Vietnamese Salad Rolls with Salmon, Rice Vermicelli, Pea Shoots, and Hoisin

Suggested wine: gewürztraminer; riesling

Think of these as a salad you can hold in your hand. Flavorful, healthful, and beautiful to look at, these salad rolls make perfect hors d’oeuvres, a first course to the start of an Asian meal, or picnic fare for a summer outing. Even though the ingredient list is long, these are quick to put together and easy to assemble. My teenage daughter, Molly, makes these when I have leftover grilled salmon in the refrigerator. She uses whatever interesting greens I have on handwatercress, mesclun, a little mint—and then pulls some bottled peanut sauce from the pantry shelf. Make this dipping sauce—it’s terrific—but if you are in a hurry, bottled peanut sauce will work, too.

MAKES 8 SALAD ROLLS; SERVES 8 AS AN APPETIZER

Hoisin-Peanut Dipping Sauce

• 2 tablespoons chunky natural peanut butter, warmed slightly to soften
• ¼ cup hoisin sauce
• ¼ cup water
• 1 tablespoon Thai fish sauce (nam pla)
• ¾ teaspoon peeled and minced fresh ginger
• ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes

• 2 tablespoons soy sauce
• 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
• 2 teaspoons peeled and minced fresh ginger
• 1 teaspoon honey
• 1 salmon fillet (12 ounces), pin bones removed
• 1 package (2 ounces) rice vermicelli (bean threads) (see Cook’s Notes)
• Eight (8-to 9-inch) round rice paper wrappers (see Cook’s Notes)
• 2 ounces pea shoots (see Cook’s Notes)
• 4 green onions, trimmed, halved lengthwise, and then cut into 4-inch lengths
• 16 sprigs fresh cilantro

TO MAKE THE DIPPING SAUCE: Combine the peanut butter, hoisin, water, fish sauce, ginger, and red pepper flakes in a small bowl. Stir until well blended. Cover and set aside until ready to serve.

In a small bowl, combine the soy sauce, lemon juice, ginger, and honey. Place the salmon in a shallow baking dish and pour the marinade over the top. Turn the salmon several times until it is well coated with the marinade and then set aside for 20 minutes.

Meanwhile, soak the rice vermicelli in a medium bowl of warm water until softened, about 20 minutes. Drain in a colander and set aside covered with a damp paper towel.

Set an oven rack or broiler pan about 4 inches from the broiler and preheat the broiler. Drain the marinade. Broil the salmon, skin side up, until bronzed, 3 minutes. Turn the salmon and broil until it is bronzed and flakes slightly when nudged with a fork, about 3 minutes. Remove and set aside to cool. When cool enough to handle, cut the salmon into 8 long, thin strips.

To assemble the salad rolls, have ready a large bowl of warm water and a clean, dry linen towel. Working with one rice paper wrapper at a time, dip the wrapper in the water for 5 seconds, turning to wet both sides. Arrange on the towel. As you assemble the rolls, use ⅛ of the ingredients for each roll: Lay a small portion of pea shoots, horizontally, on the bottom third of the wrapper. Top with a small mound of noodles, spreading them horizontally. Place a piece of salmon, 2 pieces green onion, and 2 sprigs cilantro horizontally on top. Roll the wrapper over the filling, creating a cylinder. Roll it halfway over again and then fold in the sides of the cylinder, envelope style. Continue rolling the wrapper into a finished cylinder. Place on a platter and continue rolling the rest of the salad rolls. Cover with a damp paper towel and then with plastic wrap. Set aside at room temperature until ready to serve. The salad rolls can be made up to 2 hours ahead. When ready to serve, cut each salad roll in half on the diagonal. Arrange on a platter or on individual small plates and serve with little bowls of dipping sauce.

COOK’S NOTES

Rice vermicelli, also called bean threads or cellophane noodles, are translucent threads made from the starch of mung beans. They have a wonderful texture once softened. Typically, bean threads come in 2-ounce cellophane bags, usually bundled in packages of 6 or 8 and wrapped in neon pink or plastic mesh bags. • Rice paper wrappers (banh trang) are sometimes labeled “spring roll wrappers.” These are thin, translucent dried sheets made from rice, water, and salt. They come in various sizes and are either round or square. They are softened in warm water and used fresh, or they can be stuffed, rolled, and deep-fried. • Pea shoots (dau miu) are the delicate, crisp vines and tender leaves of the green pea plant. Pea shoots taste like a cross between peas and spinach, with a hint of spicy watercress. Look for these ingredients in well-stocked supermarkets or in Asian grocery stores.

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