Traditional Vietnamese spring rolls incorporate herbs, lettuce, shrimp or pork, and a savory dipping sauce redolent of fermented fish (and this is a good thing). But, like burritos, which have mutated into "wraps" stuffed with everything from Italian lunch meats to egg salad, spring rolls offer extreme versatility.
Rice-paper wrappers are more delicate than tortillas or sandwich bread. They don’t mask the flavors tucked inside, making them wonderful carriers of ingredients so subtle that you don’t want to mess them up with chewy grains.
And seafood is perfect spring-roll fare: crab spiced Maryland-style with corn and tomato; rockfish with sesame oil, roasted sesame seeds, scallions, cilantro and ginger; shrimp with tarragon, spinach and lemon.
Roasted salmon is another winner. There are many ways to go, but one is a genuine classic Combine salmon with hard-boiled egg, lemon, capers, dill, cucumbers and red onion, and dip the spring roll into a fennel or tarragon sauce.
Wash it down with chilled Riesling — the drier the better. The wine tends to vibrate with acidity, and that sharp zing is what you need to cut through the salmon’s fat and the dipping sauce’s unctuousness. Like champagne and oysters or port with Stilton cheese, salmon and Riesling make a divine pairing.
After you’ve made the rolls, arrange them on a lettuce-lined platter and share them outside with a couple of friends.
Our neighbors came over after work to nibble, sip and chat. We’re all big on food and spirits, and the spring rolls and Riesling were a hit — the rolls went faster than expected. Make more than you think you’ll need, because they’ll get scarfed down like potato chips.
Salmon spring rolls
In a bowl, whisk together the yogurt and creme fraiche or sour cream. Push the garlic through a garlic press or smash it into a paste with the flat side of a knife, and add it to the yogurt mixture. Add the dill, tarragon, paprika or cayenne, and lemon zest and whisk. Add salt to taste and whisk until sauce is blended.
Adapted from a recipe in Deborah Madison’s "Vegetarian Cooking for Everyone"
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