Salmon Larb Fresh Rolls

I've seen cherry blossoms! Spring is here. Set aside the cold weather; cherry blossoms bring a happy Spring moment to my face.  I haven't changed the design since I started blogging. Therefore, it is time for a change on I Just Love My Apron to welcome Spring. Thanks to my awesome friend who helped me create the design from start to finish. I have to say she's very patient with me. Thank you teerak! I hope you all like a new look of a I Just Love My Apron's new nest.

It's that time again with the 5 Star Make Over hosted by Natasha at 5 Star Foodie and Lazaro at Lazaro Cooks. This month's theme is fish. According to the rules, you can prepare the whole fish or portions, featuring a makeover of any classical preparation of fish, just find a sustainable fish and make it shine.  Lazaro provided us a useful link for sustainable fish: Monterrey Bay Aquarium Seafood Watch if you have any questions about a certain fishy's sustainability.

hosted by 5 Star Foodie & Lazaro Cooks!

To continue a roll theme for the makeover, I've made rolls again. I'm sure some of you have tried or known spring rolls or fresh rolls. They are made with rice wrappers and a variety of fillings. The fillings usually are tofu or shrimp with vegetables such as carrots, lettuce, basil, and vermicelli.

Larb is a Thai salad made with your choice of meat, mint, shallot, fish sauce, lime juice, and seasonings. You can eat it with rice or lettuce. Some make a lettuce cup as you might see on the blogosphere. The most common larb is chicken larb.

This time I combined both dishes into one and used Sockeye Salmon fillet, skinned.  Sockeye is one of the "Best Choices" recommended by a Monteray Bay's website. I have to say it's delicious and a good combination of flavor. The salmon larb has bold flavor and is compromised of fresh wrappers and cucumber. You don't need a dipping sauce. That's to say how good it is. The rolling part is quite challenging since a rice wrapper is fragile. It takes a little practice and you will then get it consistently. The tips are to use 2 wrappers overlapping one another, and use a metal or smooth surface to work on your roll. I used a bamboo cutting board before and the wrappers really stuck to the board.

Salmon Larb Fresh Rolls

Yield: 10 rolls

Ingredients:

1 lb sockeye salmon fillet, skinned
salt, pepper, and olive oil
1/2 cup mint leaves
1/4 cup thinly sliced shallots
3 tbs fish sauce
1 tbs sugar
4 limes, juice
2 tsp cayenne pepper
1/3 cup rice powder
1/2 English cucumber, thick julienne
Iceberg Lettuce
1 package dry rice wrapper
Large baking tray

Directions:

• Use a paper towel to pat dry the fish. Make sure there's no bone. Season the salmon with salt and pepper and olive oil. Broil it for 10 mins.
• After letting the fish cool, shred it into small pieces.
• Add fish sauce, lime juice, sugar, rice powder, mint, and shallot. Mix well. Adjust seasonings.
• Prepare your work space and metal tray. I used large baking sheet upside down.
• Prepare warm water in shallot wide tray. Soak rice wrappers 2 at a time until they are getting to soft. Take them off and let water to rinse.
• Place one rice wrapper on a baking sheet and the second wrapper followed by overlapping the first one.
• Place lettuce at the very end close to your body, salmon mixture (about 2 tbs), topped with cucumber
• Roll it from the end, then roll on the sides to close a roll. Keep rolling till the end. See pictures.
• Keep rolling one by one until the salmon mixture is gone.
• Serve chilled. Cut it in half or bite size.

Rice powder and rice wrappers

Salmon fillet after it's broiled for 10 mins

it's ok if they are not lined equally or roll like rock N roll!