One-Eyed Jalapeño Poppers

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Option. Cook 6 strips of bacon until crisp. Let it cool, crumble it into small bits, and mix it into the stuffing. Or try a little leftover pulled pork in the mix. Or go upscale and mix some crab meat into the stuffing.

Option. Try replacing the cheddar with blue cheese, mozzarella, jack, queso quesadilla, or queso asadero.

Option. If you like things really hot, use habanero peppers.

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Ingredients

  • Makes. 24 pepper halves
  • Takes. 30 minutes prep time, 20 minutes cooking time
  • Ingredients
  • 8 ounces of Home-made Boursin-style Cheese Spread at room temperature
  • 1/2 cup sharp cheddar
  • 2 teaspoons sugar
  • 12 fresh jalapeños
  • 24 green olives with pimento stuffing
  • 1 teaspoon paprika

Preparation

Step 1

Method
1) Prepare the Home-made Boursin-style Cheese Spread or use store bought and mix in the cheddar and sugar. Or leave them out. They are a nice addition, but not necessary. Add bacon or other meat bits if you wish.

2) Put on kitchen gloves to work on the peppers. With a thin sharp filleting or paring knife, cut the stems off and discard them. Then cut them in half lengthwise. Run the blade along the inside wall of the pepper removing the seeds and the white ribs. If you like hot stuff, leave the ribs in.

3) Spread the cheese mix into the peppers, but not so much that it will overflow when cooking. Put an olive at the stem end, to act like a plug and help keep the cheese in when it melts. Sprinkle the paprika on top.

Option. You don't have to cut them in half. You can just cut off the ends and remove the innards with a potato peeler and stuff the whole pepper. The olive in the end will keep the cheese inside.

4) Fire up the grill and cook over a low heat or indirectly until the the cheese melts and the pepper bottoms get a little brown. Try not to let the peppers go limp, they're better with a little crunch. Remove gently and let them cool a bit before serving. They are also fine at room temp or right out of the fridge. Make sure you have plenty of cold beer on hand.

Option. Try smoking them at about 225°F for 30 minutes.

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