Lobster Summer Rolls

Fred R. Conrad/The New York Times

By DAVID TANIS

TOTAL TIME

About 1 hour

For the summer rolls:

• 1 pound cooked lobster meat, diced
• 2 teaspoons grated ginger
• Zest of 1 lime
• 1/2 cup slivered scallions
• Salt and pepper
• 1 small cucumber, peeled
• 2 firm-ripe avocados
• Rice paper wrappers, 12-inch rounds (or use 8-inch rounds)
• 24 large basil leaves
• Cilantro sprigs from a small bunch
• Lettuce leaves, optional

For the dipping sauce:

• 1/2 cup lime juice
• 2 tablespoons light brown or raw sugar
• 1 tablespoon grated ginger
• 1 teaspoon fish sauce
• 1 small Serrano or Thai chile, sliced
• 1 tablespoon roughly chopped roasted peanuts

Preparation

1.

Make the summer roll filling: In a small bowl, combine lobster meat, ginger, lime zest and scallions. Season with salt and pepper, toss to coast and set aside. Slice cucumber lengthwise into thin julienne strips. Quarter and peel avocados.

2.

Fill a medium bowl with lukewarm water. To make each roll, dip a rice paper round into water until just softened, then remove and spread flat on a cutting board. (If you are using 8-inch rounds, dip 2 rounds for each roll, then overlap them as you spread them flat on a cutting board.)

3.

Lay 2 or 3 basil leaves along the bottom third of the softened rice paper round, then spread round with 2 ounces lobster mixture. Top with a few strips of cucumber and 1/4 of an avocado cut in chunks. Sprinkle with salt and pepper and press down to compress, then add a few cilantro sprigs.

4.

To roll up, fold sides of rice paper round toward its center, overlapping filling by an inch or so. Now, starting at bottom of round, begin to form a tight cylinder, rolling toward top. Repeat to make rest of the rolls. Put on a tray, cover and refrigerate for an hour.

5.

Make the dipping sauce: Mix together lime juice, sugar, ginger, fish sauce and chile. Let macerate at least 30 minutes.

6.

To serve, carefully cut each roll into 3 or 4 pieces, and stir chopped peanuts into dipping sauce. Place rolls on lettuce leaves, and serve with sauce.

YIELD

8 large rolls