pretty by the bay

After teasing Corey mercilessly for his nerdy taste in magazines (i.e., National Geographic and The Economist), I’ve stumbled upon a periodical that is designed for food nerds like me. Why oh why has it taken me so long to find Cook’s Illustrated?? It’s dense, informative, and so damn detailed. I mean, they are PRECISE about food. If a recipe calls for paprika, for example, they will test drive every conceivable type, brand, and amount of paprika until they know EXACTLY how much to use for the perfect paprika flavor.  I can appreciate that neurotic approach to food.

Tonight’s recipe (and the above photo) comes from the most recent issue of CI. These Thai Pork Lettuce Wraps caught my attention because of the suggestion to grind your own pork to ensure the best texture. I was dying for an opportunity to use this baby:

My Kitchenaid Meat Grinder Attachment. Sorry if the above image is offensive or gross, but personally, I think this is a pretty cool kitchen tool. I’d much rather grind my own pork and know EXACTLY what’s in it instead of relying on mystery meat from the grocer. This was 100% lean pork tenderloin, as specified in the recipe. Plus, those of us with Kitchenaids need to use them for more than just baking to bring them to their fullest potential!

Back to the recipe: These lettuce wraps are a bit labor intensive in that there are several odd steps, but no single aspect is overly complicated. It calls for a few ingredients you may not have on hand – fish sauce, for example – but you’re likely to find everything in your regular grocery store. I actually had a hard time finding Bibb lettuce (even in SF, the produce wonderland), so I subbed iceberg and thought it was fine. I also added some jasmine rice in the wraps themselves to add a bit of heft to the meal.

Whether or not you have the Kitchenaid attachment, give this recipe a try. It’s just as easy to grind the meat in your food processor. And if anyone’s interested, a subscription to Cook’s Illustrated is most definitely on my holiday wish list!

Thai Pork Lettuce Wraps

adapted from Cook’s Illustrated, September/October 2009

1 lb pork tenderloin, trimmed of skin/fat and cut into 1″ chunks

2 1/2 tbsp fish sauce*

1 tbsp white rice, uncooked

1/4 c low-sodium chicken broth

2 medium shallots, chopped

3 tbsp lime juice

2 tsp sugar

1/4 tsp red pepper flakes

3 tbsp roughly chopped cilantro

3 tbsp chopped mint (note: I left this out because I’m not really a fan)

1 head Bibb or iceberg lettuce, washed and dried, leaves separated and left whole

cooked jasmine rice, for serving

Put pork chunks on a plate and freeze until slightly firm, about 10 – 15 min. Grind the pork in a meat grinder (per directions on your appliance) or use your food processor: place half the meat in the processor  and pulse 5 to 6 times or until coarsely chopped. Remove to a large bowl and repeat with the rest of the meat. When all meat is ground, stir in 1 tbsp of the fish sauce and marinate in the fridge for 15 minutes.

Meanwhile, heat the rice in a small skillet over medium to medium high heat. Toast the rice, stirring frequently, until golden and fragrant. Transfer the rice to a small bowl and cool for a few minutes, then process with a spice grinder, mini food processor, or mortar and pestle. The rice should resemble cornmeal or a similar powder. This should yield about 1 tbsp of rice powder.

Bring the broth to a simmer in a large nonstick skillet over medium high heat. Add the pork and cook, stirring frequently, until most of the pink begins to fade. Add the shallots and 1 tsp of the rice powder. Continue to cook until pork is done, about 2 minutes more. Transfer to a large bowl and allow to cool for a few minutes. Add the remaining fish sauce, remaining rice powder, lime juice, sugar, red pepper, cilantro, and mint (if desired). Stir to combine and serve in lettuce leaves with jasmine rice.

*Note: If you’ve never used fish sauce…be prepared. It’s potent, stinky stuff. But surprisingly, it adds a really subtle flavor to the pork. Try it at least once before you declare it too stinky to consume.