Shrimp Spring Rolls with Chimichurri Sauce

1. Pulse parsley, oil, rice vinegar, garlic, salt, black pepper, and crushed red pepper in a food processor or blender until chopped but not pureed. Transfer to a large bowl.

2. Stir lettuce, carrot, cilantro, mint, and green onions into chimichurri sauce. Let stand, stirring occasionally, 15 to 30 minutes.

3. Meanwhile, bring a saucepan of lightly salted water to a boil. Add rice noodles. Cook until just tender, about 3 minutes; drain. Rinse with cold water; drain again. Snip noodles into small pieces.

4. Pour some warm water into a pie plate. For each spring roll, carefully dip 1 rice paper into the water and transfer to a dinner plate. Let stand several seconds to soften. Put 1 parsley sprig and 2 shrimp halves just below the center of the paper; top with about 1/3 cup vegetable mixture and some of the rice noodles. Tightly roll up rice paper from the bottom, tucking in the sides as you roll.

5. Serve spring rolls with soy sauce and sprinkle with remaining crushed red pepper.

Cook's Notes:

Use 8-inch rice paper sheets.

You can use cilantro instead of Italian parsley or a combination of both in the spring rolls.

For a vegan version, substitute strips of firm tofu for the shrimp.