Tampa-Style Cuban Egg Rolls :: Super Bowl 2021!

Tampa-Style Cuban Egg Rolls

Tampa-Style Cuban Egg Rolls for the Super Bowl 2021!

Hey guys! So the #Superbowl 2021 is near and I am so excited that it’s going to be in #Tampa, Florida this year, because this is MY TOWN now, and I can’t wait for the festivities to begin! (GO BUCS!!!) I was recently invited to participate in the Twin Dragon Blogger Challenge, and I decided to make these Tampa-Style Cuban Egg Rolls to celebrate the occasion as well as my city, using their Twin Dragon Egg Roll Wrappers.

Twin Dragon Egg Roll Wrappers

I love these egg roll wrappers, because they are basically an empty canvas for any appetizer and you can get creative and fill them with anything you like! Whether you fry them or bake them, they are super easy to work with and come out perfectly crispy and delicious every time.

Tampa-Style Cuban Egg Rolls

I’m sure you have all heard of the famous Cuban sandwich right? Well these delicious crispy egg rolls are a spin-off on the Tampa-style sandwich and they taste just as amazing!

Cuban Sandwich
photo: Columbia Restaurant

Over a century ago, Spanish-Cuban immigrant Casimiro Hernandez Sr. created a sandwich at his famous Columbia Restaurant in Ybor City in in Tampa, Florida called the ‘Mixto’. He wanted to honor the immigrants who first moved into the neighborhood, and a tribute to the city of Tampa. This famous sandwich has layers and layers of good things all baked into a crispy sandwich on Cuban bread: Ham for the Spaniards, Genoa salami for the Italians, Mojo roast pork for the Cubans, and Swiss cheese, pickles, and mustard for the German and Jewish immigrants.  

My Tampa-Style Cuban egg rolls are the absolute perfect appetizer – made with juicy roasted Mojo pork, ham, melted Swiss cheese, Genoa salami, dill pickles and a drizzle of mustard – all wrapped up in a crunchy baked egg roll. They’re served with a tangy dipping sauce I made with three types of mustard (yellow, Dijon and grainy), mayonnaise, a dash of hot sauce and chives…delicious little bites for the #Superbowl or any game day, party or gathering!

Cuban Mojo Pork

#Mojo is a classic #Cuban Garlic-Citrus marinade used in traditional Caribbean and Spanish cooking for added zest to chicken, shrimp, and pork. It’s made with (key) lime juice, orange juice, onion, garlic, salt, oregano, cumin and olive oil; and is an essential ingredient for the classic Cuban sandwich and of course, my Egg Rolls! I used Nellie + Joe’s Key West Style Mojo Criollo which you can find at Publix grocery stores or buy online. You can also choose to make your own Mojo marinade – here is a great recipe online.  

Cuban Mojo Pork

First, cut a few slits in the pork, pour the marinade over the pork in a plastic baggie and seal up to let marinate for a few hours up to overnight in the fridge. Roast the pork in a dutch oven for about 35-45 minutes until the pork is at least 145 degrees F in the center. (Rule of thumb for pork loin is approximately 20 minutes per pound and this was a 2 pound boneless roast). Let the roast cool a few minutes, then slice into thin pieces.

Prep ingredients

Cut the other ingredients (ham, swiss, salami, pickles, yellow mustard) and get ready to make the egg rolls. This is the fun part!

Prep Egg Rolls

Start a little egg roll making station like I did above and get movin’ on these delicious crispy bundles of goodness.

build egg roll with layers

First, lay the egg wrapper on a baking sheet or tray and wet the edges all around with some water. Start layering the ingredients in the center bottom of the wrapper: ham, cheese, salami, pork, pickles and a top with a drizzle of mustard.

Wrap egg rolls

Roll up each egg roll wrapper from the pointy end at the bottom, fold in the sides and roll up to seal.

Prep egg rolls to bake

Place the egg rolls seam side down on a parchment (or foil-lined) baking sheet. Brush the egg rolls lightly and evenly with oil or melted butter. Bake for 10-12 minutes, then flip and cook another 10-12 minutes more, until they are crispy and golden brown. 

Make the Mustard-Mayo sauce

Meanwhile, make the dipping sauce with the Dijon mustard, mayonnaise, hot sauce, yellow mustard and grainy mustard. Throw a few chives in there too, and set aside in the fridge until ready to serve. Bake the egg rolls

Once the egg rolls are done, let them cool for a few minutes before serving.

