Panamanian Summer Rolls

It's summer in Panama. In the small town of Boquete, that means that it's sunny and windy almost every day.
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.

Fruit Salsa Salad

The great thing about salads is that you can throw in whatever fruits and vegetables you find at your local farmer's market, in your garden, or in the grocery store if need be. This recipe, from the owners of the Culinary Apple in Chelan, lends well to fresh substitutions.

Fruit Salsa Salad
Prep time: 30 minutes
Serves 6

Fruit Salsa
1/2 cup chopped sweet onion
2 tablespoons chopped cilantro
2 medium diced Fuji apples
2 cups blueberries
1 fresh orange, peeled, sectioned and cut into small pieces

Dressing
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons sugar
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
3 tablespoons apple juice
1/3 cup red wine vinegar

Garnish
1 1/4 cups mixed baby salad greens
1/2 cup crumbled Gorgonzola cheese

Gently stir all fruit salsa ingredients together.
Whisk dressing ingredients together, pour over the fruit salsa and let stand for 10 minutes.
Divide the greens onto 6 chilled plates, spoon fruit salsa over salad greens and top with cheese.

Recipe contributed to Savoring Chelan: Pairing Local Wines with Regional Recipes by Mary Weldy of the Culinary Apple in Chelan. Click here for their website and to buy Savoring Chelan from their online store.