(Adapted from recipes by Hetty McKinnon in her book Family and in The New York Times)
Warm, crisp-tender lettuce in a sweet, gingery sauce; we like to serve it with either the fried rice in this recipe, or with plain steamed rice and a fried egg
For lettuce
1 iceberg lettuce head
1 tablespoon soy sauce or tamari
1 tablespoon hoisin sauce
1 teaspoon sesame oil
salt and pepper
1 tablespoon neutral oil, like grapeseed or sunflower
1-inch piece of ginger, peeled and minced
1 large garlic clove, peeled and minced
For fried rice
2 tablespoons neutral oil, like grapeseed or sunflower
1 small yellow onion, finely chopped
4 cups cooked leftover rice
2 large eggs
2 tablespoons soy sauce or tamari
For topping at the end
4 scallions, finely chopped
toasted sesame seeds
Remove the core of the lettuce by running a paring knife around the core and gently pulling it out. Remove the outer layer of the lettuce and discard. Tear or chop the lettuce into large pieces, then wash the leaves and allow them to drain in a colander.
In a small bowl, whisk together the soy sauce or tamari, hoisin sauce, sesame oil, and a pinch each of salt and pepper. Set sauce aside.
Heat a large skillet or sauté pan or a wok over medium heat, add the oil, along with the ginger and garlic, and cook for 30 seconds. Add the lettuce and stir-fry for about 2 minutes, until it has begun to wilt. Pour the sauce over the lettuce and stir-fry for another minute or so. You want the lettuce to soften a bit but retain some crunch, so take care not to overcook it. Remove the lettuce from the pan and set aside in a large bowl. Once the pan is cool enough to handle, rinse it out and dry it.
For the fried rice, reheat the pan over high heat and add two tablespoons of neutral oil. When the oil is shimmering, add the chopped onion and cook, stirring often, for a minute or two, until it starts to take on a bit of color but is still crisp. Add the rice and cook for about 2 minutes, breaking up any lumps and stirring it into the oil and onion.
Crack the eggs onto the rice and stir to break up the yolks and coat the rice, cooking until set, about 2 minutes. Add the soy sauce or tamari and cook for about 1 minute more, stirring often. Check the seasoning and add more soy sauce or tamari as needed, then turn off the heat.
To serve, scoop the fried rice into individual bowls and top them with stir-fried lettuce. Scatter over scallions and sesame seeds and season as desired with a little salt and pepper.
First Thursday Recipes 