TFF: Megan's Challenge for June

Before I start, a big congrats to Kim of Stirring the Pot for being last week's winning post for Tyler Florence Fridays. Her rhubarb pie was chosen to be featured on Tyler Florence's blog this week, based on its seasonality and yumminess. (And if yumminess isn't a real word, too bad, I like it!)

Now one of the great things about TFF is that we get to pick our own recipes for posting. And we are allowed, even encouraged, to make whatever changes we need or want to make the recipe. Once a month, however, Megan, my buddy down in the warm, warm South (yes, Megan, it is raining here, again, and I am a bit jealous of heat!) picks a recipe and invites us all to make it and blog about it. We still have the option of making changes, and the challenge is totally optional.

Last month I missed out on making Megan's challenge, the quiche, which was annoying because I really wanted to make it but ran out of time. After that, I wasn't going to miss this months. Especially not when it was for Summer Rolls, a beautifully cool and healthy Asain wrap with a sweet chili sauce.

I love these wraps. These are good wraps. Normally I make wraps like these with shrimp, but Tyler doesn't include any shrimp in his, and as I served these with my Daring Cooks potstickers and had enough to do already, I skipped adding some shrimp into mine. Without the shrimp, I still loved them.

The sauce was nice and spicy, but not too spicy, and matched well with the mildness of the wraps. Plus it was a pretty color, which you'll have to take my word for as I did not take a picture of the sauce. I was too busy eating.

And if it weren't raining, cold and miserable out right now, I'd be tempted to make some more of these tonight for dinner. Just for me. (Well, I suppose I'd share, but not graciously.)


The only change I made to the recipe was to omit the red chili (because I didn't have one and doubt the kids would have eaten it if I had put one in) and the peanuts (because I forgot to buy some and the ones I had on hand smelled rancid, not good for eating at all.) Oh and I nearly forgot, I also omitted the beet. Again, I didn't have one.

Now go forth, find some nice hot weather and make this lovely, healthy and cooling Summer Wrap. Have one for me too, please. Or at least share your summer weather.

Summer Rolls with Sweet Chili Sauce
by Tyler Florence

3 ounces Vietnamese cellophane noodles, cooked according to package directions
2 cups bean sprouts
2 carrots, julienned (I actually used my peeler to make strips of carrots instead of julienning - they were thinner than if I'd done a juliene but had a nice texture with the bean sprouts.)
1 large beet, julienned (Oh yes, I forgot I didn't use this either. Forgot to buy one)
1 fresh red chile, cut in circles (I left this out)
2 handfuls fresh cilantro, hand-torn
3/4 cup chopped unsalted peanuts (I left these out)
2 teaspoons dark sesame oil
1 lime, juiced
Sea salt
20 (8-inch) round rice paper wrappers
40 mint leaves

Put the cellophane noodles, vegetables, cilantro and peanuts in a large bowl; toss with sesame oil and lime juice to give the filling some flavor; season with salt and pepper.

Pour 3 cups of hot, not boiling water in a large shallow bowl. One at a time, immerse the rice paper wrappers in the hot water for 10 seconds to soften, then place on a slightly damp towel. The rice paper is very delicate, don't soak them any longer or they will break apart. Keep them covered while you work to prevent them from drying out and curling.

To form the rolls, lay a rice paper wrapper on a flat surface. Grab a small amount of the cellophane and vegetable mixture and lay it across the bottom third. Use less filling than you think you should, if you overstuff the wrapper it will tear. Carefully fold the bottom of the wrapper up to cover the filling. Fold in the left and right sides, then tuck and roll it over once. Lay 2 mint leaves on top, then tuck and roll it over to close the whole thing up like a tight cigar. The mint leaves should show through the transparent rice paper. Arrange the finished rolls on a platter and cover with a damp towel.

Sweet Chili Dipping Sauce

1/4 cup rice wine vinegar
2 tablespoons fish sauce
1/4 cup hot water
2 tablespoons sugar
1 lime, juiced
1 teaspoon minced garlic
1 teaspoon red chili paste, such as sambal

In a blender, puree the rice wine vinegar, fish sauce, hot water, sugar, lime juice, garlic, and chili paste until combined. (I used my immersion blender in a big measuring cup, easier than cleaning the blender.) Pour into a small bowl and serve with the summer rolls.