VelvetSpicy Steak Lettuce Wraps
Inspired by techniques from Bon Appétit.
Thin strips of short rib in a chilli, ginger and lime marinade, quickly seared and tucked into red lettuce leaves. Cucumber, crushed peanuts and coriander bring cool crunch against the deeply browned beef.
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Method
- 1
Firm the beef. Put the short ribs on a plate or small rimmed tray and freeze uncovered for 15 min. The meat should firm up enough to slice thinly without becoming frozen solid.
- 2
Grate the aromatics. Finely grate the chilli, ginger and garlic into the mixing bowl. Halve one lime and squeeze its juice into the bowl. Cut the other two limes into wedges and set aside for serving.
- 3
Mix the marinade. Add the brown sugar, sesame oil and 1 tsp fine salt to the grated aromatics. Stir with a fork until well combined.
- 4
Slice and marinate. Slice the chilled short ribs across the grain into the thinnest strips you can manage, no thicker than 6 mm. Add them to the marinade and massage with clean hands until evenly coated. Leave at room temperature for 15 min.
- 5
Prepare the lettuce. While the beef marinates, tear the lettuce into pieces roughly the size of your hand. Rinse and spin thoroughly dry, then spread out on a large serving platter.
- 6
Crush the peanuts. Seal the peanuts in a food bag and press with the base of a heavy mug until coarsely broken. Transfer to a small serving bowl.
- 7
Finish the vegetables. Halve the cucumber lengthways, then slice across into 6 mm half-moons. Arrange beside the lettuce, with the coriander and reserved lime wedges.
- 8
Sear the first batch. Heat 15 ml of the vegetable oil in the nonstick frying pan over medium-high heat until shimmering. Add half the beef in one layer and leave undisturbed for about 3 min, until deeply browned underneath. Turn with tongs and cook for about 1 min more, until the second side is well caramelised.
- 9
Cook the remaining beef. Transfer the first batch to the platter. Return the pan to medium-high heat, add the remaining 15 ml oil and cook the rest of the beef in the same way. Check a thicker strip from each batch with a fine-tip thermometer; the USDA safe minimum is 63 °C followed by a 3 min rest.
- 10
Serve the wraps. Once the beef has rested, bring the platter and peanuts to the table. Taste the cooked beef and add a little more salt only if needed. Fill the lettuce leaves with steak, cucumber, coriander and peanuts, then squeeze over the lime wedges and fold to eat.
Storage
Refrigerate cooked beef covered for up to 3 days, with the lettuce, cucumber, coriander and peanuts stored separately. Reheat the beef to 74 °C and assemble the wraps just before eating. Cool leftovers in a shallow container and refrigerate within 2 hours (within 1 hour on a day above 32°C).
Why it's healthy
28.6 g protein for 560 kcal = 5.1 g per 100 kcal, so protein gives about 20% of the energy. High Protein needs at least 20% (5 g per 100 kcal), the EU condition. How we decide
EU nutrition claims
- Low sugars: 5 g sugars per 100 g (limit ≤ 5 g)
Per 100 g of the finished dish, worked out from the nutrition per serving and the lowest likely cooked weight (about 138 g a serving), so the true values are, if anything, lower. Thresholds from the Annex to EU Regulation (EC) No 1924/2006. How we decide
Free sugars
Free sugars: 3.5 g per serving
7 % of the 50 g daily maximum · 14 % of the ideal 25 g
Free sugars under 50 g a day, ideally about 25 g (WHO). The share shown is the share of one serving. who.int/publications/i/item/9789241549028
Equipment
- plate or small rimmed baking tray
- chef's knife
- chopping board
- fine grater
- medium mixing bowl
- fork
- salad spinner
- large serving platter
- resealable food bag
- heavy mug
- small serving bowl
- 30 cm nonstick frying pan
- tongs
- fine-tip instant-read thermometer
Nutrition per serving (estimated values)
| Per serving | Amount |
|---|---|
| Energy | 560 kcal |
| Protein | 28.6 g |
| Carbohydrate | 17.8 g |
| of which sugars | 6.9 g |
| of which free sugars | 3.5 g |
| Fat | 44 g |
| of which saturates | 12.1 g |
| Fibre | 3.8 g |
| Salt | 2.02 g |
Protein per 100 kcal
5.1 g meets High Protein (≥ 5 g, 20% of energy)
Calculated from USDA FoodData Central ingredient values
