fried eggrolls

these suckers take a bit of manual labor but they are sure worth it in the end. the best thing about making your own eggrolls is that you can fill it with anything you like. get creative, try anything. its deep fried, so u know it will be good ;)

fried eggrolls

filling

1 teaspoon of grated fresh ginger

3 garlic cloves, finely minced

1 tablespoon soy sauce

1 tablespoon of sesame oil

1 tablespoon of mirin

1/2 teaspoon of ground ginger

1/2 teaspoon of salt

1/2 teaspoon of ground white pepper

1/2 teaspoon of cracked black pepper
1/2 lb of ground pork
10-12 raw shrimp, peeled, deveined and chopped into bite size pieces

1/2 head of cabbage

2 medium sized carrots

1/2 of onion

8 shitake mushrooms (cleaned, stems discarded)

1 tablespoon of soy sauce

1/2 tablespoon of sesame oil

salt and pepper

vegetable oil for frying

1 packet of large eggrolls skins

1 egg, beatened

in a bowl, marinate the ground pork with soy sauce, sesame oil, mirin, ground ginger, white black pepper, salt and pepper. let it marinate for about 20 mins.

in the meantime, finely shred the cabbage, carrots, onions and mushrooms. can be done in a blender or mandoline.

heat a wok or a large pot to medium high heat. add 1 tablespoon of oil to the hot pot and then add minced garlic and grated ginger. keep a close eye so it doesn't burn, only fry for about 30 seconds. add the ground pork and saute for 5 mins. add the ground pork and shrimp until no longer pink. add the cabbage, carrots, onions, mushrooms, remaining soy sauce and sesame oil and stir until softened, about 3 mins. adjust the taste with salt and pepper.

spread the filling mixture onto a large plate or baking sheet. slightly tilt the plate so the liquid drips to the lower end. cool for about 10 mins. discard the excess liquid.

when youre ready to roll, moisten two sides of the eggroll skin with the eggwash. on the opposite end, spoon 2 tablespoons of the filling mixture. fold the bottom corner up and roll to the middle of the skin. then fold in the side corners and continue to roll. the eggwashed sides will stick like glue. keep all the finished rolls on under a moistened paper towel until your ready to fry.

when you are ready to fry, fill large pot with about 1.5 inches of vegetable oil on medium high heat. it will take about 3-5 mins to heat up. carefully place an eggroll in the oil. if the oil sizzles, its ready for the rest. if not, the oil is not hot enough. don't crowd the pot with too many eggrolls, this will reduce the temperature of the oil, thus making your eggrolls an oily soggy mess. fry each side of the eggroll until brown, about 2-3 mins each side.

place the fried eggrolls on paper towel to dry and serve with soy sauce. no calories can be counted here. its pure fatty mcfattser.

bon appétit~!

bolognese sauce

what is there to say? its meaty. its comforting. it makes me happy.

hello bolognese.

mise en place

bolognese sauce
4-6 servings
1 cup of diced celery (2-3 stalks)
1 cup of diced carrots (2-3 medium size)
1 cup of diced onions (1/2 of a large size)
6 cloves of garlic, minced
2 bay leaves
1/4 teaspoon dried thyme
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
2 tablespoons of tomato paste
5-6 slices of bacon, diced
1 lb of ground beef
1/2 lb of ground pork
1/2 cup of milk
1.5 cups of red wine
1 jar of marinara sauce

to serve
2 packages of egg pappardelle noodles (trader joe's)
parmesan cheese

lightly salt and pepper the ground beef and pork and set aside. coat the bottom of a large dutch oven (or a large pot) with olive oil and place over medium-high heat. add diced celery, carrots and onions and stir until softened, about 8 mins. add garlic and stir for 2 mins. stir in the tomato paste and toss in the bay leaves, thyme and nutmeg and mix all together. push the veggies to the side of the pot and add the chopped bacon to the cleared spot, letting the fat render for about 3 mins. then add the ground beef and pork and let brown, about 10 mins. slowly stir in the milk, making sure it mixes well.

using your spatula, break up the clumps of meat. add the wine and stir well for about 3 mins. add the marinara sauce. place the lid on the pot, reduce the heat to low and let simmer for 30 mins. skim the oil off the top and discard.

when youre ready to serve, make the pasta noodles according to the package directions. serve the pasta with your favorite parmesan cheese!!

if you have leftovers, in individual serving size containers, put the left over pasta noodles to one side and spoon the sauce next to it. put it in the fridge and reheat in the microwave when youre ready to eat. i doubt it will last longer than a couple days in the fridge ;)

bon appétit~!