Poppers ~ Wrapped, Dipped,Breaded and Battered (Jalapeños Rellenos)

This blog post just has the weekend written all over it! I am still amazed on how popular poppers have become. I was enjoying melted cheese and chile since I was kid, mmmmm… My mom’s Chile con Queso on a tostada sounds good right about now! Who knew stuffing it into the jalapeño would make miliions of people happy. Lol!  Below you will find a collection of all kinds of stuffed poppers, peppers, chiles…Wrapped, Dipped, Breaded(masa) and Battered. #ConfessionsofaChilehead….me gusta!

Bacon Wrapped Poppers

12 large jalapeños
4 ounces cream cheese, softened at room temperature
½ cup shredded jack cheese
1 teaspoon garlic powder
½ teaspoon cumin
½ teaspoon smoked paprika
12 strips bacon(use regular and not thick cut bacon)

*Tips~ Mix in some small sweet peppers (red, yellow and orange)for your guest who prefer the mild version of a popper. Before you broil peppers, try brushing on some pepper jelly. It’s a nice finishing touch! 

 

Directions:

1. Heat a nonstick skillet to medium heat. Place whole jalapeños in skillet and cook for 15 to 20 minutes, turning as needed. You want the skins the char and blister slightly. Remove from pan and let cool. If slicing the jalapenos in half, lengthwise, with a small spoon scoop out all of the seeds, discard seeds, set jalapeños aside. If leaving them whole, slice a T shape right below the base of pepper and clean out the seeds and membranes.

2. Combine the cream cheese, shredded cheese and spices in a bowl, stir well to combine. Preheat your oven to 400 degrees F. With a small spoon, or using your fingers, fill each jalapeño with cheese mixture, just until filled, do not over fill. If wrapping the whole jalapeño, you will use one strip of bacon per pepper. If slicing them in half, slice the bacon in half also so you have 24 pieces. Wrap each jalapeños with bacon and secure with toothpick. Transfer to shallow baking sheet lined with a wire rack. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, until bacon is cooked and crispy. Place under the broiler for a minute to crisp and brown even more.

Serve with a cool sour cream, guacamole, salsa or your favorite barbecue sauce.

 

 

Beer Battered Poppers Stuffed with Cheese and Bacon. This is for a large batch of poppers, but you could certainly just cut the ingredients in half for a smaller batch.

Ingredients

25 to 30 roasted jalapeños, seeds and membranes removed, see instructions below

 

For Filling
8 ounces cream cheese, softened
1 cup pepper jack, shredded
1/2 cup sharp cheddar, shredded
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon onion powder
1/3 teaspoon cumin
1/3 teaspoon smoked paprika
4 thick cut strips of bacon, cooked and chopped fine

Beer Batter
1 cup all purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon each of:
garlic powder
onion powder
smoked paprika
pepper
salt
12 ounces light beer

You will also need
Oil for frying
flour for dusting

Directions

1. Mix the cheese together, add spices listed and bacon.stir well to combine. Fill the prepared jalapeños with cheese mixture, just enough to fill, do not over stuff. Refrigerate for a few hours or overnight.

2. In a bowl, combine all of the ingredients to make the beer batter and whisk until smooth, let set for up to 1 hour. Preheat 2 cups of oil to medium heat for 8 to 10 minutes.

3. Dredge the peppers lightly in flour to coat. Dip into batter and fry in hot oil for 3 to 4 minutes or until golden and crispy. Drain onto baking sheet lined with paper towels.

 

Beer Battered Stuffed Poppers with Tomato Jam.

