Lettuce Bundles with Spicy Peanut Noodles
Cooked chicken or duck, noodles with a spicy peanut sauce, cucumbers and peanuts served in lettuce cups.
Ingredients
2 boneless whole duck or chicken breasts
1/2 cup soy sauce plus 3 tablespoons for peanut sauce
1 large clove garlic
1 3/4-inch piece of ginger, peeled and cut in half
2 1/4 teaspoon ground fresh chili paste
7 tablespoons smooth, good quality peanut butter
3 tablespoons sugar
4 1/2 tablespoon peanut oil
Juice of 1 lime
6 ounces vermicelli or capellini noodles
1/2 cup chopped, toasted Spanish peanuts
2 ounces scallionss, cut into 4-inch lengths
1 Japanese or Kirby cucumber
2 heads Boston or other butter head lettuce, leaves separated
Instructions
1. Place duck or chicken breasts in a resealable bag along with 1/2 cup soy sauce, and let marinate for 1 hour. Heat a lightly oiled grill or cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat until very hot. Grill duck or chicken breasts until cooked through, about 5 to 7 minutes per side for duck and 4 to 6 minutes per side for chicken. Let cool slightly, and shred with your fingers, or cut into 1/2-inch wide strips with a knife.
2. In a food processor, pulse garlic and ginger until finely chopped. Add chili paste, peanut butter, 3 tablespoons soy sauce, sugar, peanut oil, limejuice, and 4 1/2 tablespoons water, and pulse until smooth. If a thinner sauce is desired, add 1 or 2 more teaspoons water and pulse to combine. Set aside.
3. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add noodles, and cook until al dente, about 8 minutes
Drain in a colander, and rinse with cold water to stop the cooking.
4. Dress the noodles with 1/2 cup of the peanut sauce, and transfer to a medium serving bowl.
If desired, set the bowl into a larger bowl filled with ice to keep the noodles chilled at the table. Arrange peanuts, remaining sauce, and prepared fillings in various serving dishes on the table. Guests can create their own rolls by wrapping noodles, a little sauce, and their choice of meat and fillings in a lettuce leaf.