Pork and Shrimp Spring Rolls with Peanut Sauce

By norsegal8

When I first decided to open a restaurant, I had never cooked professionally. My family maxed out sixteen credit cards to buy a small space on Valencia Street in San Francisco's Mission District, a leap of faith based entirely on my hunch that the simple dishes of Vietnam -- dishes that my mother made at home -- would be popular in San Francisco, especially if they were presented in a beautiful space and made with good-quality ingredients.
It was mom's spring rolls specifically that made me want to open a restaurant. I just knew they were something that American diners would love. Every Vietnamese restaurant makes a version of these rice-paper rolls, filled with everything from pork to tofu to fish. But my mother's version has an unususal twist. She had worked as a nurse in a French hospital in Vietnam, where she learned to make mayonnaise using the oil left over from frying shallots. She came up with the idea of adding a smear of mayonnaise to the spring rolls to moisten them -- an addition you won't see in any other recipe. If you don't have shallot oil, you can make it with canola oil. However, homemade mayonnaise is crucial, and you should omit it rather the use store-bought mayonnaise.
We sell about eight hundred thousand spring rolls every year at The Slanted Door, most of which are rolled by Mrs. Tan, who has worked at the restaurant since the beginning. A few years ago, I shared the recipe with the New York Times, and my mother was sure that the restaurant was going to go out of business, because I'd given away the family jewel.
For best results, roll the spring rolls on a plastic or wooden cutting board; the rice paper tends to stick to stone surfaces. And pay attention to the size of the rolls -- you are not making cigars or burritos. When you roll, pull the rice paper tight to form a compact cylinder. And when you cut the rolls, don't cut them on the diagonal, which will cause the filling to fall out.

Ingredients

• PEANUT SAUCE:
• 1 cup sweet (glutinous) rice
• 1/2 cup roasted peanuts
• 2 cloves garlic
• 1 Thai chile, stemmed
• 3 tablespoons each red miso, ketchup, canola oil and sugar
• 2 tablespoons vegetarian stir-fry sauce or vegetarian oyster sauce
• 1 1/2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
• 1/2 teaspoon toasted sesame oil
• SPRING ROLLS:
• 10 ounces dried rice vermicelli
• 15 medium-size shrimp, peeled and deveined
• 8 ounces boneless pork shoulder
• 1 egg yolk
• 1/2 cup shallot oil or canola oil
• 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
• 30 fresh mint leaves
• 1 head red leaf lettuce, leaves separated
• Ten 12-inch rice-paper rounds

Preparation

Step 1

1. Rinse the rice in a fine-mesh sieve until the water runs clear. Transfer to a heavy-bottomed pot with a lid. Add 2 cups water and bring to a boil. Lower heat, cover and cook, until water is absorbed and rice is tender, 15 minutes. Remove from heat and let stand, covered, 10 minutes. Uncover, fluff with a fork and let cool.

2. In a food processor, combine rice and remaining ingredients and process to a fine paste. Thin with water, about 1/2 cup, until smooth and creamy. Transfer to a bowl, cover and chill. The sauce will keep, refrigerated, for up to 4 days.

3. Bring a pot of water to a boil over high heat. Add vermicelli and cook according to package directions until tender, but with some bite. Drain, rinse under cold running water, then very hot running water, and then cold.

4. Refill the pot with water, bring to a boil and cook the shrimp until bright pink, about 3 minutes. Use a slotted spoon to transfer the shrimp to a colander, rinse under cold running water and then drain on paper towels. Cut each shrimp in half lengthwise.

5. Return the water to a boil. Add pork, lower heat and simmer 20 minutes, until the meat is cooked through and juices run clear. Cool completely, then cut against the grain into 1/8-inch-thick slices.

6. For the shallot mayonnaise: Whisk the yolk well, then whisk in the shallot oil, a droplet at a time, until the mixture thickens and emulsifies. Add remaining oil in a thin stream, whisking constantly, until incorporated. Whisk in salt.

7. Fill a large bowl with very hot water. Working with 1 rice-paper round at a time, dip it in hot water until pliable, about 5 seconds. Remove from water and spread it flat on your work surface.

8. Lay a lettuce leaf over the bottom third, flattening it to crack the rib. Spread a generous teaspoon of mayonnaise over lettuce. Top with 3 mint leaves, arranged end to end, and a few slices of pork. Top with 1/2 cup noodles.

9. Fold in the left and right sides of the rice paper, then lift the bottom edge up and over the filling. Tightly roll away from you one turn, enclosing the filling completely. Arrange 3 pieces of shrimp, cut side up and end to end, in a row on the rice paper, then roll another turn to encase the shrimp. Continue rolling as tightly as possible, tucking in sides, until you have a compact cylinder. Cover with a damp kitchen towel. Repeat with remaining ingredients.

10. The rolls can be made up to 2 hours in advance and refrigerated, covered with the damp towel. Just before serving, cut each roll crosswise into thirds, Serve with peanut sauce for dipping.