MUSHROOMS IN LETTUCE WRAPS

By

THIS delicate dish of finely
diced mushrooms and vegetables served in lettuce cups is an adaptation
of a Cantonese banquet dish: minced
squab, an expensive and very small
bird, served in lettuce.
At home, a cook might make a
thriftier but nevertheless
tasty version, using chicken.
This recipe substitutes
Chinese or Japanese mushrooms
— dried ones, reconstitut-
Louie
ed — and firm tofu, for the meat.
The mushrooms have a texture
similar to meat, and the tofu is a
small donation of protein.
It is a hand-held dish.
Take lettuce with
leaves that are
round and cuplike,
like bibb, Boston or
iceberg, dab on a
bit of hoisin sauce
sparingly so as not
to overwhelm the flavors,
and then top with
spoonfuls of the diced
mushrooms and vegetables.
Wrap and eat.

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  • 4

Ingredients

  • For the sauce:
  • 2 tablespoons soy sauce
  • 1 tablespoon red wine
  • vinegar or other vinegar
  • 1 tablespoon red wine or dry
  • sherry
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons sugar r1 teaspoon freshly ground
  • black pepper
  • 1 teaspoon cornstarch
  • For the filling:
  • 16 medium to large Chinese
  • or Japanese dried
  • mushrooms, about 2
  • inches in diameter, soaked
  • in warm water until
  • softened, about 45
  • minutes
  • 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
  • 4 celery stalks, strings
  • removed with a vegetable
  • peeler, finely diced (to
  • make 1 cup)
  • 3 carrots, peeled and finely
  • diced (to make 1 cup)
  • 4 scallions, white and green
  • parts, trimmed and
  • minced (to make 3/4 cup)
  • 2 ounces firm tofu, finely
  • diced
  • 1 teaspoon dark sesame oil
  • 2 to 3 tablespoons lightly
  • toasted pine nuts

Preparation

Step 1

To serve:
8 to 12 whole bibb, Boston or iceberg lettuce leaves
Hoisin sauce as needed.
1. For the sauce: In a small bowl,
whisk together the soy sauce,
vinegar, wine, sugar and pepper.
In another small bowl, stir together
the cornstarch with 1 tablespoon
water. Set bowls aside.
2. For the filling: Drain mushrooms,
trim tough stalks and finely dice
mushrooms; there should be about
1 1/2 cups. Place a large wok over
high heat and add oil. When oil is
hot, add mushrooms, celery,
carrots and scallions. Stir-fry until
celery and carrots are crisp-tender,
about 45 seconds. Add soy sauce
mixture and stir for 20 seconds.
Add cornstarch mixture and stir
until thickened, about 30 seconds.
3. Add tofu and toss gently. being
careful not to break up tofu. Add
sesame oil and toss again.
Transfer to a serving bowl and
sprinkle with pine nuts.
4. To serve, place bowl of
mushroom filling alongside a
platter of lettuce leaves and a
small bowl of hoisin sauce. Spread
about 1/4 teaspoon hoisin sauce in
center of each lettuce leaf and add
2 tablespoons of mushroom
mixture. Roll up leaf and eat with
your fingers.

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