Kitchen Garden Forum

Hi all

Crikey arent Jalapenos HOT!?!

I'm growing them for the first time because we enjoy Jalapeno poppers at the local mexican restaurant. For those who dont know they are half a pepper filled with cream cheese and deep fried in breadcrumbs. Absolutely delicious and very mild.

We got all the makings last night and Mrs David, thinking they were mild put one to her mouth to bite it but luckily didnt get further than brushing it with her lips and tongue before the excruciating truth became clear - they are very hot! Of course idiot that I am I thought I would test out just how girly she was being by licking one myself - yes you're right my end of the gene pool is particularly shallow.............

So the point of this message is to ask have I got a different strain of the beast from the restaurants or are they doing something to lower the ferocity before they serve them?

Any advice gratefully received as I have at least 30 of the devils currently sniggering at me when I go in the greenhouse.

David

I think they lose a lot of their heat when you cook them.

Jalapenos are quite low down on the Scoville scale and are listed as mild/medium I believe.

Thanks Chantal, on your advice I have made some and you are right.

The bite is still there but manageable and they are delicious.

David

Crikey, you're a trusting soul I'm very glad I was right.

Mmmmm, somebody went into outerspace last year if my memory serves me right.

Wasn't he called Mr Potato Head JB?

Just an update on this.

The first batch were done in the oven and although they leaked some cream cheese were great.

I then tried a method which involved freezing for two hours then deep frying for a few minutes.

I have to report this method does not affect the heat of the pepper in any way but I may have invented a new Red Indian War Dance!!

Phew, it seems obvious now that it is the time they are heated for that makes the difference not the temperature.

So lets be careful eh?

David

these sound fab - can you explain exactly how you go about making them? and can you freeze them once they are made to reheat later on ???

Thanks for the info David and also for a really good laugh

Very visual David. Would you like me to send you a few really hot ones? I need them testing before I subject my delicate constitution to such an assault!

Now there's a thought. I have a few Habanero that look a bit extreme and could provoke rather more than a war dance.

So this is the caring face of KG Ive heard so much about............lets all laugh at thicko over there!

This the frozen recipe that had me dancing! I have also done them in the oven but am experimenting with ways of stopping the cheese running out as it melts. One way I am going to try is to cut off the top and hollow them out, fill with cheese and cook standing up - might work, who knows?!

I found some great cheese for this, if you've seen 'Seriously strong' cheese in Tescos they now do it as a spread which is 'Seriously Good'- try it.

Jalapeno Poppers
Jalapeno peppers are stuffed with a cream cheese mixture then battered and deep fried to make delicious little appetizers.
INGREDIENTS:
• 12 jalapeno peppers, sliced in half lengthwise, seeds removed
• 8 ounces cream cheese, room temperature
• 2 eggs, beaten
• 2 tablespoons water
• dash salt
• 1 cup plain dry breadcrumbs
• oil for deep frying
PREPARATION:
Fill jalapeno pepper halves with cream cheese and press halves back together. Combine eggs, water and salt. Dip jalapeno peppers into egg mixture and into breadcrumbs. Place on a cookie sheet and freeze for 2 hours.

Heat oil in deep fryer to 370°. Deep fry peppers in batches for about 3 minutes, or until golden brown. Transfer jalapeno poppers to paper towels to drain.

We modified this on the breadcrumbing so it went - egg,flour,egg,breadcrumbs,egg breadcrumbs - that way we got good coverage. We dont have a deep fat friyer so just did it in the wok. Oh and we idi 4 at a time as we were experimenting.

Have fun

Of course we care; we'd not say anything at all if we didn't.

That does look yummy. Can you copy the recipe into the Recipes section before it's lost in the mists of time on here?