Prairie Sushi (aka Tortilla Roll-Ups)

I teach a cooking class at our co-op. This semester I am basing it all on "fresh food", things I can get at the farm stands in the area. For our first day last week, I wanted something easy as I ease the class into cooking new things. I was inspired by the Pioneer Lady with this recipe and figured it would be a good one to start my class with.

When I told the students that we were making Prairie Sushi, I got the strangest looks. But when you see the picture, you can understand the name. Using a variety of fresh ingredients, wrapped up tightly in a tortilla shell does resemble traditional sushi.

The great thing about this recipe is you can use whatever your heart desires in it. You can make a lunch out of it or cut into pieces to serve as an appetizer.

We intentionally left the ends of the filling hanging out as we made them so when it was cut into pieces, it looked a bit dressy (and you weren't stuck eating plain pieces of tortilla). When spreading the cream cheese filling, make sure to spread it to the ends as this acts like a "glue" holding the wrap shut. You can use a variety of veggies or lunch meats. We made 2 varieties, one an all veggie using romaine lettuce (minus the spine), carrots, cucumbers and avocado. The other kind had carrots, cucumbers & chipped ham (use chipped lunchmeat, it just works better). You could even use some shredded cheese as well! And let me say, after julienning these things by hand, I SO want to buy this:

   

It would make some pretty cool zucchini noodles as well! It's on my list of things to get soon!

8 ounces cream cheese, Softened

1 Tablespoon chopped green onions or chives

1 Tablespoon minced fresh parsley

8 whole basil leaves, chopped 

 Salt And Pepper, to taste

1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice

8 whole taco sized flour tortillas

1/2 pound chipped turkey or ham

3 whole carrots, peeled And julienned

1 whole cucumber, seeds scraped out and julienned

3 leaves green leaf lettuce, spine removed

2 whole avocados, sliced

Make the herbed cream cheese by combining the softened cream cheese with the chives, parsley, basil, salt and pepper, and lemon juice. Stir to combine.

Spread cream cheese in a thin layer over the tortillas. Lay ingredients down the middle of the tortilla: for the turkey or ham rollup, use turkey/ham, carrots, and cucumber. For a "salad" rollup, use lettuce, carrots, cucumber, and avocado. Let the veggies extend past the edges on either side.

Roll up the tortillas as tightly as they'll go, then wrap each rollup in plastic wrap and refrigerate for one hour.

To slice, cut each rollup exactly in half, then line up the two halves and cut them in half again. Stand the end pieces up so that the veggies stick out the top.