Summer Rolls

I came to summer rolls late in life.  When I was a kid, growing up in a New York suburb (during the Mad Men era of chow mein), the only Asian appetizer rolls I knew were so-called Chinese egg rolls.  They were always fried or baked, filled mostly with cabbage, and definitely boring.  I had no idea that infinitely better-tasting and healthier Asian appetizer rolls existed.

Now that I’ve discovered them, I’ve got the zeal of a convert, spreading the word that summer rolls are quick, easy, and inexpensive.  Perhaps their most attractive feature is that summer rolls can be whatever you want or need them to be.  A salad you can hold?  A repository for leftovers that cry out to be used?  A refreshing appetizer for a stir-fry meal?  An elegant and quick contribution to a pot-luck?  A vegetarian dish that easily accommodates adding meat or seafood? The possibilities are endless, and (for those who need or want to avoid gluten), they are gluten-free too.  

This is a guide to making summer rolls, rather than a recipe with specific measurements.  The only required ingredient is the rice wrapper.  I bought a package of more than 30 wrappers at an Asian grocery for $1.75.  In Washington, D.C., the price for 2 summer rolls at local Asian restaurants hovers around $4.50 - 5.50.  Check the menu of a restaurant near you that serves summer (sometimes called spring) rolls, and calculate how much money you’ll save by making these at home.

5 Tips for Making Great Summer Rolls

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Soda Bread – Traditional & Irish-American

Before this week, I didn't realize that Sister Mary’s Irish Soda Bread is not Irish, it's Irish-American.  I adore the rich and raisin-filled bread, and I've usually made it (or a close approximation) each year as St. Patrick's Day rolls around.

I do fondly remember eating earthy, unsweetened brown bread when my family traveled to Ireland about 15 years ago.  We called it "brown bread" and let it go at that.  I had no idea that the thick hand-cut slices I devoured in every pub, restaurant, and B&B we visited is, in fact, traditional, 4-ingredient Irish soda bread. 

My newfound understanding is courtesy of Steve Webb and his delightful American Food Roots essay on making traditional soda bread.  Since reading his essay a few days ago, I've found lots of recipes and references for the traditional type, and from now on, I won't mistake the Irish-American version for traditional soda bread.

While they are wholly different in texture and taste, both types are easy to make and quick to bake, with no yeast, rising, or prolonged kneading required in either case.  When I raise a glass of Guinness Stout or Harp Lager this weekend on St. Patty's Day, I'll toast them both - Viva La Difference!

I've already given you my husband's family recipe for Irish-American soda bread.  Here is my take on the traditional Irish version.

Because it has only 4 ingredients (whole wheat or white flour, baking soda, salt, and buttermilk), there are limited variations on the traditional Irish soda bread.  I used King Arthur “white whole wheat” as a compromise between whole wheat, which I find too heavy, and white flour, which seemed like a cop-out to me.  The result was quite pleasant, wheaty but not overwhelmingly so.

Traditional Irish Soda Bread - 2 small loaves or 1 large loaf

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Appetizer Heaven - Caponata

Caponata, an Italian dish with eggplant, onions, celery, tomatoes, and olives, is one of my "go to" appetizers.  Whether I'm having a big party, need to bring a substantial contribution to a potluck, or just have a compulsion to "feed" my freezer, caponata fits the bill.  I got the original recipe from my friend Liz.  Although I have adapted the directions and certain ingredients, I think of her whenever I make it, which is often. 

Don’t be fooled when you read the ingredients – it isn’t ratatouille or tomato sauce.  Instead, caponata is a slightly sweet-and-sour, tangy mélange of vegetables that can be served with crackers or thin slices of Italian or French-style bread (baguette), as a condiment for fish or chicken, or even dabbed on pasta.  

Admittedly this recipe requires patience.  But for an investment of an hour of chopping and an hour of cooking (some of which is basically unattended), you'll be rewarded with a heaping bowl of intense homemade goodness.  Other reasons to love caponata:

1. It freezes well, so you can have it at-the-ready for that impromptu dinner party you’ve been “planning” forever, no matter when you finally make it happen.
2. Store-bought caponata is nowhere near as good and it costs a bundle.  Depending on the brand and location, I’ve find the commercially prepared versions for $3-4 for 7 ounces, which translates to $18-24 for the amount this recipe makes, compared to $6-7 for the homemade version.

If you aren’t a big fan of eggplant, don’t impose that memory of baked or fried eggplant dishes on caponata.  Here the eggplant is salted, rinsed, and dried into tiny, soft pieces that don’t overwhelm the dish in quantity, taste, or size.  Another surprise (at least to me) is the starring role that slow-cooked celery has in this dish.   The keys to this dish are the chopping (into small reasonably uniform pieces) and slow cooking stages; everything else is just commentary.

Liz's Caponata

Servings – About 5 cups (2 ½ pounds), plenty of appetizer for a crowd  Cost - $6-7 (without pinenuts, which are rather expensive)

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