The rainy season starts in April, and I'm not quite sure what that will mean for my produce consumption. For now, however, I am thoroughly enjoying the mountains of fresh greens that I have to choose from, and the well-established farms and providers who make it easy for me to get otherwise hard-to-find items, like rice wraps. Access to international items is one of the advantages of living in an expat community, with international tastes like mine.
My neighbor stopped by on a walk with her dog and tasted one, then asked me if I might be interested in catering a house-warming party for her in May! Sometimes all it takes is a well-made meal to open doors, and hearts.
So here's my take on fresh spring rolls. Keep in mind that I used what ingredients I had available; create yours as you see fit.
Panamanian Summer Rolls
Dressing
1/4 cup goat yogurt
1 teaspoon fresh thinly sliced ginger
1 teaspoon lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon lemon zest
Filling
Instead of measuring, I simply filled a medium-sized bowl with a mix of the following:
Fresh basil
Fresh arugula
Fresh salad mix (romaine, butter lettuce, and dandelion)
Shaved carrots
Cucumbers, sliced julienne style
4 Vietnamese rice wrappers
1/4 cup chopped walnuts
Make dressing and set aside to let the flavors meld.
Meanwhile, chop or tear filling ingredients until you've filled a medium sized bowl.
Hint: tearing instead of chopping will make the leaves last longer without browning.
Toast walnuts in a dry pan, stirring occasionally, until aromatic -- about 5 minutes.
Toss filling, walnuts and dressing in bowl.
Fill a large plate with water. One at a time, dunk the rice wrap in the water, coating completely. Count to 10, remove the wrapper and place on a cutting board. Place filling in the middle of the wrap and fold sides to make either open-ended or closed summer rolls. Repeat until all wraps are filled or you run out of filling. Enjoy in the sun, perhaps with a glass of cold white wine.
No comments:
Post a Comment