Let the Good Times Egg Roll: Pimiento Cheese with Yum Yum Sauce

LAISSEZ LES BON TEMPS ROULER! I’ve gotten really excited about egg rolls.

I was developing a recipe for Tex-Mex egg rolls for work, and while that was fine, it mostly made me want, y’know, non-Tex-Mex egg rolls. And Texican fusion made me think about other ways you could go with the concept.

So, I decided to have a little fun - a ham-spiked deconstructed pimiento cheese with a spicy mayo Southern Yum Yum sauce on the side for dipping.

It seemed like a good fit. And, it was.

With no further ado ...

Southern Yum Yum Sauce

1/2 cup mayonnaise
1 tsp pickled pepper juice
1 tsp Dijon mustard
1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
1 tsp lemon juice
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
1/4 tsp smoked paprika

Pimiento Cheese Egg Rolls

2 quarts vegetable oil
8 oz. freshly-grated extra-sharp Cheddar cheese
4 oz. freshly-grated Colby cheese
1 jar (4 oz.) chopped pimiento peppers, drained
6 green onions, thinly sliced
1 TB chopped pickled jalapeno peppers
1/2 cup finely diced ham steak
12 egg roll wrappers
1 medium red bell pepper, julienned
1 cup shredded baby spinach or green cabbage
1 egg, beaten, with 1 TB water

Directions

In a small bowl, combine all ingredients for Southern Yum Yum Sauce. Transfer to serving bowl. Cover and refrigerate until ready to serve. 

Heat oil to 350°F in countertop electric deep fryer or in large Dutch oven.

In a medium bowl, combine cheeses, pimiento peppers, green onions, and jalapeno peppers. Stir in ham. Place egg roll wrappers on the work surface, on the diagonal (points facing north, south, east, and west). Spoon about 1/4 cup cheese mixture horizontally in line across center of each wrapper. Divide bell pepper and spinach or cabbage evenly among wrappers.

Brush top point of each egg roll wrapper with egg wash. Roll up egg roll from the bottom first, covering the filling, then tuck in sides and continue to roll all the way to the egg-washed top to secure.

Fry in two batches, 6 to 8 minutes each, turning once, until deep golden brown and 165°F in the center. Drain on paper towels for at least 3 minutes, then transfer to a cutting board and cut on the bias; serve with Southern Yum Yum Sauce and additional thinly-sliced green onions if desired.