One of the beautiful things about a CSA is getting a crapload of veggies which you have no idea what to do with. I may have overdosed after having goat cheese, almond & cranberry salad 7 days straight for lunch.
My next dilemma? I had various vegetables and wanted something asian-influenced. Luckily I found a package of spring roll wrappers from the grocery story recently and decided to be creative with them with vegetarian spring wrap rolls. Note: you can swap out the veggies I suggest with your own fillings. But mine were pretty damn delicious…
Here’s my recipe:
Julie’s Half-Assed Vegetarian Spring Wrap Rolls
Ingredients:
- 1 package – Spring Roll wrappers
- 4 ounces (approximately a fistful) of thin rice noodles
- Package – baby carrots (or peel your own)
- Lettuce
- Mushrooms (I go for baby bello)
- Mint leaves (fresh)
- Basil leaves (fresh)
- Sweet Salad turnips
- Sesame seeds (or chopped peanuts, your choice)
- 1/4 cup Soy Sauce
- 1 teaspoon dark sesame oil
Dipping Sauce:
- 1/4 cup soy sauce
- 2 Tablespoons – Lime juice
- 1 Tablespoon – Sugar
- 2 cloves garlic, crushed
- 1 teaspoon – rice vinegar
Steps:
- Place the rice noodles in a bowl with hot water for 15-30 minutes or until softened. Set aside while you start the rest of the recipe.
- Combine the dipping sauce ingredients until sugar is dissolved. Set that off to the side too.
- Put mushrooms (and any other ‘seasoned’ ingredients) in a bowl with 1/4 cup soy sauce & sesame oil. Heat veggie oil on the stove and toss the mushrooms in there until they look delicious. Throw the sesame seeds in there and toss before setting aside.
- Chop the veggies so they’ll pile on nicely. Example: slice the salad turnips; cut the carrots in half, and separate the lettuce so they stack nicely for the lettuce wrap
- Make sure to drain the rice noodles (above) and cut into 3 inch pieces.
- Soften rice paper, one at a time, by putting in warm water for 20-30 seconds. Crucial: This is the most delicate/easy to rip portion, make sure your container is bigger than the rice paper. Once the rice paper is soft you can work with it a little more.
- Place the softened rice paper on a paper towel (or dish towel) to dry.
- Pile on the ingredients. Personally, I started with a piece of lettuce, placed the mushrooms & carrots halves, basil, mint, sweet salad turnips, rice noodles
- Fold the bottom portion and top portion, followed by the two sides so there’s a nice little support system underneath the wrapping
- Set wraps aside and enjoy at once with your dipping sauce!
Readers, any fillings you prefer in your spring rolls?