Place egg rolls on a platter with sauce on the side

Serve them on a platter and garnish with more chives…serve the dipping sauce on the side.

Tampa-Style Cuban Egg Rolls

Absolutely delicioso and totally addicting! And you’ll be able to celebrate the Superbowl in style, Tampa-style that is 🙂

Tampa-Style Cuban Egg Rolls :: Super Bowl #2021!

Yield: Makes 8 egg rolls or 16 egg rolls (cut in half.)

Ingredients

  • Egg Rolls:
  • 1 cup Cuban Mojo marinade (store-bought or homemade)
  • 2 pounds boneless pork loin, thin sliced
  • Garlic salt, to taste
  • Freshly cracked black pepper, to taste
  • 8 slices Black Forest ham, thin sliced
  • 8 slices Swiss cheese, thin sliced
  • 16 small slices Genoa Salami with peppercorns
  • 16 dill pickle slices
  • Yellow mustard, for drizzling
  • 8 Twin Dragon Egg roll wrappers
  • Melted butter or oil, for brushing
  • Spicy Mustard Sauce:
  • 1/2 cup Dijon mustard
  • 1/2 cup mayonnaise
  • 1 teaspoon yellow mustard
  • 1 teaspoon grainy old-style mustard
  • 1 teaspoon hot sauce
  • 1-2 tablespoons fresh chives, minced

Instructions

  1. Make Mojo Pork:
  2. Cut small slits all over the pork roast with a knife and place the roast in a large resealable baggie. Pour the Mojo marinade over the top; season with garlic salt and pepper. Seal and let marinate in the refrigerator for 3 to 6 hours, up to overnight. (See notes below*)
  3. When ready to cook the roast, preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Place the pork on a small rack or cut vegetables in a roasting pan or casserole dish and roast for about 40-45 minutes, until a thermometer inserted into the middle registers 145 degrees F. (cooking time is approx. 20-25 minutes per pound so adjust accordingly depending on the size of your pork roast.)
  4. Cool roast completely and cut into 8-12 thin slices, and store the leftover roast in the fridge for up to 1 week.
  5. Make the egg rolls:
  6. Turn the the oven heat up to 425 F. Cover a baking sheet with non-stick foil or parchment paper.
  7. Cut the ham, salami, Mojo pork and cheese into medium-size slices, about 2”x3”” wide (small enough to fit diagonally inside the center of the egg roll wrappers with room around to fold..eyeball it.)
  8. Layout the egg rolls flat on a work surface with a small cup of water nearby. Layer 2 slices each of ham, salami, pork, cheese and 2 pickle slices diagonally across the center of each wrapper, add a small drizzle of yellow mustard on top.
  9. Moisten the edges with water and roll the egg roll wrapper from the bottom, folding in the sides and rolling wrapper tightly to secure the edges. Lay the rolls flap side down on the baking sheet.
  10. Continue with the remaining egg roll wrappers.
  11. Lightly brush the egg rolls with melted butter or oil, evenly on both sides.
  12. Bake for 10-12 minutes, then flip and cook another 10-12 minutes more, until crispy and golden brown.
  13. Make the dipping sauce:
  14. Meanwhile, make the dipping sauce by mixing together the Dijon mustard, mayonnaise, yellow mustard, grainy mustard, hot sauce, and chives; cover and set aside in the fridge until ready to serve.
  15. Serve the egg rolls on a platter or tray with mustard-mayo dipping sauce on the side. Garnish with additional chives over the egg rolls, if desired.

Notes

You can double or triple this recipe for a larger crowd.

Mojo is a classic Cuban Garlic-Citrus marinade used in traditional Caribbean cooking for added zest to chicken, shrimp, and pork. It’s made with key lime juice, orange juice, onion, garlic, salt, oregano, cumin and olive oil; and is an essential ingredient for the classic Cuban sandwich. I used Nellie + Joe’s Key West Style Mojo Criollo which you can find at Publix grocery stores or online. If you choose to make your own marinade here is a recipe online.

https://www.theartfulgourmet.com/2021/02/tampa-style-cuban-egg-rolls-super-bowl-2021/

Tampa-Style Cuban Egg Rolls

Look at all this

Tampa-Style Cuban Egg RollsCRISPY. CHEESY. SAVORY. GOODNESS.

Tampa-Style Cuban Egg Rolls

Serve them with the tangy Mustard-Mayo Dipping Sauce..sooo good!

Cut egg rolls

Cut the egg rolls in half if you want smaller pieces…

DELISH!

