Harvesting Dinner

There's nothing that makes you feel more like a back-to-the-earth cook than going out into your backyard to pick what you are planning to eat for dinner. Ryan and I were heading to a potluck dinner at a friend'sour friend Jenny's house the other day and I decided to make spring rolls after making a quick trip to the Asian Market. Of course, the market had moved locations, so I drove to their new location. A sign reading "Opening in July" was prominently displayed in their window on that hot July 4th weekend. No specific day specified and too many ladders and paint cans inside for me to think we had any hope of acquiring the thai basil, lettuce, shrimp, and other traditional fixings of a spring roll.

I was undeterred.

Into the garden I went! The garden was brimming with possible spring roll alternative stuffings: basil, mint, kale, and chives were collected, rinsed, chopped, and stuffed into softened rice paper with relish. The spring rolls were a huge hit at the party, and I once again received affirmation that recipes, like all other rule-bearing entities, were meant to be broken.

The next day Ryan and I did a massive harvest of our basil to make some delicious pesto which I only won't share with you because I don't think I've perfected that recipe to the point I would like. But there's plenty more basil to work with, take a look for yourself:

Garden Spring Rolls
20 pieces of rice paper
A bundle of kale or lettuce, chopped
1/4 c chopped mint
1/2 c chopped basil
1/4 c chopped chives
1 box rice noodles, cooked and cooled
2 carrots sliced into thin matchsticks
Other veggies as desired (some suggestions: alfalfa sprouts, cucumber, any other garden veggie you desire...)

Peanut Sauce
1/2 c peanut butter
1/4 c water
1/4 c lime juice (fresh or bottled, fresh being superior of course)
1/4 c soy sauce
2 tbsp brown sugar
3 tbsp chopped cilantro
1 tbsp rice vinegar
Mix all ingredients thorougly

Fill a cake or pie pan with warm water. Place one rice paper sheet in the water carefully and let soak until it is easily pliable. Place a small handful of rice noodles in the center of the paper and add a couple leaves of kale, a pinch of mint, two pinches basil, some chives, carrots, and any other veggies you are using. Fold the sides of the softened rice paper over the filling and then wrap tightly, burrito-style. Serve with peanut-lime dipping sauce.