Lettuce Wrapped Tacos with Beef Tenderloin!
My friend over at Melissa’s Produce sent me their new book “the great pepper cookbook” The Ultimate Guide To Choosing And Cooking With Peppers. I was so excited when I opened the box and saw this book filled with unique yet user friendly recipes, each one screaming out my name to try them.
If you’re like me, oftentimes while browsing the produce isles I’m not certain which pepper is hot and which one is mild, let alone what type of recipe to use them in. Now with “the great pepper cookbook” all the guess work is taken out of shopping at the market.
This book is broken down into segments:
- the scoville scale
- guide to peppers and chile peppers
- fresh pepper prep
- dried pepper prep
- appetizers, snacks, and drinks
- breakfast and brunch
- soups and salads
- sandwiches
- main dishes
- side dishes
- desserts
I literally had trouble deciding which recipe to make first. Every recipe I looked at was incredibly healthy, full of flavor and so vibrant. Not to mention almost every recipe had a photo to match, so I know just how the dish is suppose to look.
The Grilled Salsa Salad is one I’m sure will become a staple in my home, along with these Lettuce Wrapped Tacos. The Chicken and Cherry Bell Chow Mein, and Margarita Chile-Cheesecake Bars I’ve yet to try. but look mouthwatering. With BBQ season here I’m sure I’ll be trying the Chipotle-Maple Baked Beans and Couscous with Chiles & Grilled Vegetables. The list goes on and on………….
While the recipe for the Lettuce Wrapped Tacos calls for Beef Tri-Tip, I opted for the alternative selection of Beef Tenderloin, making these wraps melt in your mouth.
You can serve these as an entree or appetizer. Feel free to add in sour cream, greek yogurt, shredded cheese, and black beans to add more texture and flavor. Follow the recipe as is and it’s delightfully light, healthy, and packed with flavor. You’ll want to be certain to include this in your recipe collection.
Here’s a fun video on this book you won’t want to miss.
For everything you want to know about peppers, plus recipes to use them in, order your copy of “the great pepper cookbook” here.
I hope you enjoy these Lettuce Wrapped Tacos……………….
Lettuce Wrapped Tacos with Beef Tenderloin
East meet West in this fusion of Vietnamese-style lettuce wraps and tacos.
Ingredients:
- ¾ cup packed brown sugar
- ½ cup soy sauce
- ½ cup extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 tablespoon dry mustard
- 2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
- 8 garlic cloves, minced (about ½ cup), divided
- 4 fresh Serrano chile peppers, stems and seeds removed, finely diced (about 3 tablespoons), divided
- 1¼ cups lime juice, divided (about 8 limes)
- 1½ pounds beef tri-tip or beef tenderloin
- Vegetable oil
- 1½ cups fresh cilantro leaves, chopped
- 6 green onions, trimmed and sliced
- 4 Roma tomatoes, diced
- 1 red onion, sliced (about 1 cup)
- 8 butter lettuce leaves
- 2 cups shredded cheddar cheese (about 8 ounces, optional)
Directions:
- In a bowl, whisk together brown sugar, soy sauce, oil, mustard, Worcestershire sauce, half of garlic, half of chile, and 1 cup juice. In a large zip-top plastic bag, combine beef and brown sugar mixture. Seal bag; turn bag several times to mix well and coat beef. Refrigerate 8 hours or overnight.
- Preheat grill to medium-high heat. Oil grill rack. Remove beef from zip-top plastic bag; discard marinade. Place beef on grill rack; grill until both sides are marked, about 3 to 5 minutes per side. Turn off all but one burner; move beef to cool side of grill rack and partially cover. Grill until desired doneness (125°F for rare, 135°F for medium, or 145°F for well done), about 15 to 25 minutes. Let meat rest 15 minutes. Slice thinly against the grain.
- In a bowl, combine remaining half of garlic, remaining half of chile, remaining ¼ cup juice, cilantro, green onions, tomato, and onion.
- Top lettuce leaves evenly with beef and chile mixture. Sprinkle evenly with cheese, if desired. Serve.