Avocado, Yellow Pepper and Tomato Summer Rolls Recipe
Summer Rolls or Crystal Rolls always look so pretty.
They are significantly lower in fat and calories than their deep-fried cousins, the Spring Roll or Egg Roll and the flavor is all about the filling, not the wrapper.
The only thing that has put me off about them is that the rice paper comes in packets of 50 sheets.
I hate waste…. And making 50 summer rolls seemed rather daunting.
So I did a little research. Rice papers keep quite nicely, for a very long time (or so I’ve read) if tightly wrapped in film.
I picked up a package at the Asian market.
What I didn’t know is that, not only are there many different brands of rice paper, there are many different types of rice paper.
That became evident when I started looking at recipes, not for the filling, but for the technique of making them.
Rice paper has to be soaked in water to make it pliable enough to roll around the filling, but it can’t be soaked too long or it just falls apart. I read instructions that varied between one and three minutes.
My package said one second.
One second?!?!?!?
Naturally, as is my habit, I discovered all this while I was making them for dinner.
Naturally, because of the time constraint (getting dinner on the table) I wasn’t able to play.
I have 46 sheets of rice paper left.
Next time I will play first, construct second.
They are not the prettiest Summer Rolls, but they did stay together and they were delicious.
I even found a head of Iceberg lettuce to add crunch. I didn’t know I could get it here….
Avocado, Yellow Pepper and Tomato Summer Rolls
Total time: 15 minutes
Ingredients:
- 4 sheets rice paper
- 1/2 avocado, sliced
- 1 roasted yellow pepper, sliced
- 2 – 3 small tomatoes, cut in half and sliced
- wedge of Iceberg lettuce, cut into strips
- handful fresh oregano leaves, pulled off stems
Pesto Dipping Sauce:
2 tbs Pesto Rosso
4 tbs Greek yogurt
Instructions:
Have all of the vegetables sliced and ready.
Put water on a dinner plate or pie plate deep enough to cover a sheet of rice paper.
Put 1 sheet of rice paper in the water. Soak it just long enough to become pliable – there should be instructions on the package.Pay close attention to it. When it just starts to become pliable, remove from water and drain well.
Place on another plate, add 1/4 of the vegetables and roll up, tucking in the ends.
Repeat with the rest of the ingredients.
Mix Pesto Rosso and Yogurt.
To serve: put two rolls on each plate, cut in half of thirds.
Add a dollop of sauce and serve.
Every June I find myself wondering why I was ever looking forward to summer.
It’s been windy and damp and cold.
In the winter, when it’s windy and damp and cold, I’m dressed warmly, sitting in front of a toasty fire in a warm house.
In June I’m outside hoeing and weeding and working. Even if I were inside the house, the house is cold and I refuse (on principle) to wear winter clothing in June.
In winter I have indoor chores – cleaning and cooking and such.
In summer I have the same indoor chores plus the outdoor chores of hoeing and weeding and watering and such. When the hoeing tapers off I have the preserving and freezing and picking and such.
So, I have a lot more work to do in the summer….
But that’s okay, my days are longer so I have more time.
The dogs like to get up with the sun.
But, since the sun also sets later we also eat later and go to bed later.
I’m tired…. And I wonder why I ever looked forward to summer.
However…. Tomorrow, and the foreseeable future, is supposed to be sunny, calm and 25C (77F).
I have a sneaking suspicion I’ll be liking summer again.
A lot.
Last update on June 4, 2014