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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
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(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