This past week, I picked up my CSA Box #7, and found “pencil carrots”, eggplant, tomatoes, arugula, Ailsa Craig onions (sweet and mild), green beans, swiss chard, cucumbers, fresh garlic, parsley, basil tops, zucchini, sweet “Trinity” corn, and green leaf lettuce.Â
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| Leafy Lettuce Greens, Parsley, Basil, Tomatoes and Corn from my CSA Box. |
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| Swiss Chard, Eggplant, Carrots, Garlic and Onions from my CSA Box. |
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| Fresh Green Beans from my CSA Box. |
The first thing I did was shuck the fresh corn and make a simple Corn Tomato Basil Salsa using the tomatoes, corn, onions and basil from my CSA Box.
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| Corn, Tomato Basil Salad |
I tossed some of this Salsa with the fresh Arugula, added a squeeze of lemon juice, a drizzle of extra-virgin olive oil , and a dash of salt and pepper, and packed it up as my dinner while watching my son’s baseball game.Â
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| Arugula Salad with Corn Tomato Basil Salsa |
I brought the rest of the Corn Tomato Basil Salsa along with some tortilla chips to share with some of the parents at the game, who were most appreciative of a farm fresh Salsa.
I got so caught up taking pictures of these fresh vegetables, prepping them and packaging them up, that I lost track of time. I was thrust into panic mode once I realized that we had to rush off to my son’s baseball games and he needed to eat first since the game wouldn’t end until at least 8PM. A quick and easy, light dinner was in order. As I brainstormed about what I could whip up in half an hour, I decided to make Korean Lettuce Wraps, something I haven’t made in a while, but has received rave reviews from many of my friends who have told me recently how their families just love these lettuce wraps.
In my original recipe, I used cole slaw mix, which is a wonderful in the wintertime when fresh local vegetables are nearly non-existent (except for greenhouse vegetables). However, since I was blessed with such a nice variety of fresh vegetables today, I decided to use some of these instead. I cut off the Swiss Chard Stems from the tender leaves, and chopped them up along with a few of the zucchini. I also used some of the Garlic Scape Pesto from my stash instead of garlic cloves – I got lots of Garlic Scapes early in the season and froze Garlic Scape Pesto in small portions.When I served these Summer Vegetable Korean Lettuce Wraps, I was accused of serving more than one vegetable at dinner – ha! Yes, I was guilty – I actually served 3 vegetables…lettuce, swiss chard, and zucchini (plus some fruit at the end)! The best thing is that this Korean Lettuce Wrap filling reheats nicely. In fact, I served it at three different times – fresh from the wok to my son who was headed to a baseball game, slightly reheated for my son who was headed to play softball on his dad’s team, and finally finished off by my husband after he returned from the softball game.
If you like a little more spice like I do, serve these Korean Lettuce Wraps with some Spicy Red Pepper Sauce (Gochujang Sauce).
Summer Vegetable Korean Lettuce Wraps
Summer Vegetable Korean Lettuce Wraps Recipe
Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 15 minutes
Total Time 35 minutes
Servings 6
Ingredients
Stir-Fry Sauce Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons soy sauce
- 2 tablespoons Korean Red Pepper Paste Gochujang
- 1 tablespoon rice wine
- 2 teaspoons agave nectar
- 1 teaspoon sesame oil
Summer Vegetable Korean Lettuce Wrap Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 2 teaspoons Garlic Scape Pesto
- 2 thin slices ginger minced
- 1/2 onion minced
- 1 pound ground chicken or turkey
- stems from one bunch of Swiss Chard cut into 1/4" pieces
- 1 medium or 2 small zucchinis diced into 1/4" piece
- Leaf lettuce or other large lettuce leaves
- toasted sesame seeds for garnish
Spicy Red Pepper Sauce Gochuchang Sauce
- 3 tablespoons Gochujang Note: contains wheat
- 1 teaspoon sesame oil
- 1 teaspoon rice vinegar
- 1/2 teaspoon agave nectar
- 1 tablespoon water
Instructions
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Mix Stir-Fry Sauce Ingredients together in a small bowl.
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Heat oil in a large saute pan or wok.
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Add Garlic Scape Pesto, ginger and onion, and stir-fry for about a 30 seconds, until fragrant.
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Add ground chicken and cook until no longer pink, breaking up pieces.
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Drain meat juices.
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Add Swiss Chard and stir-fry one minute.
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Add zucchini and Stir-Fry Sauce. Toss and stir-fry for 1-2 minutes until zucchini is just tender, but not mushy.
Gochujang Sauce
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Mix all ingredients for Spicy Red Pepper Sauce Gochuchang Sauce well.
To serve
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Spoon some of the <g class="gr_ gr_553 gr-alert gr_gramm gr_run_anim Grammar multiReplace" id="553" data-gr-id="553">filling</g> onto a lettuce leaf. Sprinkle with sesame seeds and drizzle with Spicy Red Pepper Sauce, if desired.
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Hold in hands and eat!
I can definitely see why these have met with rave reviews! between all of the veggies and the fabulous flavors, you've got yourself a delicious meal here!
Great way to use up your produce!
Oh..I could live a life with plates full of these colorful veggies! Love the sauce recipe..would be great with my veggies. Have not herd about 'Gochujang'….
i love lettuce wraps of ANY kind – these are gorgeous Jeanette!!
Another great lunch idea for me. Jeanette, I am loving your CSA posts and all of the yummies you've been making. Yummy! Envious!
I'm so jealous of that CSA box – what a nice selection of veggies! The lettuce wraps sounds great.
I adore lettuce wraps especially when I add way too much gochuchang.
Lisa~~
Cook Lisa Cook
jeanette, my mouth is watering! love the summer veggie wraps "korean" style :D. i bet i could totally make this with vegetables! maybe portabellas instead of the meat?
Look at all that deliciousness you are getting in your CSA box! Love these wraps you made. Packed full of vegetables….yum!
What an incredible ensemble of fresh foods wrapped in a delicate leaf… I just love this. You are making such good use of your CSA box; wonderful.
Your CSA looks like it's giving you a great variety of stuff. If I didn't have a garden I would sign up for a CSA immediately! And love the sound of the lettuce wraps. Haven't had Gochuchang sauce; will have to look for it.
I am really enjoying the nice variety of vegetables in my weekly CSA Box. These lettuce wraps are a good way to use lots of different vegetables, including the lettuce leaves I've been getting. For a vegan recipe, you could certainly use meaty portobello mushrooms in place of the ground meat.
My husband loves these Korean lettuce wraps. Love them and we haven't had them in ages. He would just love me forever if I made these tonight. I guess he already does but bonus points never hurt.