Asian Pork Sausage Lettuce Wraps

This has to be the most requested meal in our home.  The boys all say this is their favorite.  Want to get your kids to eat more lettuce?  Here you go...let me introduce you to lettuce wraps.  

Lettuce wraps are these amazing little pockets of crisp light lettuce wrapped around savory meaty morsels of deliciousness.  The flavors compliment each other so well.  

Last year we bought a pig, as in an entire hog in our freezer.  I wrote a little about it here.  When I came home from the processor with our pig, I couldn't believe how much sausage we had.  Actually, I was kind of overwhelmed at first at the thought of trying to use so much sausage.  One can only eat so much sausage & gravy or fried sausage patties before growing tired of the same ole thing.   So I started coming up with new ways to use ground sausage and this has by far been our favorite.  

Get as creative as you like...try adding shredded carrots, cabbage, or even diced bamboo shoots.  This recipe is really versatile so make it your own.

​Asian Pork Sausage Lettuce Wraps
 
1 C. uncooked white rice
2 C. water
1 T. olive oil
1 ½ lb. ground pork sausage, mild
1 clove garlic, minced
½ sweet onion, diced
1 (8 oz.) can water chestnuts, drained and diced
A pinch up to ½ tsp. red pepper flakes, depending on how spicy you like it
3 T. oyster sauce
2 T. soy sauce
1 tsp. or more sesame oil
4 green onions, chopped (optional for garnish)
Romaine and/or Iceberg lettuce leaves
 
1.  Combine rice and water in a saucepan.  Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to low and simmer for 15 to 20 minutes until water is absorbed. 
2.  Heat a wok or large skillet to medium high heat.  Drizzle about a T. of olive oil in the skillet.  Cook the sausage, garlic, onion, water chestnuts and red pepper flakes until meat is browned. 
3.  Then add the cooked rice, oyster sauce, and soy sauce to heat through.
4.  Remove from heat and add sesame oil and green onions stirring to combine.  (Or garnish with green onions.)
 
 
I serve the pork mixture in a large bowl with a plate of pre-separated lettuce leaves.  We love using both romaine and iceberg lettuce leaves for wraps.  They both have a firm crunch and hold up well for filling.  

Yum