Chorizo 'n Pork Fried Rolls with Egg and Scallion

Lumpia is one of those indelible foods that is a real family favorite during our New Year's celebration.  My son's mother's family is Japanese-American, and Grandma U makes THE most incredible Japanese and Asian-inspired dishes I have Ever eaten.  One of those dishes is Lumpia. Yes, I know Lumpia is a Filipino stuffed, fried roll.  My brother-in-law's wife and her mother gifted the family with Lumpia.  It has been a fam favorite for decades, now, and it has been made myriad ways with myriad fillings:  pork, beef, chicken and always, with vegetables. Fish, I bet, too, has been used, such as shredded shrimp.  Well, I had a major craving for Mexican food with chorizo and lumpia, all at the same time.  Not only that, but I wanted breakfast, too.  So what did I do?  I put them all together into one roll.  Not lumpia, not a chimichanga, not a burrito nor an egg roll, really.  I literally rolled them all into one! 

So in this recipe, which looks more complicated than it is, by-the-way, I use both Mexican beef chorizo and fresh ground pork.  I incorporate seasonings and fresh scallions to the mix.  While this is not a thirty minute meal, it is not one of those "takes forever" meals, either, and it is great to make when you have some dvr shows to watch, and rather than be a couch potato, you can be on your feet and productive while catching up.  Yes, that is my excuse, and I am sticking to it!  :)

Here is my staring line-up:
1 package (appx 16 ounces) Mexican beef chorizo  (or your favorite chorizo, even soyrizo, meatless chorizo)
1pound of ground pork
3 eggs, whipped with a fork
1 bundle (or six) scallions with excellent greens), sliced into one inch bites, whites and greens
a few spigs of fresh cilantro
1 Fresno chilis, finely chopped
1 serrano chili, finely chopped
1 tablespoons smoked paprika
1 teaspoon black pepper, separated
salt
3 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1/4 yellow or red onion, finely chopped
1 teaspoon ground cumin seed or 1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon chile pasilla or chipotle powder
1 tablespoon of aged Tamari sauce
2 teaspoons Sriracha sauce
3 tablespoons finely grated cheese (your favorite; I used grated - more like crumbled - Cojita, Queso Anejo, cheese)
1 package lumpia or egg roll wrappers
1 small bowl water
1 1/4 cup canola or vegetable oil  (or your favorite high heat frying oil)

Prepping the ingredients is actually the most difficult part of this entire dish, so not to worry.  I do have a confession to make, and I suppose this is the best time to do so.  I had BIG plans to make lumpia, and I thought I was so smarty by picking up lumpia wrappers at my local grocer.  Well, clearly, as you can see by the photo, I was not paying attention very well, as I obviously picked up egg roll wrappers.  Being reasonable and flexible, I have to call these fried "rolls", not lumpia.  I will get lumpia wrappers for New Year's and add photos to this or an updated post.  Fear not, lumpia die-hards, I can make this happen!

Over medium-high heat, add the chorizo to a skillet, making sure to squeeze or cut it out of its packaging.  If you use "soyrizo", which is all-vegetable chorizo, add a light drizzle of oil to the skillet as it has practically no oil nor fat whatsoever.  Beef and pork chorizo, on the other hand, contain a lot of it, so there is no need to add oil.  I used beef chorizo, so I did not add oil, obviously.  It renders immediately.  When the fat has fully rendered, drop the product into a tight colander and allow the fat to drain.  Set it aside.  In the same skillet or pan, add the ground pork.  Season with salt and pepper and a sprinkle of smoked paprika. Cook for about three minutes, then add the chiles, finely chopped onion and garlic, smoked paprika and the Tamari and Sriracha sauces. Cook for about five more minutes, until the onions become translucent. Add a half cup of the scallions just before reducing the heat. Remove the meat and veggies from the heat and set aside for ten minutes to cool.

Meanwhile, in the same skillet, no oil needed, add the finely whipped eggs over medium-high heat.  Once it begins to bubble on the sides, reduce the heat to medium.  You are making a very thin layer of egg, almost an egg crepe.  Season with salt and pepper, smoked paprika, and the sprinkle the cheese all about the thin  layer as it bubbles.  When the sides have solidified, carefully flip it and reduce the heat immediately.  Remove the egg layer to a flat plate (no rim) and, using a pizza cutter, which I find easiest to use, cut it into half-inch slices, and then slice across the center diameter. You will probably have some extra egg slices left over, whch are you to snack on.  That's not a problem for you, right?  Didn't think so.  Just like me!  

   While the meat mixture cools, time to set up your roll construction line.  It is a bit of a puzzle process if you have a small kitchen, like I do.  But if I can make it happen, Anyone can.  Trust me.  Here is part of my arrangement on my little counter top. 

My set up is easy for me, but set up your space for your own comfort.  I take a wrapper lay it on a plate. I take an egg slice, top it with fresh scallion greens), add two spoon fulls of the meat mixture, wet the full edges of the wrapper with my fingers which I dip in the water.  I fold in the sides (right and left first, then roll from the counter edge (my tummy) forward.  

You can see I have moistened the wrapper sides, and have folded the sides inward.  That keeps the filling from slipping out during frying. 

The sides were folded and moistened, and now roll forward from your tummy.  Place the roll on a plate covered with a moistened paper towel or moistened kitchen towel.  

Once you have completed rolling the mixture into wrappers, set them in the refrigerator for about fifteen minutes, still covered, to set.  In a few minutes, add the frying oil to a large skillet or your deep fryer (in which you will need more oil than I'd posted in my ingredient list).  Just to let you know, the oil heats up quickly and the rolls begin to brown up quite rapidly, so do not walk away from this part to use your tv remote!  It takes perhaps two minutes per side, or three-four minutes, tops, in your deep fryer. Below is my fry set up.  I have a baking sheet off to the left with a rack in it, and the oven is set to 250-degrees.  I place the rack in the warm oven to keep the rolls crispy until I am ready to serve.  I do the same with fried chicken and other dishes I must cook in shifts.  Don't you?

 

 

Below is the first of my rolls frying. The aroma is amazing.  I am sure you will wish you had "smellaputer"!

I knew better, but I added garlic powder to flavor the oil before frying.  I knew better.  I should have added a crushed garlic clove to the oil to flavor it before heating up. Next time. Live and learn.  That is what it is all about!

 

I arranged my fried chorizo and pork rolll on my favorite Japanese serving platter.  I also made a dipping sauce. Here is what I did (no photo, sorry):  to half a cup of mayo (but plain yogurt would be just as great) I added a teaspoon of finely chopped fresh ginger and garlic, each, a teaspoon of tamari sauce and sriracha sauce, each.  I crowned it with a tiny pinch of black pepper and a splash of apple cider vinegar.  I realize that my dipping sauce would have been much better had I made it much earlier in the day, or even the night before.  Again, live and learn.  It is what my blog is all about.  Learning and enjoying fun with food. 

 

This is a fun and spicy dish.  It is perfect for finger food entertaining.  It has something for everyone, and the dipping sauce is a crowning delicious glory.  I hope you enjoy! 

Itadakimasu!