Ingredients

Yields 4 Servings

For Tomato Jam
1 small green tomato
2 Roma tomatoes
1 small poblano pepper
1 small sweet onion,sliced into thick slices
3 cloves garlic(leave skins on)
1 habanero pepper
1/4 cup chopped cilantro
1/2 cup ketchup
2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
2 tablespoons honey
1/3 cup of water
Salt to taste
Olive oil

For Poppers
8 large jalapenos
1 1/2 cups shredded mozzarella
1/4 cup green onions, sliced thin
1/2 cup flour for dredging
9 ounces cold light beer
Pinch of salt and pepper
1/2 teaspoon paprika
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 cup flour for batter
2 cups or more of canola oil      

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees F. On a lined baking sheet, add tomatoes, onions, garlic, habanero, poblano, and jalapenos. Drizzle with oil and stir to coat evenly. When rready, roast veggies for about 30 minutes, turning after 15 minutes. Remove from oven, cover with kitchen towel and set aside to cool.

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2. Separate the jalapenos from the rest of the veggies, and set aside. Remove the blistered skin from the poblano and remove the stem and seeds from habanero. In the food proccesor, add the tomatoes, onions, garlic, habanero, and poblano pepper. Pulse several times until you achieve a rough chop, set aside.

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3. In a medium saucepan add two tablespoons of oil and heat to medium. After a few minutes, add the tomato mixture from the blender, ketchup, Worcestershire sauce, water, and honey. Stir well to combine, taste for salt. Bring to a boil, cover and reduce heat. Add the chopped cilantro and cook for a good 30 minutes to thicken the sauce.

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4. In a medium bowl, add the 1 cup flour, salt, baking soda, paprika and pepper. Whisk in the beer and continue whisking until most of the lumps are gone. Set aside. In a small bowl, combine the shredded cheese and green onions. In a medium pan add canola oil, enough to come up 1 inch on the side. Heat to medium/high heat.

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5. Take one jalapeno at a time and carefully cut a T shape towards the top of pepper, but do not disturb the stem. With the small knife, gently cut the seeds and membranes, pull them out with your fingers. Fill each pepper carefully with cheese mixture, do not overstuff. Dredge in flour, and if oil is hot enough,holding on to the stem, dip into beer batter, using a small spoon to help you coat it evenly. Transfer to hot oil and cook for about 1 minute on each side or until golden brown in color. Transfer to a plate lined with paper towels. Serve with warm tomato jam, garnish with lemon wedges and cilantro. 

 

The Bomb, Tex Mex Egg Rolls. A Jalapeño Poppers stuffed into an eggroll. 

Ingredients

Yields 8 Servings
1 pound ground chuck
1 cup black beans
1 small red onion, diced
3 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 cup tomato salsa, homemade or store bought
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon cumin
1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
1/2 teaspoon pepper
Salt to taste
16 egg roll wrappers
1 avocado, sliced into 16 thin slices
16 pickled jalapenos
16 small slices of queso fresco, small enough to fit inside of jalapeno
Grapeseed or Canola oil

Directions

1. Heat 2 tablespoons of oil in a heavy skillet to medium heat, add the ground chuck and season with a pinch of salt, pepper, garlic powder, cumin, and smoked paprika. Once nicely browned, add the onions and garlic and cook for 3 minutes. Add the salsa and stir well to combine. Taste for salt. Cook it, stirring often until most of the liquid has evaporated.Remove from heat and let cool, slightly.

2.For this next step, you may want to wear rubber gloves. Take the pickled jalapenos and cut the stems off, then with a small, sharp knife, clean the insides out and shake out excess liquid. Fill each jalapeno with a piece of queso fresco, set aside.

3.Set up you egg roll station. Fill a small bowl with water for sealing egg rolls. Lay one filled jalapeno diagonally on the bottom half, add 2 tablespoons ground chuck, then a thin slice of avocado. Add a little water to edges, carefully fold in the sides then roll up and seal with a little water. Reapeat until all egg rolls are done, transfer onto plate.

4. Preheat 1 1/2 cups of canola oil to medium heat for 5 to 6 minutes. When hot, carefully drop in 4 egg rolls at a time. Cook until golden brown, turning as needed. Line a bowl with paper towels and drain egg rolls upright after frying. Yields up to 8 servings. The Bomb!

