It’s been awhile since I’ve heard screeches and yelps coming from my crisper drawer, but this morning a perky bunch of leaf lettuce sang delightedly and asked to be rolled up with fresh veggies like a little petite bouquet. Or perhaps a nosegay in honor of prom? After cutting the bottom off the leaf lettuce and washing it in the colander, I saw that each lovely piece could be rolled and somehow tied. Fortunately Kate was here to save the day. I was about to send Jeff to the co-op for leeks which I knew would work well to tie the bundle, when Kate suggested I use flat peels of carrot. The carrot added a splash of color, and when speared diagonally with a toothpick, held the salad bouquets together nicely.
Another reason I chose to venture into the realm of salad rolls is that the Lemon Walnut Dressing I made for the salad came out very thick and spreadable. I knew it would hold up well as a salad slather for this project as it had little liquid to cause the greens to break down and would allow me to make the rolls ahead of time.
One head of leaf lettuce will probably have enough leaves for ten to twelve rolls.
Ingredients:
- 1 head leaf lettuce
- 1/2 English cucumber thinly slice
- 1 orange or red pepper, thinly sliced
- jicama sticks, thinly sliced
- Lemon Walnut Dressing
- 1 carrot peeled into long, flat ribbons
Directions:
Wash the leaf lettuce and allow it to thoroughly dry in a colander. Prep the veggies and make the dressing.
To assemble the rolls spread the dressing on the leaf and fill with two or three slices of each veggie. Roll up the lettuce and wrap the carrot peel tightly around the middle. Spear the end of the carrot peel at a diagonal from the top of the bouquet to the bottom so it does not poke through the opposite side.
Vegetarian Perspective 