VIETNAMESE LETTUCE WRAPS

A fragrant and satisfying appetizer (as well as an excellent use for leftover roast pork and poached or steamed shrimp), these flavorful bundles are great dipped in nuoc cham, a sweet and spicy Vietnamese sauce.

MAKES ABOUT 20 WRAPS

Ingredients

• 1 bunch scallions, green parts only
• 1 head bibb lettuce, leaves separated and halved through rib
• 4 oz. cooked thin rice noodles
• 8 oz. roasted pork tenderloin, cut into 1⁄4"-thick slices
• 10 cooked medium shrimp, peeled, deveined, and halved lengthwise
• 20 tender tops of cilantro stems with leaves
• 20 mint leaves
• Nuoc cham sauce, for dipping

Instructions

1. Bring a 4-quart saucepan of water to a boil; add scallion greens and immediately drain. Separate on paper towels and set aside.
2. Place 1 lettuce leaf half on a work surface and top with a small amount (about 1⁄5 oz.) of the cooked noodles. Place a slice of pork over noodles and then top with a shrimp, place a cilantro top and mint leaf over shrimp, and close lettuce around fillings to create a wrap. Tie a blanched scallion green around the lettuce wrap to secure it closed; repeat with remaining lettuce leaves, noodles, pork, shrimp, cilantro tops, mint, and scallion greens until you have about 20 wraps. Serve with nuoc cham for dipping.