Lettuce Bundles with Spicy Peanut Noodles
- 1/2 cup Spanish peanuts or other peanuts
- 2 boneless whole duck or chicken breasts
- 1/2 cup plus 3 tablespoons soy sauce
- Canola oil
- 1 large garlic clove
- 1 3/4-inch piece ginger, peeled and cut in half
- 2 1/4 teaspoons chile paste
- 1/4 cup plus 3 tablespoons smooth, good-quality peanut butter
- 3 tablespoons sugar
- 1/4 cup plus 1 1/2 teaspoons peanut oil
- Juice of 1 lime
- 4 1/2 tablespoons water, or more if needed
- Coarse salt
- 6 ounces vermicelli or capellini (angel hair) noodles
- 2 ounces garlic chives or scallions, cut into 4-inch lengths
- 1 Japanese or Kirby cucumber, thinly sliced
- 2 heads Boston or other butterhead lettuce, leaves separated
- Preheat the oven to 350F.
- Place the peanuts in a single layer on a rimmed baking sheet; toast until they are golden and aromatic, 5 to 8 minutes.
- Shake the pan halfway through to ensure the nuts toast evenly.
- When cool enough to handle, roughly chop the nuts; set aside.
- Place the duck or chicken breasts in a resealable plastic bag with 1/2 cup of the 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 the duck or chicken breasts until cooked through, 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.
- In a food processor, pulse the garlic and ginger until finely chopped.
- Add the remaining 3 tablespoons soy sauce, the chile paste, peanut butter, sugar, peanut oil, lime juice, and water, and pulse until smooth.
- (For a thinner sauce, add 1 or 2 more teaspoons water; pulse to combine.)
- Set aside.
- Bring a large pot of water to a boil.
- Salt the water, add the noodles, and cook until al dente, about 8 minutes.
- Drain in a colander, and rinse with cold water to stop the cooking.
- 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 the reserved peanuts, remaining sauce, chives, cucumber, and lettuce in serving dishes on the table.
- Guests can assemble their own rolls by wrapping noodles, a little sauce, and their choice of meat and fillings in a lettuce leaf.
spanish peanuts, chicken breasts, soy sauce, canola oil, garlic, ginger, chile paste, smooth, sugar, peanut oil, lime, water, salt, vermicelli, garlic, japanese, butterhead lettuce
Taken from www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/lettuce-bundles-with-spicy-peanut-noodles-392240 (may not work)