As we step into what is arguably the biggest munchies weekend in this country, I feel it is only right to give a shout out to one of the very favorite munchies I have ever set before a house full of folk.
Soul Rolls.
Nicely seasoned cooked ground turkey or chicken and onion, spooned over a bit of shredded cabbage, topped with cheese, then rolled into an egg roll wrapper and browned in oil before finishing in the oven.
Yummers!
And not too, too difficult to put together for a crowd, when you consider that you can do a lot of stuff ahead of time, if needs be.
The original recipe comes to us from Coolio on Food Network’s Celebrity Cook-Off a few years ago, and I’ve only made slight adjustments to suit our tastes and my pantry, though this time, I have come across a major win in making an already excellent munchie even better…
Dijon mustard (I like Trader Joe’s, because it has an almost horseradish like bite to it) spooned on top of the soul roll along with the pineapple barbecue sauce blend.
Yummy!
But first, let’s make the rolls…
INGREDIENTS
Soul Rolls:
•1 pkg egg roll wrappers
•2 tbsp olive oil
•1 lb ground turkey or beef
•1-1/2 tsp Seasoned Salt
•1 tsp ground black pepper
•1/2 tsp Aleppo pepper
•1 tsp garlic powder
•1 tsp paprika
•1 tsp dried parsley
•1 tbsp Sherry Peppers Sauce*
•2 cups diced sweet onion
•Veggie oil, for frying
•2 or 3 cups shredded cabbage – I used cole slaw mix from the produce section
•1-1/2 cup cups shredded jack cheese
•1/2 cup shredded Swiss cheese
Dipping Sauce:
•1-1/2 cup Barbecue Sauce
•1/4 cup Steak and Chop Sauce
•6 oz pineapple juice
•1 tbsp Jalapeño Jelly
Additional Topper:
•Dijon Mustard
Note: if you don’t have access to my pantry full of home made barbecue sauce, steak and chop sauce, and pepper jelly, by all means use you faves from the market. My Steak and Chop Sauce, for example, is similar to Heinz 57.
Make the dipping sauce by stirring the barbecue and steak and chop sauce together with the pineapple juice and pepper jelly in a ‘wave-safe bowl. ‘Wave for 90 seconds, stirring every 30 seconds, then transfer to a covered jar, let cool, and stash in the fridge until needed.
*No Sherry Peppers Sauce? No Problem! Simply add a bit of decent sherry (none of that “cooking” stuff) and a dash or three of your fave hot sauce, to taste.
Warm two tablespoons of olive oil in a skillet over medium high heat, then add the ground 
turkey, onion, and seasonings and cook, stirring to break up the meat, until the onion is tender and the meat has browned and cooked through. Remove from the heat and set aside to cool before making the rolls.
Place an egg roll wrapper on an angle on a flat surface and place a small bowl filled with water nearby.
Sprinkle one tablespoon or so of the shredded cabbage across the wrapper, just below the center as shown in the image above.
Dip your fingers into the bowl of water and dab the top and two side corners of the wrapper.
Top the cabbage with a tablespoon or two of the cooled meat and onion mixture, then top that with the shredded cheese.
Fold the bottom of the wrapper up and over the filling.
Fold the two sides in as shown, pressing down a bit so that those dampened edges will help to seal the sides.
Gripping the roll from the bottom, fold up and over, nudging gently to tighten up the filling, finally bringing the dampened top flap over and sealing that as well.
Place the roll, seam side down, on a rack or a platter, and fill the remaining wrappers.
I ended up using all 19 wrappers in the package, with meat mixture and shredded cabbage leftover to add to a soup is was making the next night for dinner.
Heat some veggie oil in a skillet over medium heat, then add the soul rolls, a few at a time, do not crowd the pan, and cook, turning the rolls, until all sides are lightly browned, mebbe five minutes per batch.
Arrange the browned Soul Rolls on a paper towel lined platter and brown the remaining rolls, add more oil as needed.
Once all the rolls are browned and drained, you can cover and stash ’em in the fridge until folk are about to arrive.
Note: For advance prep, I would cook the ground turkey and onion a day ahead and stash in the fridge; then fill and brown the Soul Rolls the morning of your gathering.
Once folk are imminent, heat your oven to 400º and place a rack into a large baking pan. Arrange the Soul Rolls in a single layer on the rack and bake in the hot over for 15 to 20 minutes, until nicely heated through and mebbe even a bit more brown.
Serve with the dipping sauce, and don’t forget the Dijon mustard!