Pears? Wrap ’em up
I know what you’re thinking: “Pears in a savoury recipe? I don’t know, Ricardo!”
But I promise, one taste of these fresh, fragrant lettuce wraps and you’ll be a convert.
The key is to use crunchy, juicy, seasonal pears: They pair beautifully and taste even sweeter with the spiced Vietnamese-style beef.
Get the kids involved with the marinade: It’ll be a great lesson in blending flavours! A base of soy sauce, lime juice and hazelnut oil gets a kick from sambal oelek (a spicy Asian chili sauce) and a sweet, caramelized note from brown sugar.
As the beef marinates, you can get your sous-chefs to slice the fruit thinly, roast the hazelnuts, chop the green onions and carefully wash and dry the greens, taking care not to damage the tender leaves.
Give the beef a quick flash in the pan, and then it’s assembly time: The kids can fill each individual lettuce cup with a saucy slice of tenderloin, a crisp spear of pear, fresh-roasted nuts and a sprinkle of green onion. You’ll see: this recipe is a fun, delectable way to add a wow factor to your next backyard feast.
Beef and Pear Lettuce Wraps
1/4 cup (60 mL) soy sauce
3 tbsp (45 mL) water
3 tbsp (45 mL) lime juice
2 tbsp brown sugar
2 tbsp (30 mL) hazelnut oil
2 tsp (10 mL) sambal oelek (or to taste)
2 cloves garlic, chopped
1 lb (454 g) beef tenderloin or flank steak
2 tbsp (30 mL) olive oil
12 leaves Boston lettuce
1 pear, halved, cored and thinly sliced
2 tbsp. blanched hazelnuts, toasted and coarsely chopped
1 green onion, chopped Salt and pepper
In a bowl, combine the soy sauce, water, lime juice, brown sugar, ha- zelnut oil, sambal oelek and garlic. Reserve 1/2 cup (125 mL) of the mixture for serving.
On a work surface, cut the beef in half, horizontally. Thinly slice both pieces, cutting against the grain of the meat.
In a bowl, combine the beef with the remaining marinade. Cover and refrigerate for 1 hour.
Drain the meat and reserve the marinade.
In a skillet over high heat, quickly brown the beef, a small quantity at a time, in the olive oil. Lightly season with salt and pepper. Transfer to a plate.
In the same skillet, bring the reserved marinade to a boil (make sure to boil it thoroughly, since it has been in contact with raw meat). Remove from the heat. Pour onto the cooked meat and combine.
Arrange the lettuce leaves on a large serving platter. Top each leaf with slices of beef and pear, then sprinkle with hazelnuts and green onion. Serve with the reserved sauce and steamed rice, if desired.