The Best Jalapeno Poppers
Restaurant Style
This is the recipe that we use at my restaurant, the Cactus Cafe in Stowe, Vermont. Feel free to add different ingredients in the cheese filling like a little shredded sharp cheddar, chopped shrimp, crab, chorizo, bacon or even Deano's Jalapenos, you get the idea. The poppers can be made a day or two in advance, but I recommend you make the beer batter no more than a few hours ahead.
Ingredients for Poppers;
8 fresh Jalapenos 2"-3" long
1/2 a block cream cheese, room temp
1tsp. diced chipotle in adobos
2 quarts of boiling water
Ice bath
Beer Batter:
1 can or bottle of your favorite beer
2 cups flour
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp paprika
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
salt and pepper to taste
Frying;
Oil,
Canola or Vegetable you will need at least 2" in the pan you choose (preferably one with side a 3" above oil line)
First, prepare the filling for the poppers first. Mix room temp cream cheese and chipotles. If you want to add something else to the filling this is the time. You can put this mixture into the corner of a plastic zip lock bag, twist above filling and make a quick pastry bag. All you have to do is cut the corner and squeeze to fill the poppers. A spoon will work as well.
Next is the beer batter. Taste the beer first to make sure it is OK. Contemplate. Repeat. Sift baking powder and spices into flour. Pour most of the beer into a bowl and slowly whisk in about 1/ 1/4- 1 1/2 cups of flour . You want the consistency to be a little thicker than pancake batter. Check the rest of the beer for quality control. Keep beer batter chilled until ready to use.
Add your fresh Jalapenos to the boiling water for about 7 min. The jalapenos should be the color of a green olive and a little tender. Do Not Over Cook or the stems will fall off. Plunge the jalapenos into the ice bath immediately after removing from boiling water.
When they are cool to touch, remember they still may be hot inside, take a pairing knife and cut a slit from top to bottom of peppers. Remove seeds, a fork handle or teaspoon works well for this.
Stuff the jalapenos with the filling making sure that you can almost close or almost close the pepper around the filling. Scrape off any excess. The poppers can be kept in the refrigerator for a day or two.
Pre heat oil to 350 degrees. Salt and pepper remaining flour and dredge peppers. Holding by the stem, You can use tongs or even needle nose pliers to do. I prefer to just use my fingers but there is a VERY GOOD CHANCE YOU WILL GET BURNED. Dip one popper at a time in beer batter and let excess drip off, do not let it touch sides of bowl. Make sure popper is completely coated. Gently lower into the oil and suspend popper for 20 seconds, slowly release. If you drop the popper into the oil it may break the coating and the popper will slide out of the coating, much like a snake sheds it's skin. Repeat and try to cook 3-4 poppers at a time. Fry until golden brown and place on a paper towel or brown shopping bag covered plate to absorb excess oil. Serve with sour cream. These will be the best poppers you will ever eat!
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