I was so excited after flipping through last month’s issue of Gourmet. I found a recipe that I was willing to try and actually wanted to eat! I know that Gourmet is a very popular magazine, but a lot of the recipes seem a little pretentious to me. Anyway, I LOVE LOVE LOVE jalapeno poppers, even the kind from the frozen section in the grocery store, which Tom has informed me are NOT an actual meal, so I should stop buying so many, so I was excited when he agreed to help me make these. They’re really not that hard to make, but ***DISCLAIMER*** don’t touch your eyes for like two days.
12 fresh jalapeños
3 oz coarsely grated Cheddar (1 cup)
3 oz coarsely grated Monterey Jack (1 cup)
1 teaspoon hot sauce
3 large eggs
1 cup plain fine dry breadcrumbs
2 teaspoons dried oregano
About 4 cups vegetable oil
SAUCE:
mayo
horseradish (Tulkoff’s is the best. It’s in the refrigerator section.)
1. Cut a lengthwise slit from stem to bottom of each chile. Make a crosswise incision at stem end, forming a T. Pry open enough to hold back long cuts (to expose ribs and seeds), then devein and seed using tip of a paring knife.
2. Stir together cheeses, hot sauce, 1/4 tsp pepper, and 3/4 tsp salt.
3. Fill chiles with cheese mixture, pressing seams closed after filling, so that cheese is compacted and chile retains its shape.
4. Lightly beat eggs in a small shallow bowl. Stir together bread crumbs, oregano, and 1/4 tsp each of salt and pepper in another shallow bowl.
5. Dip chiles in egg, letting excess drip off, then coat with bread crumbs, transferring to a work surface. Repeat coating with egg and crumbs to form a second layer.
6. Heat 2 inches oil to 325ºF in a medium saucepan. Fry chiles in 3 batches, stirring occasionally, until golden brown all over, 5 to 6 minutes per batch. Transfer to several layers of paper towels to drain. Return oil to 325ºF between batches.
7. Mix mayo and horseradish to desired taste for dipping.
We shared them with my parents and their friends. They were delicious, the cheese perfectly melted, and not too spicy. We ate them all. The recipe was requested. A success. The end.
