[CH] =?iso-8859-1?Q?Jalape=F1o_Poppers?=

The Old Bear (oldbear@arctos.com)
Sat, 09 Jan 1999 11:25:25 -0500

There have been several requests for this recipe in the past, so 
when I came across it in a cookbook of popular restaurant recipes, 
I thought I'd pass it along those Chileheads who may be interested.

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                   Red Robin No-Fire Peppers
                   -------------------------
                (Serves 2 to 4 as an appetizer)

         Menu Description: "Full-flavored jalapeņos 
         stuffed with cool cream cheese and deep-fried 
         in a cracker-crumb coating.  Served with sweet 
         jalapeņo jelly and sour cream."

Red Robin was one of the first restaurant chains to serve 
No-Fire Peppers, an item which can be found on many restaurant 
menus today under a variety of different names.  The cream 
cheese-filled, battered and fried jalapeņo peppers are actually 
called Poppers by their creators, Anchor Foods, a restaurant food 
supply company which manufactures Poppers and a variety of other 
appetizers for sale to restaurant chains everywhere.  According 
to Restaurant and Institutions magazine, Poppers were the #1 food 
item added to restaurant menus in 1995, with restaurants 
purchasing over 70 million of the little suckers.

It's important when you make these that you allow time for them 
to freeze.  The freezing stage ensures that the coating stays on 
when the peppers are fried and prevens the cream cheese from 
squirting out as it heats up.

  Ingredients:

    4  large   fresh jalapeņo peppers
  1/4  pound   cream cheese
    2          eggs
  3/4  tsp     salt
    1  tsp     vegetable oil
  2/3  cup     self-rising flour
  1/8  tsp     garlic powder
    1  dash    paprika
    1  dash    onion powdere
  1/2  cup     cornflake crumbs
               vegetable oil for frying

  On the side:
               hot pepper jelly
               sour cream

1. Remove the stems from the jalapeņos, then slice each one
   down the middle lengthwise and remove the seeds and 
   inner membranes.  Be careful to wash your hands 
   afterwards.

2. Poach the jalapeņo halves in a saucepan half-filled with
   boiling water for 10 to 15 minutes or until tender.  
   Drain and cool.

3. Blot with a cloth or paper towel to dry the inside of 
   each jalapeņo slice, then use a teaspoon to spread about 
   1/2 ounce of cream cheese into each jalapeņo half.

4. Beat the eggs in a small, shallow bowl, then add 1/4 
   teaspoon salt and the oil and combine with a whisk.

5. In another shallow bowl, combine the floour, 1/2 teaspoon 
   salt, garlic powder, paprika, and onion powder.

6. Add the cornflake crumbs to a third shallow bowl.

7. Working one at a time, dip each stuffed jalapeņo into the 
   egg mixture, then into the flour mixture.  Repeat, by 
   again dipping the jalapeņo into the egg and then back 
   into the flour.  Finally, dip the jalapeņo back into the 
   egg, then into the cornflake crumbs.

8. Put the coated peppers side by side on a plate and into 
   the freezer for at least 2 hours.  This way, when the 
   peppers are fried, the breading won't fall off and the 
   cheese in the center won't ooze out.

9. When the peppers are frozen, heat vegetable oil in a 
   deep fryer or deep saucepan to about 350 degrees F. 
   Use enough oil to cover the jalapeņos when frying.  Fry 
   the peppers for 3 1/2 to 4 minutes or until the outside 
   is a golden brown.  Drain on a rack or paper towels. 
   Serve hot with pepper jelly and sour cream on the side.


                          Tidbits

You can also make these ahead of time by frying them for only 
1 1/2 minutes and then refreezing them until you are ready to 
serve them.  Then cook the frozen jalapeņos in hot oil for 
3 1/2 minutes or until they are hot all the way through.  You 
may also bake the frozen jalapeņos in a 450 degree F oven on 
a greased baking pan for 10 to 15 minutes, turning them over 
halfway through the heating time.



source: Top Secret Restaurant Recipes
        by Todd Wilbur
        ISBN 0-452-27587-3