Crisp, fresh lettuce cups with a smoky, saucy, beef, bean and bacon filling are topped with lime-kissed ripe avocado cubes, shredded Cheddar cheese and a generous dollop of your favourite salsa for the ultimate hot-weather dinner. Easy enough for busy evenings but pretty enough to serve to company, you'll be sure to add this to your regular meal rotation!
Ingredients
For the Beef Filling:
- 1 1/2 pounds lean ground beef
- 1/2 of a pound of sliced bacon
- 1/2 an onion peeled and finely diced
- 1 clove garlic peeled and minced or pressed
- 1 can 15.5 ounces, approximately chili beans in sauce
- 1/4 cup chopped cilantro or parsley
To Serve:
- Butter or Iceberg lettuce leaves
- shredded extra sharp Cheddar cheese
- cubes of ripe avocado with lime juice squeezed over them
- salsa
Instructions
To Prepare the Filling:
- Stack the bacon slices and cut cross-ways into 1/4- to 1/2-inch thick strips. Fry those over medium heat in a 12-inch, heavy-bottomed skillet or frying pan until crispy. Use a slotted spoon to transfer the bacon to drain on a plate lined with paper towels. Pour the remaining bacon fat from the pan and return the pan to medium heat.
- Break up the ground beef into the hot pan and add the chopped onions and garlic. Use a wooden spoon to continue breaking the beef and working the onions and garlic into it as it cooks. When the beef is no longer pink in the center, drain off any fat (if there is any!) and return the pan to the heat. Add the can of beans with their sauce, stir well and bring up to a simmer. You can simmer it to thicken the sauce if necessary.
- Remove the pan from the heat and stir in the cilantro.
To Serve:
- Stack the lettuce leaves 2 to 3 thick to provide a little structure for when you lift it to eat it. Scoop about 1/3 to 1/2 cup of the beef filling in the center of the lettuce cup. Top with the shredded cheese, cubes of avocado and a dollop of salsa.
Nutritional information is an estimate and provided to you as a courtesy. You should calculate the nutritional information with the actual ingredients used in your recipe using your preferred nutrition calculator.
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