Crispy Baked Egg Rolls

Ingredients

• 1 thick stalk lemongrass (coarse outer leaves discarded and tender leaves coarsely chopped)
• 2 cloves garlic (peeled and crushed)
• 1/2 inch fresh ginger (peeled and chopped)
• 1 shallot (coarsely chopped)
• 1 jalapeño
• 1 strip uncooked bacon (cut crosswise into 1-inch pieces)
• 1/4 cup fresh cilantro (packed)
• 1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt (plus more to taste)
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper (plus more to taste)
• 1/2 pound ground pork
• 2 teaspoons sesame oil (plus more for brushing egg rolls before baking)
• 1 cup finely chopped green cabbage
• 1 medium carrot (shredded)
• 4 green onions (finely chopped)
• 10 egg roll wrappers

Instructions

1. 1

   --- For the Egg Roll Filling: ---

2. 2

   Add first 9 ingredients to the bowl of a food processor (lemongrass through pepper). Process mixture until it becomes a paste, scraping down the bowl occasionally. Transfer to a medium bowl.

3. 3

   Add ground pork to lemongrass mixture and use your hands to combine, taking care not to over-mix. (I recommend gloves for this as raw jalapeño can cause severe skin irritation.)

4. 4

   Heat 1 teaspoon sesame oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add cabbage, carrot, and green onions; cook and stir until beginning to soften, 2-3 minutes. Add pork mixture; cook and stir, breaking into small pieces until pork is cooked through, about 5 minutes. Increase heat to medium-high and cook until most of the liquid has evaporated, 3-5 minutes. Remove from heat and set aside to cool (refrigerate to speed the cooling process).

5. 5

   --- Assemble and Bake the Egg Rolls: ---

6. 6

   Preheat oven to 400ºF.

7. 7

   Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

8. 8

   When filling has cooled, scoop 1/4 cup into an egg roll wrapper laid flat with a corner facing you. Fold bottom corner up over filling, then fold two opposite corners toward the middle. Roll up, burrito style, and place on parchment lined baking sheet. Repeat with remaining egg rolls. Arrange egg rolls spaced apart so they brown evenly.

9. 9

   Brush egg rolls all over with sesame oil.

10. 10

    Bake until golden brown, 15 to 18 minutes to your desired amount of crispness. Take care not to bake them too long which can result in a hard outer layer - you're after crispy! Serve.