SPICY BEEF LETTUCE WRAPS WITH OYSTER SAUCE

This recipe from America’s Test Kitchen’s “The Ultimate Meal Prep Cookbook” offers lots of tips for substitutions, as noted in the ingredient list, making it easily adaptable. Serve it with rice, rather than lettuce leaves, if you prefer.

Total time: 20 minutes.

Make ahead: The cooked, seasoned beef can be made up to 1 day in advance before serving.

Storage notes: Leftovers can be refrigerated for up to 3 days, or frozen for up to 1 month.

Where to buy: Oyster sauce can be found at well-stocked grocery stores, Asian markets and online. Gluten-free oyster sauce is also available.

¼ cup water

3 tablespoons oyster sauce (see

NOTE)

2 tablespoons Shaoxing wine or dry

sherry

1 pound 85% lean ground beef 2 medium poblano peppers or 1 large red, yellow or orange bell pepper (about 8 ounces), stemmed, seeded and chopped 5 scallions, thinly sliced 1 tablespoon chile-garlic sauce,

such as sambal oelek 1 tablespoon minced or grated

fresh ginger

1 head Bibb or Boston lettuce (about 8 ounces), leaves separated

Make the sauce: In a small bowl, whisk together the water, oyster sauce and Shaoxing wine or sherry until well combined.

Make the beef: In a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat, cook the beef, breaking it up with a wooden spoon, until no longer pink, about 5 minutes. Use a slotted spoon to transfer the beef to a medium bowl.

Add the bell or poblano pepper and scallions to the fat left in the skillet and cook, stirring, until softened, about 3 minutes. Push the vegetables to the side in the skillet and add chilegarlic sauce and ginger and cook, mashing the mixture into the skillet, until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Stir in the beef and oyster sauce mixture and cook, stirring, until thickened, about 1 minute. Serve with lettuce leaves as wraps for the beef. Makes 2 to 3 servings.

NOTE: Salty, sweet oyster sauce is ideal for this dish, but if you don’t have it, you can use soy sauce, hoisin or fish sauce in its place.

Nutrition information per serving (1 cup of beef), based on 3: calories: 384; total fat: 23 g; saturated fat: 9 g; cholesterol: 104 mg; sodium: 655 mg; carbohydrates: 11 g; dietary fiber: 4 g; sugar: 4 g; protein: 30 g.

This analysis is an estimate based on available ingredients and this preparation. It should not substitute for a dietitian’s or nutritionist’s advice.

Adapted from “The Ultimate Meal Prep Cookbook” (America’s Test Kitchen, 2021).