Asian Lettuce Cups with Spicy Ground Turkey Filling

Asian Lettuce Cups with Spicy Ground Turkey Filling

Makes 4-6 servings

Recipe adapted from California Sol Food Casual Cooking from the Junior League of San Diego  (Food photography by Frankie Frankeny)

Ingredients:

• 1-2 Tablespoons peanut oil or vegetable oil 
• 3 Tablespoons minced red onion or shallots
• 2 Tablespoons minced garlic 
• 2 Tablespoons grated ginger root
• 1-1/2 lbs. ground turkey
• 4 Tablespoons soy sauce 
• 1 Tablespoons Sriracha sauce
• 1 teaspoon fish sauce
• 1 cup chopped fresh cilantro
• 1/3 cup chopped peanuts
• 1 large head or 2 small heads Boston Lettuce or butter lettuce, or substitute 1 head iceberg lettuce

Directions:

1. Chop onion and set aside. 
2. Peel ginger root, then grate with the large side of a cheese grater.
3. Chop garlic 
4. Chop cilantro 
5. Heat the oil in a large non-stick frying pan, add onion and saute about 2 minutes
6. Add garlic and ginger root and saute about one minute more
7. Add ground turkey to frying pan and break apart
8. Add soy sauce, chili garlic sauce, and fish sauce. 
9. Cook until the turkey is brown and crumbling apart, and the sauce is slightly reduced, about 5 minutes.
10. Add chopped cilantro and cook 1-2 minutes more
11. Serve filling in lettuce leaves
12. Chop peanuts and put in small bowl to serve on the side

California Sol Food celebrates the sunny climate of San Diego with simple, refreshing recipes that perfectly reflect the casual, surf’s-up lifestyle of America’s Finest City. In addition to 163 triple tested recipes, California Sol Food offers fabulous menus, great cooking tips, and 25 full-page food photographs by Frankie Frankeny, recently named one of The 100 Most Creative People in America by Entertainment Weekly Magazine.  A 2005 West Regional Winner of the Tabasco Community Cookbook Award.

Mediterranean Tapenade

Mediterranean Tapenade

Tapenade is French for capers, and is made of puréed or finely chopped olives, capers, anchovies and olive oil. Tapenade is a popular food in the south of France, where it is generally eaten as an hors d'oeuvre spread on bread. Sometimes it is also used to stuff fillets for a main course.

Also very popular in Italian cuisine, olive-based tapenades with anchovies and/or vinegar  have been found in ancient Roman cookbooks dating back thousands of years. 

Ingredients:

2 medium red onions
1-1/2 cups roasted red tomatoes with juice
8 cloves fresh garlic, finely diced
1 tablespoon dried oregano leaves
2 ounces anchovies, drained
1 cup feta-stuffed green olives, drained
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil

Instructions:

1. Peel red onion, rub with olive oil and roast in a pre-heated 350 degree oven until softened and onions begin to caramelize (about 1-1/2 to 2 hours).
2. Finely dice the roasted red onions in food processor, add roasted tomatoes, garlic, oregano, anchovies, green olives and pepper.  Pulse to combine.
3. Transfer mixture to a mixing bowl and fold in the olive oil.

Use immediately.  May be refrigerated.

Nature's Flu Shot