Sometimes I think that I may be a little obsessive about retaining information. For example, I have a tendency to spreadsheet anything and everything. Nothing escapes the spreadsheet: the contents of my upright freezer, the Asian condiments in my cupboards and refrigerator, what foods I've served our house guests ... yes, I’m sure you’d agree that no proper hostess would ever want to serve friends and family the same dish on subsequent visits.
When I examine my “Dinner for Guests” spreadsheet, one thing that jumps out is how often Lamb Tumble Salad with Shiitake Mushrooms is the featured entree. "Countless" would not be an exaggeration. Why this entrée? The layering of rice, lettuce/cabbage, and ground lamb enriched by simple seasonings and the flavor of earthy, slightly smoky shiitake mushrooms (Lentinula edodes) produces a unique and memorable dish that draws applauds.
Please allow me to share it with you, dear reader!
This recipe may just inspire you to start your own
herb garden, anchored by mint, a popular
and easy to grow plant in the family Lamiaceae.
Lamb Tumble Salad with Shiitake Mushrooms
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 pound lean ground lamb
4-6 ounces shiitake mushrooms, stems discarded and caps sliced thin
¼ cup minced shallots
1 garlic clove, minced
¾ cup minced fresh or 1/3 cup dry mint leaves
Cooking sauce (recipe follows)
Leaves of butter lettuce, red-leaf lettuce or napa cabbage, chiffonade
3 cups hot cooked rice
- Heat oil in a 10-12 inch frying pan over medium-high heat.
- Add lamb, mushrooms, shallots and garlic. Stir and crumble meat frequently until it is well browned and the mushrooms are well cooked, about 12-15 minutes.
- Add 2/3 cup of the fresh mint and the cooking sauce and stir until boiling. Remove from heat.
- Arrange sliced leaves equally on 4 plates. Mound rice equally onto leaves, and then spoon lamb mixture over rice. Sprinkle with remaining mint.
Cooking Sauce
2 teaspoons cornstarch
1 ½ teaspoons hot chili oil (or ¼ teaspoon crushed dried hot red chilies)
1 tablespoon sesame oil
2 tablespoons soy sauce
1/4 cup dry sherry
¼ cup chicken broth