Note: I believe there were 20 egg roll wrappers per package, so it could make up to 20 egg rolls. They store well for a couple of days and reheat in the oven or on the stove top in a dry, nonstick skillet.

 

Crispy Masa Crusted Jalapeño Poppers 

 

Masa Crusted Poppers Stuffed with Spanish Chorizo and Manchego Cheese!!!

 

Ingredients

For Peppers
6 to 8 extra large jalapeños (at least 3 inches long)
6 ounces manchego cheese, cut into 1 1/2 inch strips
2/3 cup finely diced Spanish chorizo
2 cups, plus 1 tablespoon canola oil

For Masa
1 1/2 cups masa harina
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 1/4 cups warm water
1/3 cup chamoy hot sauce or your favorite hot sauce

For Pico De Gallo
4 Roma tomatoes, seeded, diced
1 serrano pepper, minced
1/3 cup red onion, diced
1/4 cup cilantro, chopped
Juice of 1 keylime
1/2 tablespoon olive oil
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/3 teaspoon pepper

Directions

1. Preheat a medium nonstick skillet to medium heat for 5 minutes. Drizlze 1 tablespoon canola oil onto jalapeño peppers, then add to heated skillet. Cook the peppers until most sides have blackened slightly and skin blisters. Remove from heat and let them cool.

2. In a medium bowl, combine the masa harina and salt. Gradually add in the warm water until dough forms. Work in the hot sauce until well blended. Depending on how many peppers you have, make up to 16 dough balls. Transfer to a plate and cover with plastic wrap. Combine all of the ingredients for the pico de gallo, taste for salt, cover and set aside.

3. Once peppers have cooled, slice them in half horizontally and clean out all the seeds and veins. Preheat the 2 cups of oil to medium heat for 5 to 6 minutes. Fill each pepper with a piece of cheese and some Spanish chorizo. Take a dough ball and flatten it in the palm of your hand (about 3 inches wide), place the filled pepper in the center and gently mold the masa around, leaving the stem exposed. Repeat until all peppers are wrapped.

4. Fry a few peppers at a time, turning as needed, about 3 minutes per side. Drain onto plate lined with paper towels, or keep warm in a preheated 200 degree oven until ready to serve. Serve with a heaping tablespoon of pico de gallo on top. Yields up to 8 as an appetizer.

Notes: Peppers can be reheated in a dry nonstick skillet at medium heat for a few minutes per side.

 

 

Bacon Wrapped Popper On The Stove Top

Ingredients

Yields 4-5 Servings

10 large fresh jalapeños
2 tablespoons olive oil
10 slices bacon, uncooked
1/2 cup string cheese or Oaxaca cheese, chopped small
1/2 cup favorite guacamole recipe

Directions

1. Preheat a large, nonstick skillet to medium heat for 2 to 3 minutes. Toss the peppers with the 2 tablespoons of oil and add them to hot pan.

2. Cook the peppers, turning as needed, until the skins blister slightly and blacken in most spots. Remove from pan and let cool completely.

3. Once peppers have cooled, carefully make a T shape cut right below the base of the pepper. Open up the pepper and remove all the seeds and membranes. Fill the pepper with cheese on one half and guacamole on the other half. Do not over stuff.

3. Wrap each pepper with bacon and cook at medium heat in that same nonstick pan until the bacon is crisp and cooked through. Transfer peppers to a plate lined with paper towels. let set for a few minutes before serving because they will be hot! Makes 10 peppers.

 

Cherry Bomb Peppers Stuffed with Crab Cake Fixin’s. I took my favorite crab cake recipe and stuffed in into the fresh cherry peppers and baked them for 30 minutes @ #50 degrees F.

 

 Bacon Wrapped Cheese Stuffed Anaheim Peppers. A mix of cream cheese, crumbled queso fresco and shredded jack cheese stuffed into a fresh Anaheim pepper half. Wrapped with two strips of bacon and baked on a baking sheet lined with a wire rack @ 400 degrees for 15 to 20 minutes, then under the broiler for a minute until bacon was crisp.