Featured Recipe
Duck Spring Rolls
By Kate
"
Fresh spring rolls loaded with shredded confit duck, crisp julienne vegetables, and vermicelli noodles. Comes with a tangy hoisin-peanut dipping sauce twist. Uses rice paper wrappers softened just right to hold the filling without tearing. A no-fuss, hands-on assembly and minimal cooking required. Great for gatherings or light meals.
"
Prep:
45 min
Cook:
5 min
Total:
50 min
Serves:
12 to 14 rolls
appetizers
Asian Fusion
gatherings
light meals
Introduction
Confit duck in rolls? Yes. Layers of structure, texture, aroma. The crunch of cucumber and carrot, soft vermicelli held in tender rice paper. Mandarin herbs or Thai basil release fresh punch with every bite. Don’t over soak rice paper — it breaks, sticks, ruins lunch. Taste the sauce early — balance sweet, salty, nutty. Peanut in the sauce? Adds body, richness. It’s the kind of recipe that forces you to slow down, feel the wrapper texture, roll tight. Hands sticky, focus sharp. Duck juices mingle with fresh herbs, surprising every bite with a smoky fragrance, fresh hits of anise from fennel and brightness from pepper strips. No messy cooking here — just assemble with intention and patience.
Ingredients
Sauce
- 150 ml hoisin sauce
- 75 ml water
- 30 ml creamy peanut butter
- 70 g vermicelli rice noodles
- 12 to 14 rice paper wrappers, 23 cm diameter
- 2 Lebanese cucumbers, thin julienne
- 375 ml shredded confit duck thigh meat
- 2 scallions, thinly sliced
- 1 red bell pepper, thin strips
- 1/3 fennel bulb, thinly sliced lengthwise
- 120 ml baby arugula
- 18 fresh Thai basil leaves
- 1 small carrot, julienned (replacement for half fennel)
Rolls
About the ingredients
Rice paper wrappers vary; cheap ones split easily. Quick soak, 8-12 seconds, then rest between damp towels for perfect pliability. Vermicelli noodles should be soft but have bite — 4 to 6 minutes soak, test often. Substitute carrot for half fennel for subtle sweetness and crispness contrast if fennel is too strong. Fresh basil gives aroma important for contrast to rich duck. For sauce, adding peanut butter thickens and balances hoisin, which can be overly sweet alone. Adjust water to thin or thicken sauce to desired dipping consistency. Keep sauce refrigerated or sauce tends to separate; give it a stir before serving.
Method
Sauce
- 1. Whisk hoisin, water, and peanut butter in bowl until smooth. The peanut butter adds richness and slightly thickens without overpowering. Chill until serving makes flavors meld. Adjust with more water if too thick.
- 2. Pour boiling water over vermicelli in heatproof bowl. Soak 4 to 6 minutes until soft but not mushy. Drain, rinse cold immediately. Squeeze out excess water. Overcooked noodles lump, so test texture.
- 3. Set large shallow dish with hot water. Dip one rice paper wrapper at a time, fully submerged 8 to 12 seconds. Watch closely—the wrapper softens fast, turns slightly translucent and pliable but not sticky. Remove carefully, drain on dry kitchen towel. Avoid overlaps to prevent sticking. If wrappers start sticking together, use separate towels.
- 4. Lay wrapper flat. On near edge, place a small handful julienned cucumber and carrot together for crunch and color. Add about 25 ml of duck, small mound vermicelli above. Scatter 2 ml scallions, strips of pepper and fennel on the far side opposite cucumber. Top with a few arugula leaves, then two Thai basil leaves nested. Distribute evenly; uneven piles cause tearing or difficulty rolling.
- 5. Fold sides inward gently over filling to prevent spillage. Roll tightly from cucumber edge toward arugula end, feeling wrapper tension tighten but not snap. Secure by pressing edge firmly against roll. Wrappers that tear? Let soak less or more, or use different brand. Too dry tears, too wet sticky.
- 6. Cover assembled rolls with damp towel, prevent drying and cracking. Let rest 5 minutes so wrapper sets firm. If making ahead, wrap individually in plastic wrap, refrigerate max few hours. Serve rolls cold or at room temp.
- 7. Serve with peanut-hoisin dip chilled. Stir before serving; peanut sauce separates. For variation, sprinkle crushed roasted peanuts on top or drizzle chili oil for heat. Swap arugula for watercress or mint for herbal kick.
- PRO TIP: Use gloves or wet hands when handling softened wrappers — dry skin causes breakage. Prep ingredients ahead to assemble quickly. Always taste sauce; hoisin sweetness varies, balance peanut and water accordingly.
Rolls
Technique Tips
Softening the rice wrapper is crucial — timing is everything. Over-soaking results in tears; under-soaking means cracking when folding. Practice dipping a test wrapper, watch it translucence and texture. Assemble on a dry towel to prevent sticking. Use your fingers, not a fork, to arrange filling; delicate ingredients bruise easily. Roll from filled edge to tight cylinder using your fingertips to keep filling tight but wrapper intact. Cover rolls with damp towel to keep moist until serving; drying wrapper turns brittle and cracks. Sauce benefits from chilling to meld flavors, stir well before use to recombine separated ingredients. For leftovers, wrap in plastic wrap individually to avoid drying out or sticking together. Rolls taste best fresh but chill briefly if needed.
Chef's Notes
- 💡 Over-soaking rice wrappers leads to tears. Watch for translucence. Use hot water for quick softening. Don't let wrappers sit too long.
- 💡 Julienne vegetables for crunch, color. Thin strips mean easier rolling. Mix arugula and basil for flavor. Avoid sad, soggy rolls.
- 💡 Vermicelli should be soft yet firm. Test multiple times in hot water. Rinse cold immediately; drains excess. Timing is key.
- 💡 When rolling, tightness matters. Roll from edge; feel tension. Too loose? Risk spilling; too tight? Wrapper snaps. Find balance.
- 💡 Store leftover rolls covered. Prevent drying with damp towel. If making ahead, wrap each roll tight. Refrigerate but enjoy fresh.
