I don't make this very often, but it's so fresh-tasting -- especially when the weather's warm -- that I really should make it more.
Leftover turkey was in the fridge (but not enough for turkey burgers); I wanted to finish up a jar of peanuts so I could use the jar for something else; and I had a head of butter lettuce from a recent shopping trip. Voila -- turkey lettuce cups.
Shredded cabbage, grated carrots, some pickled ginger and a bit of parsley (wish it had been cilantro) filled out the mixture. I seasoned it with lime juice, soy sauce and a splash of fish sauce. ( I recommend that you buy a small bottle of fish sauce instead of the large, economical size, because a little goes a long way!) I think you could also put in a few garbanzo beans, or make it vegetarian by just using whole and smashed garbanzos.
The trickiest part for me is making sure that the lettuce leaves dry out completely after I wash them--patting again and again with a paper towel does the trick.
And the second trickiest part is eating -- best to use only the largest leaves from the head and to fold the cups burrito-style by folding the bottom up and then wrap the leaves around. They are on the messy side if you're not careful, but it's a small price to pay for the treat.
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