This is a very busy time of year for wineries of the South Valley. Grapes are being harvested to be crushed. Many local wineries invite visitors to see the crush process in action. So, consider this an opportune time to pay them a visit, do some winetasting and of course, pack a nice picnic lunch. This week, I feature an item for your picnic lunch served in what I feel is a revolutionary method.
Santa Clara and San Benito counties have many wineries to choose from. Visiting wineries in Santa Clara County became much easier with the newly anointed Santa Clara Valley Wine Trail signage. Roadside signs direct visitors to various wineries, some of which I was not aware of until the trail was established. Once you choose a few wineries, call ahead to confirm visitors may watch the crush and if picnic lunches are allowed.
A picnic at a winery can be a simple but sophisticated affair. Most often, the items found in the picnic basket are foods which are eaten with the fingers. A well-stocked picnic basket include cheese, crackers and cured meats, but also consider serving seasonal fruit or simple pastries for dessert. Some wineries sell wine by the glass for those enjoying a picnic, which I consider a fair trade for the use of a wineries picnic facility.
With all the wonderful goodies in a picnic basket, green salads are rarely seen. Serving a green salad can be logistically difficult and may seem out of place with the typical finger foods in a picnic basket. That is about to change.
I developed a brand new item I call the handheld salad wrap. The constructing is relatively simple and makes use of Asian rice paper wrappers, which are found in most grocery stores. A proper measured recipe is not featured, but I do include directions for the method as a guide and example. Most regular salad items may be used. I I suggest omitting wet ingredients as they may make the lettuce soggy. Accompanying items, such as hearts of palm, roasted red pepper or the tomato and carrots featured, should be cut into strips for easy assembly. Any lettuce, such as butter, romaine, leaf or spring mix may be used, but stay away from iceberg as it is structurally restrictive.
Handheld Salad Wrap
Ingredients
Lettuce, washed and center removed
Tomatoes, seeded and cut into strips
Carrots, shredded
Spring roll wrappers, eight to nine inches wide
Step 1: Working in batches, soak a spring roll wrapper in warm water until it becomes pliable and place the spring roll wrapper on a piece of plastic wrap. Add the lettuce two inches from the bottom edge of the rice paper and up to the center of the wrapper, leaving about one inch on the left and right side. Follow with the strips of tomato and carrot.
Step 2: Fold the bottom two inch edge up over the lettuce followed by folding the two sides toward the center. While keeping the lettuce tucked in and compact, use the plastic to roll the salad wrap and continue until it is sealed at the opposite end. Cut the salad wrap in the center at an angle and chill in an airtight container until ready to use. Serve with your favorite salad dressing for dipping.
