My pepper poppers

[Blueaussi]

This is for freezing poppers for later use. You can do this recipe with most any pepper, from jelly bean size up to big ol' jalapenos. Adjust filling to your own taste. Use ripe peppers for best flavor and so one won't be perceived as an uncivilized barbarian.

Parboil the peppers, then seed.

I usually mix cheese, onions, and herbs in the food processor. You can use cream cheese, too. Pack the filling into the peppers firmly, then freeze.

Set up bread crumbs, flour, and egg/milk mixture. If you're using more than one variety of pepper, it's a good idea to separate and id them at this point. I use paper plates with the type of pepper written on it. When the cheesed peppers are frozen, dust with flour, dip in the egg/milk mixture, then roll in bread crumbs.

Repeat the flour->egg/milk->bread crumb, then freeze again.

Once the breaded peppers are frozen, heat cooking oil to around 350 to 375 degrees, and fry the peppers until just golden brown. Remove, drain, and freeze for a cold winter evening! When you're ready to eat them, heat at 400F for about 10 minutes.

I sort mine by heat and stuffing so I can select poppers that will suit the comfort level and taste of my guests.

One of the alternative stuffing that is requested a lot is to add chili spices to browned hamburger, then mix it with refried beans and a touch of cheese. I get a lot of requests for goat cheese poppers, too, but goat cheese is too expensive around here to make many of them.

[garnetmoth]

drool. seriously. sounds great.

[Blueaussi]

Originally Posted by garnetmoth

drool. seriously. sounds great.

Thanks.

I keep working on a good breaded popper that doesn't need to be fried, but, honestly, nothing works as well.

[cdbva]

What kind of cheese do you use when you make the onion/cheese mixture?

BTW, do you know how to tell when poblanos are ripe? I have a bunch just coming in (planted late), and have no idea how to tell.

Christine

[Blueaussi]

Originally Posted by cdbva

What kind of cheese do you use when you make the onion/cheese mixture?

Whatever suits my fancy, which is usually cheddar or Monterrey Jack, but sometimes I use mozzarella or asiaga or one of those Mexican cheese blends.

BTW, do you know how to tell when poblanos are ripe? I have a bunch just coming in (planted late), and have no idea how to tell.

Christine

It depends on what kind you planted, but most ripen to red. There are a few that I know of that ripen to brown, too. I don't grow poblanos much, however, so someone else may be able to give better information.

[ovenbird]

Another dream for a warmer summer than we had this year. I got good crops of bell peppers, but only 2 jalapeno peppers all summer? What's up with that?

[mjc]

I've got quite a few peppers...all kinds but the only ones turning color are the cayennes...I'm probably going to have to dig most of my plants up and pot them. They've got too many small ones that I don't think will get all that big over the next couple of weeks...I suppose I could cover them, because the first frost we get is usually mild/light.

If I get enough jalapenos, I'm definitely trying this recipe...my poblanos are already spoken for. Provalone/Romano/Parmesan sounds good for cherry peppers...

[cdbva]

I bought my poblanos, anchos, et al in July at a clearance sale -- 15 for $6.99. I ddn't expect much; most produced one pepper and that was it, and clearly I picked them too early. There continued to be lots of blossoms, but they didn't do anything.

Then deer came and ate about 1/3 of the tops of the plants. I was extremely cross. But a week or so later I noticed lots of little baby peppers, and now I have a bumper crop.

I just don't know if they're ripe or not. The poblanos are dark green and the anchos are light green. Or maybe it's the other way around. Everything I've read online says that anchos are dried poblanos. However, these two are different -- whatever they are. I'll make some chilis relleno one of these days.

C.

[Blueaussi]

There are a lot of different varieties of poblanos, so you probably do have different kinds.

[mjc]

Basically an ancho is a dried ripe poblano. And poblano is more of a type than a variety.

[Penny]

Yummy, sounds really good~~~~!

[RJ_Hythloday]

Sounds awesome, I've been making poppers and eating them as fast as they're ripe. I stuff w/ cream cheese/montery jack and wrap w/ bacon. Bake @ 400 for about 30-40 minutes. Maybe if I had enough ripe at one time I could use your recipe. Lots of green ones at the moment.

[Blueaussi]

Originally Posted by RJ_Hythloday

Sounds awesome, I've been making poppers and eating them as fast as they're ripe. I stuff w/ cream cheese/montery jack and wrap w/ bacon. Bake @ 400 for about 30-40 minutes. Maybe if I had enough ripe at one time I could use your recipe. Lots of green ones at the moment.

Yeah, I like doing them in the oven sometimes, too. I really, really love grilling them this time of year. Last week I put a dab of refried beans, pico de gallo, and cheese in some. tossed them on the grill, and made little chile bombs. Yum!

[mjc]

Originally Posted by Blueaussi

Last week I put a dab of refried beans, pico de gallo, and cheese in some. tossed them on the grill, and made little chile bombs. Yum!

That does sound great...

[RJ_Hythloday]

I was just out in the garden, I've got some monsters on one of my mucho nacho. Big and lots of corking, when they're at least half red they'll be in my belly. I can't let something so good sit around in the freezer.

I found I like them spaced out more, a muffin pan w/ one in each and 3 toothpicks to keep it off the bottom is ideal. These next ones aren't going to stay off the bottom though.



I think I'm going to get one of these