  Chives and fish sauce make a dressing instead of the traditional dipping sauce. Photo courtesy McCormick.
January 2010
Last Updated April 2013 |
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Appetizer Recipe: “Deconstructed” Spring Roll
Turn A Spring Roll Into A Salad
Spring Rolls: An Overview
Spring rolls are an Asian appetizer, eaten either Vietnamese-style, in an uncooked rice noodle wrapper, or fried. They are traditionally eaten during the Spring Festival in China, hence the name; but also are popular in Cambodia and Indonesia.
Egg roll wrappers are thicker, making egg rolls more of a filled pastry (most are vegetable, egg and/or meat or seafood filling). Spring roll wrappers are thinner, and when fried are more finger-like.
Vietnamese spring rolls use rice paper wrappers, which can be found in Asian markets. Dry, hard wrappers are moistened into pliancy and filled with seafood; red lettuce or Boston lettuce leaves; fresh mint, basil and cilantro leaves; and shredded carrot. They are served with a dipping sauce. Summer rolls are made the same way, but use seasonal ingredients.
Some restaurants, including Chinese venues, will serve fried spring rolls. But the term “spring roll” is not synonymous with “egg roll.” An egg roll has a heavier pastry wrapper that can be sliced into sections; a fried spring roll is very fragile and can shatter like phyllo. Fried spring rolls also tend to be narrower and more finger-like.
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Spring rolls. Photo courtesy of Kabobs, a NIBBLE Top Pick Of The Week. |
Deconstructed Spring Roll Recipe
This recipe deconstructs a fried spring roll by using what would normally be the spring roll filling as a salad, placing the salad into pastry cups created from won ton wrappers.
A muffin tin is used to shape the wonton wrappers into pastry cups filled with the spring roll “salad.” The dipping sauce ingredients turn into a vinaigrette of Asian fish sauce and chives. Spring roll lovers will get a kick out of this deconstructed recipe.
Prep time is 20 minutes, but make sure you leave enough time to allow the pork to marinate in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes before cooking. Cook time is about 10 minutes.
Yields 12 appetizer portions.
Chive and fish sauce are one of McCormick’s Top 10 Flavor Pairings For 2010. See all of the flavor pairings and recipes.
“Deconstructed” Spring Roll Salad
Ingredients
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2 tablespoons fish sauce
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2 tablespoons rice vinegar
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2 tablespoons sesame oil
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2 tablespoons sugar
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1 tablespoon chives
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1 tablespoon soy sauce
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1 tablespoon sweet red chili sauce
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2 boneless pork chops (1/2-inch thick)
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12 wonton wrappers
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5 cups spring mix salad greens
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1/2 cup shredded carrot
Preparation
- Mix fish sauce, vinegar, sesame oil, sugar, chives, soy sauce and chili sauce in small bowl with wire whisk until well blended. Reserve 1/2 of the vinaigrette.
- Place pork chops in resealable plastic bag or glass dish. Add remaining vinaigrette; toss to coat well. Refrigerate 30 minutes.
- Preheat oven to 400°F. Spray both sides of wonton wrappers with non-stick cooking spray.
- Place a 12-cup muffin tin upside down. Press a wonton wrapper around the outside of each muffin cup. Bake 3 to 5 minutes or until wonton wrappers are lightly browned. Cool on wire rack.
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Grill or broil pork chops until desired doneness. Cool slightly. Cut into thin strips.
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Mix salad greens, pork and carrot in large bowl. Add reserved vinaigrette; toss to coat well.
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Fill wonton cups with salad mixture. Serve immediately.
Recipe © 2010 McCormick. All rights reserved. All other material
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