Radish and Herb Summer Roll
My favorite part of a spring roll is always the fresh herbs, so I decided to play up those flavors with these crunchy herbaceous flavor bombs. They’re basically a salad pocket, which is exactly what I crave all summer long in Florida. A handheld salad? Yes please.
I used butter lettuce as a protective layer, a wrap within the wrap if you will, and then piled on BSF leafy greens and herbs. I love the basil and cilantro combo here for that powerful punch, but you can use any herbs you like. Of course, one of the best parts about a spring roll is the sauce, so I made the perfect peanut sauce packed with umami from some pantry staples. The fresh radishes added some satisfying crunch, plus they made the rolls look cute and elegant!
Ingredients:
- Rice paper (spring roll wrappers)
- Butter Lettuce
- Romaine or Swiss Chard stalks (for crunch)
- Shiso
- Cilantro
- Basil
PEANUT SAUCE:
- ⅓ cup creamy peanut butter
- 2 tablespoons rice vinegar or apple cider vinegar
- 2 tablespoons soy sauce
- 2 tablespoons honey or maple syrup
- 1 tablespoons toasted sesame oil
- 2 cloves garlic, pressed or minced
- 2 to 3 tablespoons water, as needed
- pinch of salt, as needed
Instructions
- Place one rice paper in the water and let it rest for about 20 seconds, give or take. You’ll learn to go by feel here—wait until the sheet is pliable but not super floppy. Carefully lay it flat on a damp kitchen towel.
- First, line about 3 radishes in the middle of your rice paper, then add a few pieces of butter lettuce, followed by a Romaine or Swiss Chard stalk for crunch. Then fill generously with your herbs.
- Fold the lower edge up over the fillings, rolling upward just until the filling is compactly enclosed. Fold over the short sides like you would to make a burrito. Lastly, roll it up. Repeat with the remaining ingredients.
- To make the peanut sauce: In a small bowl, whisk together the peanut butter, rice vinegar, soy sauce, honey, sesame oil, and garlic. Whisk in 2 to 3 tablespoons water, as needed to make a super creamy but dip-able sauce.
- Serve the spring rolls with peanut sauce on the side. You can serve them whole, or sliced in half on the diagonal with a sharp chef’s knife.