Korean Spring Rolls with Lettuce-Herb Wrapper and Garlic Chili Sauce

Lettuce-Herb Wrappers

1 head Boston Bibb Lettuce

1 bunch fresh basil

1 bunch fresh mint

1 bunch fresh cilantro

Garlic Chili Sauce

2 tablespoons oil

2 tablespoons finely minced garlic

4 cups sugar

1 tablespoon + 1 teaspoon salt

1 quart apple cider vinegar

2 tablespoons crushed red pepper flakes

Start by making the Garlic Chili Sauce as this needs to simmer for almost one hour. Sauté minced garlic in the oil until it is fully cooked. Add remaining ingredients and stir to combine. Bring to a boil then allow the sauce to simmer until it has reduced to syrup. Test your sauce by streaking a spoonful on a cold plate. It should be sticky, not runny. Cool to room temp for serving.

Begin the Spring Roll filling by mincing all vegetables. Heat sesame oil in a large skillet on high heat. Add ground chicken, minced carrots, onion and celery and one teaspoon salt. Sauté until chicken is fully cooked. Add soy sauce and cook one minute more. Remove from pan and spread on a baking sheet. Allow this mixture to cool fully in the refrigerator. Be sure to take a taste and adjust with salt and pepper as needed.

While you are waiting for the mixture to cool, you can build the Lettuce-Herb Wrappers. Pick and rinse your bibb lettuce leaves. If you have purchased hydro-bibb at your local grocer this will be an easy job. Building your wrapper is merely layering one leaf of lettuce with one large basil leaf, one mint leaf and one sprig of cilantro. The lettuce leaf is the largest and will hold all other herbs in place as you wrap this around your finished spring roll.

Now return to your filling. If it is cooled it is time to start wrapping - the really fun part - and easy enough for the kids or your guests to help with. Remove the spring roll wrappers, which you can purchase from your grocery store and cover with a damp towel to avoid drying out. Beat your egg yolks in a small bowl and set to the side. Also, set up a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. You are now ready to roll.

With one spring roll wrapper placed in diamond-orientation in front of you, scoop about one tablespoon of the filling into the middle and spread into a line one inch from the left and right corners. Now, fold the bottom corner up one inch from the top corner; fold both the left and right corners into the center so they overlap by an inch. Brush a little egg yolk on the top flap to seal the roll as you fold it over like a round envelope. You should now have a perfect little spring roll!

After all your rolls are finished, heat your oil to 350 degrees in a deep pan. Your oil depth should be no less than three inches as you will be deep frying your spring rolls. Fry in batches being sure not to overcrowd your oil. Fry for two to three minutes or until golden brown.

Now enjoy your creation. Be sure to instruct guests to wrap their Korean Spring Roll in the Lettuce-Herb Wrapper before dipping into the spicy Garlic Chili Sauce - it makes for a truly original experience.