If you’re looking for some tasty, relatively quick lunch ideas, get folding and rolling and make a wrap. It’s a fun way of making a sandwich and there are myriad ways to fill them.
Today I offer three of those ways and my wrapper of choice is that flexible flatbread, a wheat tortilla. You’ll find those tortillas at every supermarket, often in a range of flavours.
For example, I used a spinach-flavoured tortilla to encase an Asian-style filling that featured curry-spiced quinoa, chicken, yogurt, chutney and vegetables. If you don’t use quinoa very often, buy exactly what you need from a bulk foods store or grocery store with a bulk foods department.
Quinoa should be cooked much as you’d cook rice or other grains, for about 15 minutes. It is very nutritious and, once cooked, can be enjoyed hot (as part of an entree or in a soup) or cold (which is how I used it in my wrap).
In another wrap I used a more fibre-rich, wholewheat tortilla. Its filling was made by making good old-fashioned tuna salad, and spiking its flavour with fresh lemon and black pepper. For added colour and texture, I also added some lettuce, pickles and grated carrot.
My last wrap was a French-style one made with a plain flour tortilla. As with a baguette, the plain tortilla creates a pleasantly neutral tasting backdrop for the rich fillings. Those fillings included smoky ham, creamy cheese, spicy mustard, mayonnaise and vegetables.
All of today’s wraps can be made in advance, sealed in plastic wrap and refrigerated until ready to serve. That makes them good candidates to pack for a work or school lunch.
If that sounds appealing, what I would do is assemble the ingredients needed for the wrap, cooking and mixing them where required, the night before needed, and refrigerate them. Before you go to work, make your wraps, pack them up, and you’ll be good to go.
How to wrap a wrap
The photos above show how to fold and roll a wrap.
Step 1: If the tortilla is a little firm, heat it in the microwave a few seconds, or seal it in foil and heat in the oven a few minutes to make it more pliable. Arrange filling ingredients in a rectangle in the centre of the tortilla.
Step 2: Partially fold the sides of the tortilla over the filling, and then start to roll.
Step 3: As tightly as you can, roll up the wrap
Step 4: Cut the wrap when you’re ready to serve it.
Ham and Brie Wrapswith Dijon Mayo
This French-style creation sees smoky ham, creamy cheese, spicy mustard, mayonnaise and vegetables encased in a wrap.
Preparation time: 10 minutes
Cooking time: None
Makes: 2 servings
2 (10-inch) plain tortillas
2 Tbsp mayonnaise mixed with 2 tsp Dijon mustard
100 grams thinly sliced smoked, country or old-fashioned ham
4 to 6 slices Brie cheese, (about 100 grams)
4 small leaves of butter or other lettuce
6 large cherry tomatoes, each quartered
1/3 cup thinly sliced sweet or red onion
• pinch dried tarragon
Set the tortillas flat on a work surface and spread the centre of them with the mustard-flavoured mayonnaise. Divide and make a row of the ham down the centre of each tortilla. Top the ham with two or three slices of the cheese. Top the cheese with the lettuce, tomatoes and onion. Sprinkle on some dried tarragon.
Fold the sides of each tortilla partially over the filling and then roll into a tight cylinder. Wrap and refrigerate each wrap until needed. (Wraps can be made several hours in advance.) To serve, slice each wrap in half, or into four rounds, and enjoy.
Lemony Pepper Tuna Salad Wraps
Lemon- and pepper-flavoured tuna salad is sealed inside a wholewheat tortilla.
Preparation time: 20 minutes
Cooking time: None
Makes: 2 servings
1 (170 gram) can chunk tuna, drained well and flaked
3 Tbsp mayonnaise, or to taste
1/3 cup finely chopped celery
1 green onion, thinly sliced
1/2 tsp finely grated lemon zest
1 Tbsp lemon juice
2 (10-inch) wholewheat tortillas
1/4 tsp coarsely ground black pepper, or to taste
1 cup shredded leaf or head lettuce
8 to 12 slices bread and butter or other pickles
1/4 cup grated carrot
Combine the tuna, mayonnaise, celery, green onion, lemon zest and juice, and pepper in a small to medium bowl.
Set the tortillas on a work surface. Make a row of shredded lettuce down the centre of each tortilla. Divide and make a row of the tuna mixture down the centre of each tortilla. Top the tuna mixture on each tortilla with three or four slices of pickles and some grated carrot.
Fold the sides of each tortilla partially over the filling and then roll into a tight cylinder. Seal in plastic wrap and refrigerate until needed. (Wraps can be made several hours in advance.) To serve, slice each wrap in half, or into four rounds, and enjoy.
Curried Quinoa and Chicken Wraps
These tasty wraps are rich with curried-spiced quinoa, chicken, chutney, yogurt and vegetables. You can use leftover roasted or grilled chicken for this, or meat that you have left over from buying a store-bought rotisserie chicken.
Preparation time: 20 minutes
Cooking time: About 15 minutes
Makes: 2 servings
1/2 cup quinoa
1/2 tsp mild or medium curry powder
1 cup water
1 Tbsp lime juice
2 tsp honey
• salt to taste
2 (10-inch) spinach-flavoured tortillas
1/4 cup thick Greek-style yogurt
2 Tbsp mango chutney, plus, if desired, some for dipping (see Note)
2/3 cup shredded or thinly sliced cooked chicken breast or leg
1/4 cup coarsely grated carrot
1/4 cup coarsely grated cucumber
2 green onions, thinly sliced
Combine the quinoa, curry powder and water in a small pot. Set over medium-high heat and bring to a boil. Cover the pot, lower the heat to medium-low, and cook, undisturbed, 15 minutes, or until the quinoa is tender and the water has evaporated. Spoon the quinoa into a bowl, mix in the lime juice, honey and salt, and cool to room temperature.
Divide and spread yogurt down centre of each tortilla. Top the yogurt with some of the chutney. Now divide and make a row of quinoa on each tortilla.
Divide and top quinoa with the chicken. Top the chicken with carrots, cucumber and green onion.
Fold over the sides of each tortilla and then tightly roll into a closed cylinder. Wrap and refrigerate each wrap until needed. (Wraps can be made several hours in advance.)
To serve, slice each wrap in half, or into four rounds, and enjoy. Serve with extra mango chutney for dipping, if desired.
Note: Mango chutney is available in jars in the Asian foods aisle of most supermarkets.
Eric Akis is the author of the hardcover book Everyone Can Cook Everything. His columns appear in the Life section Wednesday and Sunday.
