New Orleans’ Irish Channel parade is legendary, and so, too, is my love of hygienically questionable cabbages being lobbed off floats by people who have been drinking for 6 hours. Our friends host a house party each year near the parade route, and my job is to bring reuben eggrolls. They’re ridiculously easy, and a great way to repurpose leftover corned beef.

This year, we brought 6 dozen eggrolls and garlicky, homemade Thousand Island dressing to the party – they disappeared within 40 minutes.

Reuben Eggrolls

(serves 12)

12 eggroll wrappers

1/2 lb. corned beef, sliced thin

1/2 lb. swiss cheese, sliced thing

1 cup, sauerkraut (drained – seriously. Who wants soggy eggrolls?)

5 T caraway seeds

Oil for frying

Small bowl of water + paper towel

Pastry brush (optional)

Pastry mat (optional)

Preheat your oil (filled halfway) in a cast iron skillet – you’ll want it to get to roughly 350 degrees. Meanwhile, on a clean, dry surface (hence the pastry mat), lay out your eggroll wrappers. Add a slice of cheese, followed by corned beef (either slightly shredded or coarsely chopped) to taste. Top with 1-2 T of sauerkraut and a sprinkling of caraway seeds. Using a pastry brush (or your hopefully very clean finger), lightly add water to the outer edges of the wrapper. Fold, seal, and drop in the hot oil.

Be sure to wipe up any moisture before placing a new wrapper on your prep surface. Fry the eggrolls until golden, and cool on a pastry rack. Serve with Thousand Island dressing, and enjoy.

Fun fact: corned beef as a tradition for St. Patrick’s Day dates from Irish immigrants buying their brined beef from kosher butchers.