Steak & Kimchi Summer Rolls

From a long string of vegan recipes to bacon followed by steak.  That’s how it goes here in the Messy Kitchen because, well… that’s how we eat!  Don’t these Summer rolls look delectable?  I’ve been wanting to make them for some time now, but just now made the plunge.  Let’s be honest, the ingredient list is a little intimidating.  I need some practice assembling Summer rolls, as these were hardly the beautiful intact rolls I found on Pinterest.  But they tasted good, and that’s all that matters!  I will warn you these don’t make the best leftovers, which I learned only because my occasionally picky husband was grimacing about the texture of the rice paper and the taste of the kimchi.  More for me!  But next time I’d recommend preparing all the filling and making the rolls fresh right before serving.

Steak & Kimchi Summer Rolls

From The Girls on Bloor

Ingredients:

• 2 lean striploin steaks (~1lb)
• 1 cup kimchi
• 12 medium-sized rice paper wraps
• 1 cucumber, julienned
• ½ red pepper, thinly sliced
• 1 package enoki mushrooms (I couldn’t find them, so I used shitake!)
• ½ package bean sprouts
• 3 carrots, julienned
• Sesame oil, olive oil and soy sauce/soy substitute for cooking

*Marinade:

• 4 tbsp soy sauce {or tamari (gluten-free)/coconut aminos (paleo)}
• 1 tbsp lemon juice
• 1 tbsp lime juice
• 1 tbsp fresh garlic, minced
• 1½ tsp honey
• 1 tsp sesame oil
• 1 tsp chili garlic sauce
• 1 tsp Sriracha hot sauce  

*I made a second batch of this and turned it into a dipping sauce!

Instructions:

1. Mix together marinade ingredients and marinade steak for at least 45 minutes (or up to 3 hours) in sealable plastic bag.
2. Meanwhile, prepare vegetables using a hand slicer, sharp knife or mandolin.
3. Heat 1 tsp sesame oil in a medium-sized frying pan and fry enoki mushrooms and bean sprouts with 1-2 tsp of soy sauce (or substitute) for 3-4 minutes until vegetables are softened and cooked. Take off heat and set aside.
4. Remove steak from marinade and pat dry slightly. Add 1 tbsp olive oil in large frying pan until oil is smoking. Add steak and cook for 2-3 minutes per side until cooked medium rare (or longer if you like your steak ruined well done. 
5. Fill a large shallow plate with warm water.  Submerge rice paper wrap in water for 10 seconds, smoothing outwards with your fingers. Lay on a clean, flat surface while still semi-firm. They will soften. 
6. Assemble wraps by putting a small amount of each ingredient in the centre of the rice paper wrap and then folding top over by stretching the rice paper wraps. Tuck in each side while squeezing the wrap together, much like with a tortilla wrap. Finally, stretch the final half over and make stick with a tiny bit of water if necessary.

Serves 3-4

Johanna