Caroline Quentin’s jalapeño pepper poppers
Caroline Quentin has shared one of her favourite recipes from ‘Drawn to the Garden’ with us. She says the recipe serves two, ideally with a cold beer on a hot day!
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 180°C (350°F/Gas Mark 4).
- Rinse the chillies under a cold tap, then slice them lengthways, trying to slice through the stalk too, so that you have a little handle to lift the chilli into your mouth. Deseed the halved peppers carefully using the handle of a teaspoon, taking care not to damage the integrity of the skin and taking even greater care not to touch your face.
- Fry the bacon to your liking – in this recipe, I don’t like it crispy. Leave the rashers to cool, then cut into tiny pieces – the smaller the pieces, the easier it is to stuff the peppers.
- Stir the Cheddar into the cream cheese, then mix in the bacon bits. (If you make these once, you’ll make them again. Play around with the amounts of cheese and bacon to suit your taste.)
- Fill the little green cases with the mixture (I use 2 teaspoons per half pepper and make a right mess), then arrange on a baking tray. Place in the preheated oven for 15–20 minutes or until golden brown.
- Serve the jalapeños to your guests; I’d advise having a glass of milk (and a swear box) handy just in case.
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Ingredients
- 8 jalapeño chilli peppers – I allow 4 chillies per person, so 8 halves. I know it sounds like a lot but it’s never enough.
- 2 unsmoked back bacon rashers
- A handful of grated mature Cheddar cheese
- 165 g (5¾ oz/scant ¾ cup) cream cheese
