Tailgate Recipe #6: Lettuce Wraps and Fortune Cookies

Not everything you bring to your tailgate party has to be dip and chips or pigs in a blanket. There is nothing wrong with those dishes. In fact, they are mandatory snacks that every party needs. But, with a few chafing dishes or pretty platters you can take your tailgate to another level.

Don’t be scared with this recipe. But, if it’s a little more than you’d like to bring to a tailgate party, it’s totally an anytime dish.

I am featuring Lettuce Wraps and Fortune Cookies.

HISTORY LESSON: Although both lettuce wraps and fortune cookies are most commonly seen on the menus at Chinese restaurant, they are actually traditions that were started in America. Fortune cookies are completely absent in China.

Both are so delicious. I don’t mind that they are made up traditions for American Chinese restaurants.

FORTUNE COOKIES

I started with the fortune cookies. This can be a little tricky. The dough is pretty sticky when it bakes. This is where a Silpat is definitely handy. But if you don’t have a Silpat, you can line your baking pan with parchment paper that has been sprayed with non-stick spray.

Begin by mixing your dough. After this is ready, drop the dough on your baking pan with a tablespoon. Use the back of the spoon to spread out the dough until it's about four inches.

I would recommend that you only do two at a time. You have to work so quickly to shape them while they are hot, doing any more may allow too much cooling time before you’re able to get to additional cookies. They only bake for 7-8 minutes, so it’s not really too time consuming.

After they bake, flip immediately.

Drop in your fortune.

I dropped in cute fortunes relating to the Razorback vs. Auburn game this weekend. You can include whatever themed fortunes depending on when you serve these.

Click on pic to read some of the fortunes.

Fold the cookie in half and pinch the top to seal. Since you are working with such piping hot cookies, it best if you wear latex gloves while you’re molding the cookies. I used the bottom of a spoon to seal them.

Next, bend the cookie over a small dish, like a ramekin, for about 20 seconds.

After that, I placed the two cookies inside the ramekin to continue to shape while the next two cookies baked.

Repeat this process until all dough is used.

IMPORTANT: After each baking process, wipe down your pan with a paper towel. Otherwise, the backs of the cookies will get the remains from previous cookies on them. You want the cookies to be pretty and smooth.

I am serving these fortune cookies in Razorback red Chinese take-out boxes. Too cute.

LETTUCE WRAPS

Woo, now that the cookies are complete we can move on to the lettuce wraps.

These are super easy. After you rinse your lettuce leaves pat dry and set aside.

Brown your meat and/or veggies of choice. You can use lamb, pork, ground beef, or a mixture of veggies. Add in the chopped onion until cooked.

Add in the sauces, stir, stir, stir and voilà! The meal is complete. Let this cool just a bit and pile up on the lettuce leaves.

I am serving this at our tailgate party this weekend. I plan to put the vegetable/meat mixture in a chafing dish with the lettuce leaves placed to the side.

Here’s to a winning weekend!

Cheers,

Christi

FORTUNE COOKIES

Ingredients:

2 egg whites
1/2 cup flour (sifted)
1/2 cup sugar
2 tablespoons water
1 tsp almond extract
1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
Makes about 12 fortune cookies

Directions:

Heat oven to 400F degrees.
1) Place egg whites in a bowl and beat with electric mixer on medium speed until very frothy, almost soft peaks.
2) Add sifted flour,
3) Add sugar, almond, and vanilla then mix.
4) Stir in 2 tablespoons of water to thin batter.
5) Drop dough onto a Silpat baking mat or parchment paper that has been sprayed with non-stick spray.


*After all cookies have set, place them in muffin tins and place back into an oven at 250 degrees. Remove after 15-20 minutes. This will allow any moisture to release so the cookies are crunchy.

LETTUCE WRAPS:

Ingredients:

Green leaf lettuce or butter lettuce leaves

1 pound lean ground beef

1 tablespoon cooking oil

1 large onion, chopped

2 cloves fresh garlic, minced

1 tablespoon soy sauce

1/4 cup hoisin sauce

2 teaspoons minced pickled ginger

1 tablespoon rice wine vinegar

Asian chile pepper sauce (optional)

1 (8 ounce) can water chestnuts, drained and finely chopped

1 bunch green onions, chopped

2 teaspoons Asian (dark) sesame oil

Directions:

Rinse whole lettuce leaves and pat dry, being careful not tear them. Set aside.

In a medium skillet over high heat, brown the ground beef in 1 tablespoon of oil, stirring often and reducing the heat to medium, if necessary. Drain, and set aside to cool. Cook the onion in the same pan, stirring frequently. Add the garlic, soy sauce, hoisin sauce, ginger, vinegar, and chile pepper sauce to the onions, and stir. Stir in chopped water chestnuts, green onions, sesame oil, and cooked beef; continue cooking until the onions just begin to wilt, about 2 minutes.

Arrange lettuce leaves around the outer edge of a large serving platter, and pile meat mixture in the center. To serve, allow each person to spoon a portion of the meat into a lettuce leaf. Wrap the lettuce around the meat like a burrito, and enjoy!