Putting some spring in your roll

March 8 - What better way to celebrate the Chinese New Year or the coming of the spring season than by cooking up some spring rolls? These delicacies, which are much smaller and lighter than egg rolls, get their namesake because they are traditionally made around the Chinese holiday, which is at the beginning of spring. Patricia Yeo, excecutive chef of AZ in New York City, shows how to make Chinese Spring rolls. Check out the recipes below.

POTATO SPRING ROLL KNISHES WITH CRÈME FRAICHE AND CAVIAR Patricia Yeo INGREDIENTS • 1 lb. Yukon gold potatoes • 1 onion, peeled • 3/4 cup crème fraiche • 1 tsp. salt • 1 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper • 1 package spring roll wrappers, thawed if frozen • 1 egg beaten • Canola oil for frying • Snipped chives for garnish • Optional: Additional crème fraiche (or sour cream) and caviar DIRECTIONS Up to one day before serving, assemble the knishes: cover the potatoes with cold salted water, bring to a boil, and boil gently until tender enough to mash smoothly. Grate the onion on the medium holes of a box grater. When the potatoes are cooked, drain well and mash together with the grated onion and 1/2 cup of the crème fraiche. Mix in the salt and pepper. Lay a spring roll wrapper on a work surface at an angle, so that it looks like a diamond, with one corner pointed towards you. Place a heaping teaspoon of mashed potatoes just below the center of the diamond. Brush the edges lightly with beaten egg. Fold the top corner down to meet the bottom, making an upside-down triangle (or turnover) shape, and press around the edges to seal. Take the two opposite corners of the triangle and bring them together, over the filling. Brush the remaining point of the wrapper with beaten egg. In a medium pan over high heat, heat the canola oil, turn down heat and with tongs, and add the knish. Fry until golden brown, about 5 minutes. To serve: cut knish into bite size pieces. Garnish with crème fraiche, caviar (if you are using it) and chives MANAGE YOUR RECIPES

VIETNAMESE IMPERIAL ROLL WRAPPED IN LETTUCE AND HERBS Patricia Yeo INGREDIENTS • 12 rice paper wraps • 1 cup ground pork or chicken • 1 cup chopped shrimp • 1/2 cup julienne shiitake mushrooms • 1 onion finely diced and caramelized • 1/2 cup mung bean noodles • 1/2 cup Napa cabbage, finely julienne • 1/4 cup fish sauce • 2 tablespoons sambal • Salt and pepper DIRECTIONS First soak the rice paper wraps in warm water for about three to four minutes depending on the water. The water should be warm, but cool enough to stick you hands in. The warmer the water, the quicker the soak. We will have all the ingredients in small bowls. Chop the Napa Cabbage and mix with all the ingredients, except for the rice paper wraps together, to form the filling. Then roll the filling, about one heaping tablespoon in the soften rice paper. The paper automatically sticks together from the starch from the rice. In a large pot heat 3 cups of peanut oil to 375 degrees. You can also use canola, but the peanut oil imparts a better flavor and I recommend it. Fry the imperial rolls for 4 minutes or until golden brown. Serve in lettuce leaves, garnish with cilantro and mint. You may use the same dip as the Vietnamese Summer Rolls in the recipe. MANAGE YOUR RECIPES

Recipes provided courtesy Patricia Yeo.

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