Blend & Extend Appetizer Contest: Beef and Mushroom Lettuce Wraps with Cucumber/Lime Yogurt and Sriracha Peanuts by Food Inspires
Have you heard about our contest leading into this year’s Food Blogger of Canada Conference? We’re encouraging all FBC Members to create an original appetizer recipe using the Blend & Extend concept. You can read more about the contest details HERE.
1 medium onion, diced
1 cup Cremini mushrooms blended with 1 medium onion in a processor – rough chop
2 tbsp Worcestershire Sauce, Sambal Oelek
2 tbsp chili flakes
Olive oil, salt and pepper – to sauté, and to tasteBrown the beef breaking up the bits that clump together
Drain any fat that comes into the pan, add about 2 tbsp olive oil to the beef and add the diced onion – you only want to soften the onions
Add the Worcestershire sauce, sambal, salt and pepper – taste, season and taste again
In a separate pan (or empty the beef/onion mixture to a bowl), add 1 tbsp olive oil and the mushrooms and onions – you want to remove the extra water from the mushrooms and onions so sauté until they are almost dry – flavor with some salt, pepper and chili flakes – remember, taste, season and taste
Once the liquid from the mushroom and onions has almost dried up, add the beef/onion mixture – stir to combine – That’s it for the filling!The Sauce:
½ cup yogurt
1 lime, zested and juiced
½ cucumber, deseeded and chopped fine
Salt and pepper to tasteCombine all ingredients and let rest for 30 minutes before serving (or use right away)
The Topping:
½ cup peanuts
2 tbsp Sriracha
Coat the peanuts in the sriracha, let dry on their own on the counter for about 30 minutes or in a 325F oven for 10 minutes (make more than you need, they won’t last and you will regret it!)
The Base:
1 pkg Romaine lettuce leaves, washed and dried thoroughly
Arrange lettuce on a plate, top with the beef and mushroom mixture, dollop with yogurt, top with peanuts – enjoy! Note if lettuce doesn’t lie flat, trim the bottom (middle stem) so there is a flat edge, stand it up in this edge
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Banker turns Chef! In December 2011, after 25 years in corporate life as a successful banker and then a consultant to the banks, Chris Pires packs it all in to become a Chef. He’s been creating great meals for family and friends for over 30 years and finally decided to pursue his lifelong passion for food by becoming a Chef. He attended two chef schools – 6 days and 4 nights a week for over a year, to hone his skills and obtain certification. At Liaison College, he studied classical French and Italian cooking under a skilled Master Chef. At George Brown, he expanded his passion for food by gaining further knowledge in baking through their Baking and Pastry Arts Program. He also continued studies in Italian, French and Indian cooking at George Brown past graduation.
You can find other great recipes at www.foodinspires.com. Don’t forget to “like” me on Facebook and follow me on Twitter and Pinterest. As always, enjoy!
