Travel the World One Plate at a Time

So many delicious meals happen when well spiced food is rolled up inside a wrapper. Cultures and countries all around the world have some version. From Eastern Europe's pierogi, to the China's Dim Sum style of dumplings, South of the Border's enchiladas (and flautas and tamales and so many more), France's Crepes, Russia's blinis and Americans have taken them all in with in a sort of culinary reverie. As we get lost in the food, sometimes we forget the origins. Described by some as a melting pot of culture, when it comes to food, Americans truly are such.  What was once distinctly foreign, becomes a common meal in our homes.

And why not? With one bite, you can travel farther than your body could travel in a lifetime. In one day of eating, you could move around the globe, starting in Parisian café, biting delicious and delicate rolled crepes, darting to a Mexican taco stand for a snack, winding down the night with caviar and blinis and finishing with in the delight of trays of steamed dumplings in a traditional Dim Sum restaurant.  Sounds amazing right? I believe to eat of other cultures is to try to understand them better, on a deeper human level. So much of our history stems from the traditional food we cook. It makes the saying, 'you are what you eat,' a little more prolific. Remembering where your food originated  from can only add to the experience.

So whether it's to enrich your personal culture, celebrate the ancestors that helped get you here or to simply enjoy a good meal, take some time and get into the kitchen this week.   

For this week's recipe, I wanted to blend the cultures Asian, Indian and Latin America. I love the idea of a steamed dumpling, covered in a mild curry like sauce and baked. Hence, my recipe of the week is a globe trotter: 

Egg-roll Enchiladas 

 1 package of wonton wrappers

1 lbs. of ground pork, chicken or turkey

1 bunch, scallions, divided white section from the green

3 large carrots, shredded

1 inch section of fresh ginger root 

1 15 oz. can of chicken stock

1 tsp. coriander

2 limes, juiced 

1 cup of shredded Napa cabbage 

1 bunch of cilantro, leaves only, chopped

In a large skillet, add the ground meat and brown quickly. Toss in the cabbage, 1 cup of the shredded carrot, half of the sliced green section of scallion, all the cilantro and coriander. Stir constantly for one minute and turn the mixture out into a large bowl to cool. 

In a blender, add the rest of the shredded carrot, ginger root, chicken stock, white section of the scallion, juice of limes. Blend very briefly on high until the mixture has some body but is combined. 

On a large cutting board, set out your supplies: Wonton wrappers, a small bowl of water and a clean towel. You'll want to wipe the board down after each wrapper is filled and folded. Use this visual tutorial to assemble and finish your egg roll enchiladas. 

  

 Start with a blank canvas on a clean board. 

 

Add about 1/4 cup of your mixture. 

 

Fold one corner over the mixture and wet the edges with water on your fingertips. 

 

Fold the outside corners on top of your first corner and wet them to seal in the goodness. 

  

Pour 1 cup of your sauce in the bottom of a large baking dish and assemble the rest of your wraps. 

 

Cover the wraps with the rest of your sauce the reserved green sections of the scallions. 

 

Set your oven to 350 degrees and bake uncovered for 30 minutes or until the top is a nice golden brown. 

 

Plate on a bed of baby greens and enjoy! 

Serving size is one wrapper per person, unless you are my fiance who liked them so much, he had four :) I'll take that as a compliment!