Veganomicon_ The Ultimate Vegan Cookbook - Isa Chandra Moskowitz [37]
To assemble:
Heat a griddle or cast-iron skillet over medium heat. Brush a tortilla lightly with olive oil and spread with a generous ½ cup of filling, covering half the tortilla all the way to the edges. Fold in half, gently pressing the tortilla together, and brush each side with a little olive oil. Place in the heated skillet and grill—flipping once—pressing down on the tortilla with a spatula until the outsides are nicely toasted and filling is piping hot. Remove from the heat, cut in half, and serve with salsa and guacamole.
Variations: Sweet Potato-Black Bean: ½ cup of mashed sweet potato (about 1 very small sweet potato, peeled and boiled), ½ cup of cooked black beans, ½ teaspoon of ground cumin.
Spinach-Cilantro: ½ cup of cooked, chopped spinach, squeezed to remove excess water (half a 10-ounce package of frozen chopped spinach is ½ perfect), ¼ cup of chopped fresh cilantro leaves, ½ teaspoon of ground coriander.
BUTTERNUT SQUASH AND PUMPKIN SEED RICE PAPER ROLLS
MAKES 12 ROLLS
TIME: 1 HOUR 15 MINUTES
Rice noodles make the perfect canvas for velvety butternut squash, crunchy pumpkin seeds, and fresh herbs. Don’t be intimidated by working with rice paper wrappers; it’s easy once you get the hang of it, and rolling fresh spring rolls is a skill that will last a lifetime. Before you begin, you will want to lay a very clean, slightly damp kitchen towel (or a layer of paper towels) on your counter; rice paper wrappers can be slippery and the towel makes a great work surface. Rice paper wrappers can be found in the “ethnic” section of any well-stocked supermarket, at health food stores, or at an Asian grocery.
We’ve included a simple soy dipping sauce recipe, but for a sublime and really fall-y experience pair these with Cranberry-Chili Dipping Sauce (page 213).
➣Roasting the squash in cubes gives them a nice caramelized crunch on the outside that you wouldn’t get if you just roasted the squash whole.
➣If a wrapper rips a bit at the edges, don’t worry; once it’s rolled, you won’t be able to tell.
Rolls: 1 pound butternut squash, peeled, seeded, and cut
into ¼-inch cubes
2-3 teaspoons olive oil
12 (8-inch) round rice paper wrappers
4 ounces vermicelli rice noodles or rice sticks
1 cup fresh cilantro, torn into bite-size pieces (Thai
basil makes a nice variation)
⅓ cup roasted, salted pumpkin seeds, chopped
coarsely
Dipping sauce *contains soy: 2 tablespoons soy sauce
3 tablespoons rice vinegar
1 tablespoon Asian hot chile oil (or more to taste)
2 teaspoons toasted sesame oil
2 tablespoons sugar
Prepare the squash:
Preheat the oven to 400°F. Place the butternut cubes on a baking sheet and rub them all over with the oil; drizzle on another teaspoon if you need to. Arrange the cubes in a single layer and roast for 15 minutes. Remove from the oven, toss, and cook for 10 more minutes or until tender and slightly caramelized. Transfer the squash to a plate to cool.
While the squash is cooking, prepare the noodles. There are usually directions on the package, but just in case: Boil a large pot of water. Once it is boiling, turn off the heat, add the noodles, and cook for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Drain in a colander and run cold water over them to prevent further cooking. Set aside until ready to use.
To Assemble:
Fill a large pie plate or bowl with very warm water; tap water works just fine. Place two rice paper wrappers in the water at a time, completely submerged and let sit for about a minute, until they have softened.
Handle each wrapper gently as you place it on your work surface. Place about ¼ cup of rice noodles in the lower third of the wrapper,