My garden is looking pretty good so far, the first thing we harvested besides the strawberries I wrote about recently were some radishes. I shared them with my Dad and he loved them, saying they were the spiciest ones he’s ever had. The ones I ate were cut up super small for my salad and I also sliced some really thin and pickled them so I didn’t notice the spice.  I heard you can roast them so that is on my list of things to try. This week we also got our first zucchini and summer squash and so far one cucumber though most all the plants look great except my peppers and eggplant not sure what happened to those guys?  

We planted some bibb lettuce this year; mostly because we have the perfect spot for it in the corner of one of the beds; it doesn’t get enough sunshine for anything else to grow there so I would either leave it empty or plant lettuce. I should have staggered the plants so they all didn’t mature at the same time. You can only eat so much lettuce, or at least we can; 6 plants are a little much even for a family of 4.

The leaves looked perfect for a lettuce wrap; which we all do love but don’t eat very often. Especially at home, which since they are so easy, we totally could have them as part of our dinner rotation. Plus I have an arsenal of Asian spices and oils; probably since my daughter spent 2 years living in Japan. Or maybe because you only use a teaspoon here and a tablespoon there. I also think it is because of the Asian market I like visiting. I love the owner, she is super sweet and very helpful and you can’t beat the prices.

Asian Lettuce Wraps

Bibb or Butter Lettuce
1 lb of lean ground beef
1 Tbs canola oil
1 large onion chopped
¼ cup hoisin sauce
2 cloves of fresh garlic, minced
1 Tbs soy sauce
1 Tbs rice wine vinegar
2 tsp fresh ginger, grated
1 dash of your favorite Asian chili pepper sauce
1 8oz can of water chestnuts, drained and finely chopped
1 bunch green onions, chopped
2 tsp Asian (dark) sesame oil

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

Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat; add the oil and beef cooking until browned. Drain and discard the grease. Transfer beef to a bowl. Cook and stir onion in the same skillet until tender; add in the hoisin sauce, garlic, soy sauce, vinegar, ginger, and chili pepper sauce. Stir to combine and add the water chestnuts, green onions, sesame oil, and the cooked beef; cook for 2-4 minutes longer.  

Arrange lettuce leaves around the outer edge of a large serving platter and pile the meat mixture in the center of each leaf.

Add a small bowl of the sweet chili sauce for those who want a little more kick