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Lettuce In Oyster, Ginger, Garlic & Chili Sauce

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Lettuce In Oyster, Ginger, Garlic & Chili Sauce

Dr. Wendy Dearborne
Deliciousness on a plate. This simple recipe transforms the humble somewhat, underrated iceberg lettuce into a satisfying and flavorful main, plant based, vegetarian, vegan or side dish. It’s easy to prepare and comes together very quickly. In my mind I can pull together the elements needed to create a recipe. The textures, flavors, colors, aroma’s, the taste profile sweet, sour, salty, bitter etc., even what the final product needs to look and smell like. I have a mental blueprint so to speak. However, with this recipe, as simple as it is, I had nothing. Iceberg lettuce! Like really!? How’s that going to work? But it did. Who knew iceberg lettuce, once blanched could be the conductor of flavor and texture and be visually pleasing to the eye. If using this recipe as a main course or entrée, one large iceberg lettuce will serve 2 people.
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Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 10 minutes
Total Time 20 minutes
Course Entree, Main Course, Side Dish, small plate
Cuisine Asian fusion, Chinese
Servings 4 Servings
Calories 95 kcal

Equipment

  • Wok
  • Large pot
  • 1 large bowl
  • Measuring jug warmed
  • Small serving platter
  • Large spider strainer or colander

Ingredients
  

  • 1 large head of iceberg lettuce thoroughly rinsed and torn into large bite size pieces
  • 2-3 large cloves garlic chopped
  • 1 tbsp finely chopped ginger
  • 1 large red chili pepper finely chopped
  • 1/4 cup whites of spring onions chopped reserving the tops for garnish
  • 1 tbsp oyster sauce
  • 1 tbsp light soy sauce or regular soy sauce
  • 1 tbsp shaoxing wine or sherry
  • 1/2 tsp sugar or sweetener of your choice
  • 1/2 tsp white pepper
  • 1 tsp sesame oil
  • 1/2 tsp roasted sesame seeds
  • 1/2 cup vegetable or stock of your choice
  • 2 tsp potato starch
  • 6-8 cups of water + 1 tbsp cold water
  • 1 tbsp + 1 tsp neutral flavored cooking oil
  • 1 tbsp + 2 tsp kosher salt

Instructions
 

Mise En Place

  • Strip the lettuce leaves apart and remove and discard the hard stem. Rinse thoroughly under running cold water. Tear lettuce leaves into extra large pieces and set aside to drain.
  • Mix potato starch with 1 tbsp of cold water to form a slurry and set aside.
  • Gather all your ingredients and put them in one place. Organize them in the order that you are going to be using them.

Setting Water To Boil

  • Put 6-8 cups of water into a pot large enough to submerge the lettuce. While making the sauce bring the water to a rolling boil. When boiling 1 tbsp of kosher salt or 1/2 tbsp of table salt to the water and cooking oil. Stir to incorporate.

Making The Sauce

  • Heat wok over medium high heat. Add 1 tbsp of cooking oil. When the oil is hot, add the garlic, ginger, chilis, and the whites of the spring onions. Sauté until fragrant.
  • Reduce heat to medium low, add oyster sauce, light soy, and shaoxing wine. Cook for 2 minutes on medium low heat. Add sugar, white pepper, stock, mix well and increase heat to high and bring to a boil.
  • Add prepared slurry 1 tsp at a time. Mix well and cook until the sauce has thickened to a gravy like consistency. It needs to thickly coat the back of a spoon. The sauce will be concentrated and may taste a little intense. That is what you are aiming for.
  • Transfer sauce to a warm jug and set aside.

Blanching The Lettuce

  • To blanch the lettuce, add all of it to the boiling water. Stir once or twice to totally submerge allowing the lettuce leaves to slightly wilt and turn vibrant green in color. Approximately 20-30 seconds. DO NOT OVERCOOK. The lettuce must still retain its crispness. Residual heat will continue to cook the lettuce once it has been removed from the pot.
  • Remove the lettuce from the pot with a spider strainer or by placing it into a colander.

Putting It Together

  • Then, immediately arrange the hot lettuce on a serving platter. Pour the warm garlic and chili sauce over it.
  • Drizzle with sesame oil, and sprinkle with roasted sesame seeds. Garnish with the green onion tops and serve. This recipe doesn't reheat well. Do not freeze.

Notes

Lettuce

This recipe can also be made with romaine lettuce. Just follow the same instructions.

Sauce Ingredients

Soy sauces can be replace with brags amino acids, coconut aminos.  Shaoxing wine or sherry with white balsamic vinegar.   I use vegetarian oyster sauce that is made from oyster mushrooms.  You can also use vegetarian stir fry sauce or vegan Worcestershire sauce 

Sauce

By the time you finish making the sauce the water should have reached a boil.
If the sauce is cold, gently heat it in the microwave or put it into a small sauce pan with 1-2 tsp of water and reheat.
Do not overcook the lettuce, that will spoil the eating experience.

Storage

This dish is best served  and eaten immediately, it doesn’t reheat well.   If you do have leftovers, store in a lid with a container in the refrigerator.  Eat within a day at room temperature or cold.    Do not freeze.

Cabbage

This recipe can be made with cabbage.  I suggest the freshest napa, savoy or heart shaped cabbage you can find.   Remove the outer leaves and the stems as the can be tough.  Tear into large bite size pieces.  The blanching process will be longer, blanch for 60-90 seconds. 
 

Nutrition

Serving: 4ServingsCalories: 95kcalCarbohydrates: 11gProtein: 3gFat: 5gSaturated Fat: 0.5gPolyunsaturated Fat: 2gMonounsaturated Fat: 3gTrans Fat: 0.01gSodium: 2276mgPotassium: 358mgFiber: 3gSugar: 5gVitamin A: 1180IUVitamin C: 23mgCalcium: 61mgIron: 1mg
Keyword easy sides, Iceberg lettuce, quick dinner
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