Okay, this recipe is barely a recipe. But we’re at that point in the summer when people are barely cooking. I mean, it’s been so humid here I rarely feel hungry. Do I lust over extremely cold sparkling water? Yes! But dinner just doesn’t have the same appeal. And if I’m feeling this as a food obsessive, I can only imagine how normal people are feeling. But even if you’re hot, you still gotta eat. And that’s where these Crab Cucumber Fresh Rolls come in. These rolls come together in moments, require only a few minutes by the stove, and involve an ice bath, which you are more than welcome to partake in if necessary. And the taste? Well, these rolls are spicy, refreshing, a little funky, and above all, delicious. So let’s get started.
It seems I can’t let a summer pass without making fresh rolls – a couple of rounds at least. And because I am a weirdo, I am incapable of making any of the traditional versions. Don’t get me wrong, I love the rice paper rolls from my local Vietnamese place and I have enjoyed a shrimp roll or two in my day. But as far as I’m concerned, these classic rolls are best when they’re made by seasoned hands. My lemongrass chicken rolls will never approach the perfection I get from Pho Challenge up the street from me. So, I mess with the fillings and what I have learned from my experiments is anything you can put in a sandwich you can put in a rice paper roll. And these Avocado BLT Fresh Rolls are further evidence of my findings.
Since the beginning of January, I’ve found myself reaching for lighter things. Not necessarily diet food but certainly more fruit and vegetables than I was consuming in December. After a parade of Thanksgiving indulgences, Halloween candy splurges, and a deluge of Holiday treats, my tastebuds are screaming for a refresh. Not because I want to find my way into a pair of my high school jeans. It’s more a desire to shock my system and wake myself up from a sluggish parade of potatoes, pasta, and bread. If you share these sentiments in any small way, these Braised Tofu Fresh Rolls are for you.
This is the week I was supposed to be in Nova Scotia visiting my folks. Although I moved to Toronto nearly 13 years ago, I still go through bouts of homesickness. They usually increase in intensity during the summer months because, well, Nova Scotia is particularly spectacular in the summer. Usually, I visit around this time to ease this annual affliction. But due to COVID, I will be staying in Toronto this summer. So instead of swimming in my beloved Atlantic, star gazing, and building bonfires with my dad, I will be traveling via my dinner plate. I think it’s fair to say, these Lobster Fresh Rolls with Sambal Mayo won’t be the last East Coast fantasy meal you’ll find on this blog this summer.
