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Summer rolls help squeeze some veggies into the picnic

Sara Moulton
Associated Press
In this image taken on May 13, 2013, summer rolls with spicy peanut dipping sauce are shown served on a plate in Concord, NH. (AP Photo/Matthew Mead)
AP | FR170582

When it comes to packing a picnic basket, sandwiches are almost always the stars of the menu. And why not? They are easy to eat with your hands, pack well and are versatile enough to keep everyone happy.

And for the rest of the meal, we tend to lean toward yet more finger food — chips, cookies, hopefully some fruit. In other words, gobs of carbs. But vegetables? Not so much.

Sure, carrot sticks, celery sticks, strips of bell pepper, and stalks of broccoli and cauliflower are every bit as handy as a sandwich. But let’s face it, many of us feel that eating raw, unadorned veggies is like taking medicine. You do it because you’re supposed to, not necessarily because you want to.



So here’s a tasty — and handy — way to smuggle vegetables onto the picnic menu: fresh summer rolls. This dish involves filling a rice paper wrapper with a combination of raw vegetables, herbs, cooked noodles, protein, and sometimes fruit. And frankly despite the name (they sometimes are called fresh spring rolls, too) I consider them to be delicious in any season.

And they’re so easy to prepare. You don’t even have to cook them. All you have to do is soak the wrapper in warm water to make it pliable. Then fill it with just about anything you like. My recipe focuses on vegetables because I wanted to help fill the veggie gap at the picnic table. But whatever the filling, please don’t lose this recipe’s fresh mint (or basil if you prefer). The fresh herb is key.



Next picnic, don’t be surprised if your kids start ignoring the chips and dogging the veggies.

Just blame it on the peanut sauce.

Fresh Summer Rolls with Spicy Peanut Dipping Sauce

Start to finish: 40 minutes

Makes 16 rolls

For the dipping sauce:

3/4 cup smooth unsalted natural peanut butter

1/2 cup hoisin sauce

2 to 3 tablespoons lime or lemon juice, or to taste

2 scallions, white and green parts, coarsely chopped

1 tablespoon low-sodium soy sauce

2 teaspoons sesame oil

Hot sauce, to taste

2 tablespoons water

For the rolls:

1 tablespoon rice vinegar

1/2 teaspoon sugar

Kosher salt

1 cup coarsely shredded carrots

1 cup shredded Napa cabbage

Sixteen 8-inch rice paper wrappers

1/2 medium jicama, cut into julienne strips (about 1 cup)

1 cup thinly sliced red bell pepper strips

1 cup blanched and thinly sliced snow peas

32 large fresh mint leaves

To make the dipping sauce, in a food processor or blender combine the peanut butter, hoisin, 2 tablespoons lime juice, the scallions, soy sauce, sesame oil, hot sauce and water. Puree until smooth. Taste and add more lime juice or hot sauce if desired, and additional water if necessary to thin the sauce to a good dipping consistency. Transfer to a bowl and set aside.

To prepare the rolls, in a small bowl combine the rice vinegar, sugar and a hefty pinch of salt. Whisk until the salt and sugar are dissolved. Add the carrots and cabbage and toss well. Set aside.

Fill a large bowl with hot water. Add 1 rice paper wrapper to the water and let soak for 10 to 15 seconds, or until just barely soft and pliable. Lay the wrapper flat on the counter. In the center of the wrapper, place a small, oblong mound of the carrot-cabbage mixture, then top with a bit each of jicama, bell pepper and snow peas. Top with 2 mint leaves.

To fold the roll, start by folding the right and left sides of the wrapper over the fillings. Next, fold the end closest to you up over the fillings and sides. Holding the roll firmly, roll it away from you until the remaining wrapper is completely rolled up. Transfer the roll, seam side down, to a plate and cover with a damp paper towel. Repeat with the remaining wrappers and fillings.

The vegetable rolls can be made up to 4 hours ahead, covered with a damp paper towel and plastic wrap and chilled. Serve with the dipping sauce.

Nutrition information per roll: 140 calories; 60 calories from fat (43 percent of total calories); 7 g fat (1.5 g saturated; 0 g trans fats); 0 mg cholesterol; 16 g carbohydrate; 2 g fiber; 5 g sugar; 5 g protein; 250 mg sodium.


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