dressing:
1 cup mayonnaise
1/2 cup sour cream
1/4 cup whole milk; more as needed
6 oz. crumbled blue cheese, such as Roquefort or Danish Blue; more to taste
1-1/2 Tbs. finely grated shallot
1 clove finely grated garlic
1 Tbs. fresh lemon juice
1/2 tsp. kosher salt
1/8 tsp. freshly ground black pepper; more to taste
For the salad:
2 hearts of romaine lettuce, bases trimmed but left intact, halved lengthwise
Extra-virgin olive oil for brushing
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
4 slices smoked bacon, cooked and crumbled (preferably applewood)

Make the dressing: in a medium bowl, stir the mayonnaise, sour cream, milk, blue cheese, shallot, garlic, lemon juice, salt, and pepper. Cover and refrigerate for at least 3 hours to let the flavors develop. Before using, taste and adjust the seasonings if necessary. The dressing will thicken as it sits and may need to be thinned with more milk.
Prepare the salad: once the dressing is chilled, heat a gas grill to medium low or prepare a medium-low charcoal fire. Be sure the grate is hot, too.
Lightly brush olive oil all over the romaine hearts, taking care not to break the leaves. Sprinkle with salt and pepper.
Put the lettuce cut side down on the grate, directly over the heat. Grill until the outer leaves are charred and wilted and the lettuce is warm and just barely tender all the way through to the core, 2 to 5 minutes, depending on the heat of your grill.
Transfer the lettuce to a clean platter and let rest for 5 minutes.
To serve: place half a heart of romaine, cut side up, on each plate, top with about 2 tablespoons of the blue cheese dressing, or more to taste, and sprinkle with the crumbled bacon. Serve immediately.

Serves 4.

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Know Your Greens

partysugar — Thu, 02 Aug 2007 13:28:39 -0700

No salad week would be complete without a glossary of greens. The base and heart of any salad, greens are crisp, healthy, and when properly paired and dressed, absolutely delicious. Never store leafy vegetables in a wet plastic bag because they will rot quickly. Vegetables need moisture and air to survive, so store in the fridge in a loosely wrapped paper towel in an open plastic bag. When kept properly, greens should store for about 3-5 days in the fridge. When purchasing greens look for brightly colored, perky looking leaves and steer clear of any with brown spots, yellowed edges, or limpness. If you are unsure of the difference between radicchio and red leaf lettuce, refer to my greens glossary which you will find when you read more

Mesclun: A salad mixture of small, young salad greens. It can include lettuce, spinach, arugula, frisée, Swiss chard, mustard greens, endive, dandelion, sorrel. The name mesclun comes from Southern French mescla "to mix." It is also commonly known as mixed salad.

Spinach: With deep, dark green leaves, this vegetable is great mixed with other greens, as a salad, or cooked. It has a slightly bitter taste and wilts down to a much smaller quantity when cooked.

Romaine: A type of lettuce that grows in a long narrow head of leaves. Excellent for salads and sandwiches. Caesar salads made this green tremendously popular.

Red Leaf: A leafy green that grows from a stalk with a decorative frilled red edge. Great on sandwiches or in salads, this lettuce also works well as a decorative garnish to plates of cheese, salumi, and vegetables.

Green Leaf: Another leafy green that is used for salads and in sandwiches. These greens provide a crispy texture and mellow taste.

Iceberg: The least favored salad lettuce is a crisp headed green with light colored leaves that are densely packed. Best served as a wedge with bacon bits and a decadent drizzle of blue cheese dressing.

Arugula: Dark green leaves with a tangy, peppery flavor. Also called rocket, this green belongs to the mustard family, can be used in salads, rice and pasta dishes, and as a topping on pizza.

Bibb: A buttery lettuce with a tapered head and light green leaves. Makes a scrumptious salad.

Radicchio: A bitter green from the chicory family. The leaves have a vibrant burgundy-red color with white ribs. Used in salads and tastes great grilled or roasted.

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