Oh, and you may want to double or triple the recipe for a larger crowd – beware…I could eat the entire tray myself these are so good!

Tampa-Style Cuban Egg Rolls

If you want to make these yourself, you can find JSL Twin Dragon wrappers at Albertsons, Amazon, Instacart, Shaw’s, Von’s, Stater Bros, Lucky’s, Food Maxx, Fred Meyer, QFC, Target, Cub Foods, Rainbow Foods, Safeway, Associated Stores, Price Rite, Winco, Price Chopper, and Gelson’s.

For more great recipes and products by Twin Dragon, please visit them online at: 

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#ChefYaki #TwinDragon #JSLFoods #BloggerRecipeChallenge #TheArtfulGourmet #artfulgourmet #kristenhess

Buttery Maple-Mustard Chicken Thighs w/ Roasted Curry Cauliflower

Maple- Mustard Chicken

One-pot savory dishes are one of those things I crave when it’s cold outside because it’s cozy and warming and just plain darn tasty and easy to make. I also love roasting veggies in the Winter because they’re no-fuss when I’m busy doing other things and don’t want to stand over a stove all day washing dishes for hours afterwards. (Can you tell I’m ready for a holiday vacation? lol)

Maple Mustard Chicken 2

This recipe for Maple-Mustard Chicken Thighs is a perfect one-pot dish with a buttery, sweet, tangy sauce made with maple syrup, Dijon mustard (Kozlik’s is my favorite!), garlic and some Indian hot red pepper and Tandoori spices (a great blend of coriander, cumin, paprika, garlic, ginger, cardamom and saffron).

Roasted Curry Cauliflower

It’s baked together into a big pot of savory goodness (in my new purple KitchenAid ceramic baking dish..which I LOVE!), served with some Roasted Curry Cauliflower tossed in olive oil, cumin, curry powder, and garlic salt. Super easy and super delicious. I got my Indian spices at Penzey’s at Grand Central Market in NYC and the Dekalb International Farmer’s Market in Atlanta GA, but you can find them in almost any gourmet spice store or market or online on Amazon.com.

Maple Mustard Chicken 3

Savor every buttery, spicy, tasty bite.

Roasted Curry Cauliflower 2

Happy Holidays! xo

Maple Mustard Chicken w/ Roasted Curried Cauliflower

Buttery Maple-Mustard Chicken Thighs w/ Roasted Curry Cauliflower

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cook Time: 45 minutes

Total Time: 1 hour

Yield: 2-4

This is a savory Indian dish made with a buttery, maple-mustard sauce, served with roasted curry cauliflower with a hint of Tandoori spices and cumin.

Ingredients

  • Buttery Maple-Mustard Chicken Thighs:
  • 8 tablespoons unsalted butter
  • 1/2 cup maple syrup
  • 1/4 cup Dijon mustard
  • 1/4 teaspoon Indian red pepper
  • 1/4 teaspoon garlic salt
  • 1 teaspoon Tandoori spices
  • Freshly ground black pepper
  • 1 - 1 1/2 pounds boneless chicken thighs
  • Roasted Curry Cauliflower:
  • 4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
  • 1/2 teaspoon cumin seeds
  • 1/2 teaspoon curry powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon garlic salt
  • Dash of freshly ground black pepper
  • 1 large head cauliflower, cut into florets
  • Non-stick cooking spray

Instructions

  1. Buttery Maple-Mustard Chicken Thighs:
  2. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
  3. Add butter (cut into pieces), maple syrup, mustard, red pepper, garlic salt, Tandoori spices and black pepper to a ceramic or glass baking dish and melt butter with spices for about 5-7 minutes. Remove dish from oven and whisk ingredients together.
  4. Add chicken thighs to the baking dish, coating both sides of chicken with the buttery spicy sauce and bake in the oven for about 35-40 minutes, until chicken is cooked through.
  5. Serve chicken hot, with additional sauce drizzled over, with a side of Roasted Curry Cauliflower (recipe follows).
  6. Roasted Curry Cauliflower:
  7. Combine olive oil, cumin, curry, garlic salt and black pepper in a large mixing bowl.
  8. Wash and cut cauliflower into large florets and toss with olive oil and spice mixture, coating cauliflower evenly.
  9. Spray a large baking sheet with non-stick cooking spray and arrange cauliflower in a single layer.
  10. Roast at 375 degrees for about 45 minutes to an hour, until cauliflower is tender and browned. Toss the cauliflower occasionally while roasting to evenly brown.
  11. Serve hot with Maple-Mustard Chicken and some extra sauce on top, if desired.

