Man Cave Cuisine

Hello everyone! I’ve kind of laid low this last month but I’m very happy to have a new post for (as my mother-in-law would say) “yous guys”.

Last week Whitney and I were in the mood to snack more than have a full dinner so I whipped up a batch of lettuce wraps. And, as a nod to the Chinese Restaurant scene in A Christmas Story I thought a pseudo Chinese dish would be PERFECT for this time of year—because who doesn’t love that scene.
Fa-ra-ra-ra-ra-raaaa—–ra-raa-raa-raaaa!

If you like P.F. Chang’s lettuce wraps, then get your taste buds ready because these come pretty darn close.

Ingredients for pouring sauce:

• 1/4 cup sugar
• 1/2 cup warm water
• 2 tablespoons gluten free tamari (or regular soy sauce if you’re not concerned about gluten)
• 2 tablespoons rice wine vinegar
• 2 tablespoons chili garlic sauce
• 1 tablespoons ketchup
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• 1/8 teaspoon sesame oil
• 1 teaspoon hot water
• 1 tablespoon Chinese mustard
• 2 cloves garlic, minced

 Ingredients for stir-fry sauce:

• 3-4 tablespoons soy sauce
• 2 tablespoons brown sugar
• 1 teaspoon rice wine vinegar

 Ingredients for chicken stir-fry:

• 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• 2 tablespoons sesame oil
• 2 boneless skinless chicken breasts, cubed to 1/2″
• 1 – 8oz can sliced water chestnuts, minced to the size of corn kernels
• 1/2 cup mushrooms, minced to the size of corn kernels
• 1 bunch green onions, chopped fine
• Up to 1 cup of finely chopped cashews (optional)
• 3 cloves garlic, minced fine
• 6 large leaves of iceberg, bibb or leaf lettuce

To make the pouring sauce:

In a large bowl, dissolve sugar in 1/2 cup warm water and add soy sauce, rice wine vinegar, ketchup, chili sauce, lemon juice and sesame oil. Mix well and throw in the fridge until you’re ready to serve.

Just before serving, add 1 teaspoon of hot water, hot mustard, and garlic to the other ingredients. By adding the mustard and fresh garlic it really brightens up the sauce after sitting for a little while. At this point you may also want to tweak your ingredients. I generally add a tablespoon or two more of the chili sauce and drizzle of sesame oil. If you felt so inclined you could also add a little bit of fresh ginger.

To make the stir-fry sauce:

Prep the stir fry sauce by mixing soy sauce, brown sugar, and rice vinegar in a small bowl.

To make the chicken stir-fry:

Combine oils and add to wok or large frying pan. Heat oil over high heat until it glistens, about one minute. Add chicken and saute until mostly cooked through, about 5 minutes.

Turn the down heat to medium-high. Add another tablespoon of olive oil to the pan (you’re not supposed to cook with sesame oil but I add a drizzle here. Shhhhh, It’ll be out secret), wait one minute, and then add garlic, onions, water chestnuts, cashews, mushrooms, and the stir-fry sauce you prepared earlier. Stir-fry everything until the mushrooms have cooked through, about 4 minutes, and remove to a serving dish.

Serve stir-fry with iceberg lettuce or nappa cabbage leaf wraps and top with pouring sauce.

Enjoy!

 Here are some other recipes that you might find handy during the Christmas Season:

• Ice Cream Muffins
• Chicken Pot Pie
• Breakfast Bacon Cups
• Country Ham Sliders
• Habanero Raspberry Pepper Jelly
• Cottage Pie
• Guinness Shepherd’s Pie

 Merry Christmas and Happy New Year from the ManCave Crew!

Cavan

I am all about good food, good friends and enjoying life with a glass of bourbon in my hand. Lexington is my home and I love all it has to offer-horses, great restaurants and whatever the season I cheer for the Wildcats!

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