Half-assed recipes: CSA Vegetarian Spring Wrap Rolls

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:

1. 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.
2. Combine the dipping sauce ingredients until sugar is dissolved. Set that off to the side too.
3. 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.
4. 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
6. Make sure to drain the rice noodles (above) and cut into 3 inch pieces.
7. 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.
8. Place the softened rice paper on a paper towel (or dish towel) to dry.
9. Pile on the ingredients. Personally, I started with a piece of lettuce, placed the mushrooms & carrots halves, basil, mint, sweet salad turnips, rice noodles
10. Fold the bottom portion and top portion, followed by the two sides so there’s a nice little support system underneath the wrapping
11. Set wraps aside and enjoy at once with your dipping sauce!

 

Readers, any fillings you prefer in your spring rolls?