Notes

Maple-Mustard Chicken recipe adapted from Apricot Lane Farms.

https://www.theartfulgourmet.com/2014/12/buttery-maple-mustard-chicken-thighs-w-roasted-curry-cauliflower/

 

 

A Sinfully Delicious Valentine’s Day Dinner

It’s that time of year again when love is in the air and we’re looking for a romantic dinner to make at home for Valentine’s Day. This is a sinfully delicious dinner menu that will surely impress your loved one – it’s fairly easy and quick to make too. After all, who wants to be slaving away in the kitchen when your sweetie’s in the other room?

You’ll love this savory steak recipe – sauteed and served with a cognac, cream and mustard sauce with a side of roasted garlic and roasted potatoes with garlic and herbs. The mixed greens salad is topped with a creamy shallot vinaigrette dressing and for dessert I’ve included a recipe for a sinfully delicious Chocolate Souffle with Grand Marnier, which can also be made with a splash of dark rum or raspberry Frambois liqueur. Who needs to go out in the cold when you can make a yummy dinner at home? Simply LOVE-LY.

Steak with Cognac Mustard Cream Sauce
Steak with Cognac Mustard Cream Sauce

Sauteed Steak with Cognac Mustard Cream 

Two 3/4 lb steaks (3/4 inch thick) – Delmonico, T-bone, Porterhouse, Sirloin, Strip
1 tbsp vegetable oil
Salt and fresh ground black pepper
4 tbsp cognac
4 tbsp heavy cream
1 1/2 tbsp plus 1 tsp Dijon mustard

Cut excess fat from the steaks and make small incisions around the outside where there is gristle to prevent steaks from curling.

Heat oil in a large skillet over medium high heat, and season steak on both sides with salt and pepper. When oil is hot, add the steaks and saute 2-3 minutes per side (rare) or 4 minutes per side (medium) and remove steaks to a platter, tenting with foil to keep warm.

Remove pan from the heat and discard any fat. Add the cognac, stirring with the juices and scraping brown bits from the bottom of the pan.

Return the pan to high heat and reduce the pan juices and cognac by half, about 3-5 minutes. Add the cream and continue to boil sauce until reduced by half again, about 3 minutes.

Stir in the mustard and remove from the heat. Slice the steak and pour the mustard cream sauce over the steak. Serve with roasted potatoes, garlic and mixed greens salad. A hearty bold red would be delicious to sip along with it!!

Roasted Potatoes with Garlic and Herbs
Roasted Potatoes with Garlic and Herbs

Roasted Potatoes with Garlic and Herbs

8-10 medium potatoes (Yukon Gold, Fingerlings or New Potatoes)
2-3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
4 garlic cloves, minced
2-3 tbsp chopped herbs (parsley, chervil, tarragon, chives or rosemary)
Kosher salt

Cut potatoes in quarters or eighths and drizzle them with olive oil. Sprinkle them with chopped garlic and herbs and some kosher salt. Place the potatoes on a baking sheet and bake at 350 degrees until golden brown about 45 minutes.

Roasted Garlic
Roasted Garlic

Roasted Garlic

1-2 heads of garlic
1-2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
Kosher salt

If you want to roast some garlic along with the steak and potatoes, simply chop up the top of the garlic head to expose the cloves, drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle some salt over them. Wrap in aluminum foil and roast until soft, about 40 minutes. Squeeze the garlic from the skin and mix in with the roasted potatoes and sauteed steak (or rub over toasted crusty French bread as a creamy garlic topping – YUM!)

Mixed Greens Salad
Mixed Greens Salad

Mixed Greens with Creamy Shallot Vinaigrette

1 egg yolk
2 tbsp wine vinegar (red, white or champagne)
1 tbsp Dijon mustard
2 tbsp minced shallots
3/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
Salt and pepper
4-6 cups mixed greens (arugula, endive, escarole or chicory)

In a small bowl, beat 1 egg yolk with 2 tablespoons of wine vinegar, Dijon mustard and minced shallot. Add olive oil in a slow and steady stream to the mixture and blend well with a whisk to emulsify into a vinaigrette. Add salt and pepper to taste. Add some fresh chopped herbs to the dressing if desired.

Note: Vinaigrette can be stored in the refrigerator for up to a week in an airtight container. Makes 8 servings.

