Vietnamese Chicken Meatballs In Lettuce Wraps

Meatballs

Ingredients:

• 1 pound lean chicken breast, ground
• 3 tablespoons Asian fish sauce
• 3 small shallots, chopped
• 3 cloves garlic, grated
• 1 stalk fresh lemongrass, tender white inner bulb only, minced
• 1 teaspoon sesame oil
• 3 tablespoons chopped cilantro
• 2 teaspoons fresh mint, chopped
• 1 ½ teaspoons cornstarch
• ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
• granulated sugar – for rolling
• red and green lettuce leaves

Directions:

1. Mix all meatball ingredients except sugar and lettuce with slightly moistened hands.  Form into 1 ½-inch diameter meatballs.  If possible, refrigerate for several hours.
2. When ready to cook, preheat oven to 400 degrees.  Roll meatballs in sugar and place on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.  Bake in the upper third of the oven for about 15 minutes, turning every 5 minutes for color consistency.
3. Serve meatballs on lettuce leaves garnished as desired.  Serve Asian Sweet and Sour Sauce, Peanut Sauce or Chile Lime Cream Sauce.

Garnishes:

• ¼ cup fresh cilantro leaves
• ½ cup fresh mint leaves
• ½ cup sliced cucumber
• ½ cup thinly sliced red onion

Asian Sweet and Sour Sauce

Ingredients:

• 6 tablespoons rice vinegar
• ¼ cup Asian fish sauce
• 2 tablespoons light brown sugar
• 3 cloves garlic, grated
• ¼ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes, or to taste
• 2 tablespoons shredded carrot

Directions:

1. Combine all ingredients and stir until sugar dissolves.  Chill for a least 1 hour.

Peanut Sauce

Ingredients:

• 1/3 cup creamy peanut butter
• 3 tablespoons Asian style chili sauce
• 1 tablespoon brown sugar
• 3 tablespoons lime juice
• 1 teaspoon reduced-sodium soy sauce
• 3 tablespoons water

Directions:

1. Stir together all sauce ingredients in a small saucepan over low heat.  Stir well and heat until warm.

Chile Lime Cream Sauce

Ingredients:

• ¼ cup dry white wine
• ¼ cup fresh lime juice
• 1 tablespoon fresh ginger, chopped
• 1 tablespoon minced shallot
• 1/3 cup heavy cream
• 2 tablespoons chili-garlic sauce
• 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into ½-inch pieces

Directions: 

1. Combine wine, lime juice, ginger, and shallot in a heavy small saucepan.  Boil over high heat for 3 minutes or until reduced by half.  Add cream and boil 2 minutes longer or until reduced by half.  Reduce heat to low.  Mix in chili-garlic sauce.  Add butter, 1 piece at a time, whisking just until melted before adding  the next piece.

*recipes from Colorado Classique cookbook