When it comes to hosting parties, food is almost always the chief consideration. For some, leaving the leg work to the local caterer is the way to go, freeing hosts to enjoy the party as much as their guests.

For those who like to add a more personal touch to their parties, cooking for guests is the ideal method in which to do so. If you're among the masses who like to do their own cooking for guests, consider the following quick and easy appetizer recipe for minced chicken in lettuce cups from Peggy Knickerbocker's "Simple SoirŽes" (Stewart, Tabori and Chang).

Minced chicken in lettuce cups

Serves six to eight

10 dried black Chinese mushrooms

3 tablespoons peanut oil

2 tablespoons minced ginger

2 cloves garlic, minced

2 pounds ground chicken (1/4 pound per person)

3 tablespoons Chinese rice wine

3 tablespoons dark mushroom soy sauce

3 tablespoons Japanese soy sauce

1/4 cup oyster sauce

4 scallions, white part only, trimmed and minced

1/3 cup pine nuts, roasted

6 to 10 iceberg lettuce leaves, cut into manageable cups for holding in the hand

Freshly ground white pepper

Soak mushrooms in a bowl of hot water until soft, about an hour. Remove from the soaking water and trim off the stems. Discard the water and the stems. Finely chop the mushroom caps and set aside.

In a wok or large nonstick skillet, heat the oil over high heat. Add the ginger and garlic and stir-fry until fragrant, about 10 seconds.

Add the chicken and stir-fry, breaking the meat up with a metal spatula until it is no longer raw, about 2 minutes. Add the rice wine, soy sauces, oyster sauce, white pepper, and reserved mushrooms, and stir-fry for 2 minutes longer. Remove from the heat and add the scallions and pine nuts.

Spoon the chicken mixture into the lettuce cups on a large platter. Serve hot.