Fresh Summer Spring Rolls

This is a simple, quick and delicious recipe that is a great appetizer when you are in the mood for something light and refreshing. There is no cooking required and it takes about 15 minutes. Traditionally, most people think of spring rolls as the deep fried indulgence at Chinese or Thai restaurants, however this fresh version is becoming just as popular. They are especially good if you are on a low calorie diet or are watching you weight. The rice paper spring roll wrappers are super easy to work with and you can pretty much fill them with whatever you like. Once you master you rolling techniques, feel free to start experimenting and let you creativity be you guide.

Enjoy!

Fresh Summer Spring Rolls

2 cups julienne napa cabbage
1/4 cup julienne red onion
1/4 cup julienne carrot
3 tb soy sauce
3 tb sweet chili sauce
1 tb chopped ginger
S&P to taste
4 ea 16-20 shrimp, cooked and sliced
Small bunch of cilantro
4 ea Vietnamese rice paper spring rolls
1 bowl of hot water
1 bowl of cold water
paper towels for blotting

1. In a bowl combine the cabbage, onion, carrots and ginger
2. Next, mix in the soy sauce and sweet chili sauce and toss together
3. Set the mix aside and prepare to roll the wrappers
4. Place on wrapper into the hot water for 20 seconds or until it becomes pliable.
5. Next put immediately into the cold water to cool it down
6. lay it onto a paper towel and blot until dried
7. Next place some the the cabbage filling in to the wrapper, on top of that place a few cilantro leaves and stems and 2 pieces of shrimp
8. Next roll the wrapper up just like a burrito to create the spring roll






9. Repeat steps 4-8 until all the wrappers are rolled
10. Cut each one in half and Enjoy!

Does this count as an Empanada?

A few months back I started buying fresh pizza dough from Whole Foods and stuffing it with all kinds of things. I put together all sorts of ingredients, spiced them up, filled my dough and folded it over like an empanada. I wonder if using pizza dough makes it more of a calzone than an empanada. I don't know, I guess I don't really care because whatever you call it the results are delicious. Pizza dough is win win because its super easy to work with and it freezes really well, so its always there when you need it. The same is true for a ready made pie crust, or crust you made yourself, which would also work great and is more like a traditional empanada crust. I think I will be trying that next time because I actually enjoy making my own pie dough from scratch. Anyway for today's recipe I used pizza dough and filled it with a mixture of Italian turkey sausage,diced zucchini, tomatoes, onions and spiced with curry powder. This is a combination I never tried before and was actually a little unsure of how the curry would taste mixed with the spices of the sausage, but the results were amazing, probably the best filling to date. Call it what you want but I guarantee you will be so satisfied with this meal you will immediately want to share it with someone.

Spiced Turkey Empanada

3 4oz Spicy Italian Turkey sausages, casing removed
1/4 cup diced red onion
1/4 cup small diced zucchini
1/2 cup canned diced tomato ( do not drain)
1 tsp red pepper flakes
1 tb curry powder
1 tb lime juice
1 tsp salt
2 tb chopped fresh parsley
Olive oil for cooking and brushing
Prepared Pizza dough

For the filling
1. In saute pan heat 1 tb of olive oil over medium high heat
2. Next add the sausage and cook for one minute, breaking up into pieces as it browns
3. Add the zucchini, tomatoes, red pepper flakes, and curry powder
4.Continue cooking until the sausage in completely cooked
5. Next add the lime juice, salt and parsley,
6. Taste the filling, the flavor should be strong and may seem over seasoned but it's perfect
7. Set aside to cool off a little bit before placing on the dough




To put it together take a small portion of the dough and roll it out into a quasi square, you don't have to be perfect at all. Next, fill one side with some of the filling mixture. Then fold in over in to a triangular shape and starting from one side work you way around tucking and pinching it together. Create a few vents for the steam to escape. Brush with a little olive oil and bake at 400º for 15 minutes or until the crust is golden brown. Enjoy : )