Chocolate Souffle
Chocolate Souffle

Chocolate Souffle

7 oz semisweet chocolate, coarsely chopped
4 tbsp Grand Marnier (can substitute Raspberry Framboise liqueur or Dark Rum)
4 egg yolks
1/4 c sugar
8 egg whites, room temp

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Butter 6 individual souffle molds and coat with sugar.

Bring 2 inches of water to a boil in a medium saucepan and remove from the heat. Place chocolate and liqueur in a heatproof bowl and set it on top of the saucepan. Stir occassionally to melt the chocolate evenly. When the chocolate has melted, remove the pan and cool the chocolate mixture to room temperature.

In a medium bowl, beat the yolks to break up and add 2 tablespoons of the sugar gradually, and beat until the ribbon is formed. Add to the chocolate and blend. (Reserve some of the chocolate sauce for pouring into the center before serving).

Beat the egg whites with a whisk, adding the remaining sugar by tablespoons, to the stiff peak stage. Fold into the chocolate mixture and fill the molds 2/3 of the way full.

Place the molds on a baking sheet and bake until well puffed, 15 to 20 minutes. Crack the centers of the souffles and pour additional chocolate sauce into the center. Serve immediately while still warm.

Makes 6 servings.

Recipes from the Institute of Culinary Education, Techniques of Fine Cooking.

Crunchy and Luscious: Chicken Mushroom Croquettes

chicken-and-mushroom-croquettes
Chicken and Mushroom Croquettes
Chicken Mushroom Croquettes

Croquettes are delicious small fried food rolls – crunchy on the outside and soft and creamy on the inside. They are usually filled with mashed potatoes or minced meat such as beef or veal, poultry, fish, vegetables or shellfish (crab, lobster, shrimp and salmon are common). The ingredients are mixed together with fresh herbs and spices and oftentimes a creamy white sauce, then shaped into cylindrical patties, coated with breadcrumbs and deep-fried (or you can bake these in the oven if you prefer).

Originating in France, the word croquette means “to crunch”. Perfect for a cocktail party appetizer or just a luscious small dish, served with a salad and a glass of crisp white wine. Serve with a remoulade dipping sauce and a splash of lemon.

Croquettes

1 1/3 c chicken, finely shredded (white meat)
2/3 cup mushrooms, finely chopped (cremini and/or white button)
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp celery salt
dash of cayenne
dash of nutmeg
1 egg, beaten
1/2 c canola oil, for frying

Herb Cream Sauce

1/4 c butter
1/2 c flour
1 c. chicken stock
1/3 c cream
1/2 tbsp parsley, finely chopped
1/2 tbsp thyme, finely chopped

Remoulade Sauce

2 c mayonnaise
2 tbsp chopped capers
1 ½ tbsp chopped chives
1 ½ tbsp. chopped tarragon
2 tbsp chopped parsley
1 tsp chopped chipotle pepper
1 tsp Dijon mustard
Worcestershire sauce, to taste
Tabasco, to taste
Lemon juice, to taste

To prepare remoulade: In a medium bowl, whisk together mayonnaise, capers, chives, tarragon, parsley, chipotle pepper, and Dijon mustard. Add Worcestershire sauce, Tabasco sauce and lemon juice to taste. Cover and chill until ready to use.

To make the croquettes, first shred and chop the warm, cooked chicken (a rotisserie chicken is a fast and easy way to do this or you can use shredded parboiled chicken). Finely chop the mushrooms and mix in salt, celery salt, cayenne and nutmeg, mixing all ingredients together.

Make the herb cream sauce by melting the butter in a saucepan over medium heat and slowly adding flour, chicken stock, herbs and cream together, whisking thoroughly and often until the sauce is smooth and creamy.

Add the sauce to the chicken and mushroom mixture, then add one beaten egg until it has a moist but firm texture; set aside to cool. Shape into cylindrical patties and coat with breadcrumbs. Place croquettes in a frying pan in heated oil over medium high and fry until the croquettes have a crispy, golden brown crust, about 5-6 minutes, and drain on paper towels.

Serve with a side salad of mixed greens with lemon juice and olive oil dressing, a crisp white wine and remoulade sauce for dipping.

Makes 4  servings.

 

Other Croquette recipes you may enjoy:

Paula Deen’s Potato Croquettes

Alton Brown’s Tuna Croquettes

Anthony Bourdain’s Dutch Croquettes

Japanese Beef and Potato Croquettes (Korokke)

Saveur’s Salmon Croquettes

Indochine Kitchen’s Croquettes