Double-J's stuffed hot peppersYou'll Need:
- Your favorite type of hot pepper, be it banana, jalapeno, etc.
- Your favorite type of cheese (I find cheddar or monterey jack work well, some people like cream cheese as well to counter the spiciness of the peppers)
- Diced Ham/pepperoni/etc. (as a filler with the cheese)
- basic fry batter (1 egg, 1 cup of flour, and a little milk for the right consistency)
Make sure when you handle the peppers, you wear some kind of rubber glove (I find the surgical gloves are fine, they are cheap and you can get them at the supermarket) to protect yourself, and be sure not to wipe your eyes or any other mucous membrane.
Slit the long way down the pepper(s), and remove the seeds. I leave the inner membrane, because this is where the heat derives from. You can run them under cold water to wash out any remaining seeds.
Next, fill the pepper(s) with shredded cheese and the diced ham. Make sure it's shredded cheese, otherwise it will take longer to melt it. Then, dip the peppers in the fry batter, being sure to seal up the slit with a little pressure.
You can either bake them, or deep-fat fry them. I heat my oil to 375 degrees, and dip them in there until they float and are golden brown in color. If they still aren't done yet, toss them in a 400 degree oven and watch them. If you see the cheese oozing out, you know they are done.
For a little more *kick*, sprinkle some cayenne pepper into the fry batter. Also, you can dip them in a little sour cream with chives chopped up in it, it would accent well.
Enjoy!
