Coastal Mains
Tex-Mex Egg Rolls with Fresh Tomatillo Salsa
The Strategy:
Roasting fresh tomatillos, onions, and jalapenos yields a sweet and smoky salsa that pairs beautifully with these crispy egg rolls. Seasoning chicken breasts with a blend of chili and garlic powders before grilling ensures every bite of the filling is packed with bold flavor. Wrap the sliced chicken, black beans, sweet corn, and cheddar cheese tightly in egg roll wrappers and fry until golden and crispy.
Book: Canvas & Cuisine
Page: 158
Category: POULTRY
makes about 20 eggrolls
Ingredients
- 6 medium tomatillos, husks removed, cut in half
- 1 small white onion, peeled and cut into quarters
- 2 garlic cloves, peeled
- 1 small jalapeno chili, cut in half, seeded and deveined
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 ½ teaspoon coarse black pepper
- 1 teaspoon honey
- 3 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
- Vegetable oil spray
- 2 tablespoons olive oil, divided
- 1 small red onion, peeled and diced, about ½ cup
- 1 (15.5-ounce) can black beans, rinsed and drained
- 4 ears fresh corn, kernels removed from cobs, about 1 cup
- 1 (1-pound) package egg roll wrappers, about 20
- 2 ounces sharp cheddar cheese, grated, about ½ cup
- Vegetable oil, for frying
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375°.
- Place the tomatillos, white onion, garlic and jalapeno pepper onto a baking sheet that has been coated with vegetable oil spray.
- Season with some of the salt and pepper.
- Roast the veggies until soft and just beginning to brown, about 10 to 15 minutes.
- Remove from the oven and scrape the veggies into the bowl of a food processor.
- Pulse to combine.
- Add the honey and cilantro.
- Pulse once more. Taste and season with additional salt and pepper if needed.
- Pour the salsa into a bowl.
- Set the bowl on the counter while you move on to the chicken. Butterfly the chicken breasts to create 4 pieces.
- Mix together chili powder, onion powder, garlic powder and 1 teaspoon pepper.
- Season the chicken on both sides with about ¾ of the seasoning mix.
- Sprinkle the seasoned chicken with additional salt.
- Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a grill pan over medium-high heat.
- Grill the chicken breasts until golden on one side, about 4 to 5 minutes.
- Turn and cook until golden on the second side, about 4 to 5 minutes more.
- Transfer the chicken to a plate and tent with foil while you move on to the filling.
- Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a skillet over medium-high heat.
- Add the red onion and cook until soft, about 2 minutes.
- Add the black beans and fresh corn.
- Season with the remaining seasoning mix and additional salt.
- Cook until the corn begins to toast, about 3 to 5 minutes more.
- Slice the chicken breasts into thin pieces.
- Place 1 egg roll wrapper onto a cutting board.
- Place one or two pieces of chicken onto the bottom of the wrapper.
- Top with a spoonful of black beans and corn.
- Top with a bit of the cheddar cheese.
- Roll the wrapper once over the filling.
- Fold in the sides and continue wrapping.
- Brush the top of the wrapper with water to seal it together.
- Place the egg roll onto a baking sheet, seam side down. Continue with the remaining filling and wrappers.
- Pour vegetable oil into a pot about 3-inches deep. The oil should not reach higher than one third up the sides of the pan. Hot oil will bubble up when you fry the eggrolls.
- Heat the oil to 375°. You can use a candy thermometer to monitor the temperature of the oil.
- Place a baking rack into a baking sheet with rim (to catch the drips!).
- Place one eggroll into the hot oil.
- Add one or two more, depending on the size of your pot.
- Cook until golden, about 2 to 3 minutes. Use a slotted spoon or wire skimmer to transfer the eggrolls to the rack. Continue until all the eggrolls have been fried.
- Serve warm eggrolls on a platter with the salsa in a bowl on the side.
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The Heart of the Table
These egg rolls bring a festive, south-of-the-border energy to the table, making any gathering feel like a celebration. The warm, savory filling and the hot, crunchy wrapper invite guests to dig in with their hands, dipping into the zesty green salsa and sharing happy stories.
- a set of heavy-gauge, satin-finished stainless steel mixing bowls
- a platinum-grade non-stick silicone baking mat for consistent heat conduction
- a professional-grade forged high-carbon steel carving knife
- a large, hand-thrown ceramic serving platter with an organic rim
- a well-seasoned 12-inch cast-iron skillet with dual pour spouts
- a 7-quart enameled cast-iron Dutch oven with dual helper handles
Neighborly Grace
- THE PRESENTATION: Serve the warm egg rolls on a rustic stoneware platter with a bowl of the bright green tomatillo salsa in the center, garnished with fresh cilantro sprigs.
- THE POUR: A cold Mexican lager with a lime wedge or a sparkling hibiscus iced tea.
- THE VIBE: Covered Veranda. The evening is lively and warm as friends gather to share the crispy, savory rolls under festive string lights.
