Spring Into… Eggplant Spring Rolls!

The weather is getting warmer, the days are getting longer, the sandals and skirts are out from the back of the closet, and evening picnics are becoming normal occurrences.  Spring is certainly my favorite time of year in Paris.  Contrary to Santa Fe where I prefer the autumn for it’s golden trees and Seattle where I opt for the summers by the lakes, I can never get enough of Paris in the springtime.  You’ve finally broken free from the winter-long hibernation, meaning you can wear bright clothes (although black never goes out of style in Paris) and take advantage of the many outdoor terrasses.

My favorite thing about the warmer weather is the evening  “apéro” in the park (or by the lake, or in the living room…), and since it stays light until 9 at night even in April, you have plenty of time to uncork the bottles and enjoy some appetizers.  My new favorite are these eggplant spring rolls that have just the right balance between the crispness of the raw vegetables and the juiciness of the roasted eggplant.  With a dipping sauce made from raw almonds, they are great for as an appetizer, a light lunch, or an evening apéritif.

Eggplant Spring Rolls

Begin by preparing the vegetables.  Peel and julienne the cucumber and carrots, and place them in a bowl.  Sprinkle just enough sesame oil and rice vinegar on the vegetables to coat them.  Let them marinate in the refrigerator for at least an hour.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit (180 degrees Celsius). Slice the eggplant into strips (about 2 cm thick) and place them on a baking sheet.  Brush them with olive oil and season with sea salt. Bake for about 20 to 30 minutes or until soft.  Let cool.

To assemble the spring Rolls, place a rice paper wrapper in water for a couple of minutes until soft (I use hot water to speed things up a bit).  Place the soft, wet wrapper on the counter and let sit for just a minute so that it isn’t sopping wet and it starts to get more sticky.  Place some lettuce, a few leaves of mint, some marinated cucumber and carrots, and eggplant in the middle of the wrapper.  Fold in the two outer edges and roll.  Serve with the “peanut” dipping sauce

“Peanut” Dipping Sauce

Place everything in the blender, except the sesame seeds, and blend until smooth.  It it’s too thick, add more water.  Stir in the sesame seeds and serve.