Younger folks probably will not make the connection, even if the more accurate version of “Hot-cha-cha” was presented (which is “Ha-cha-cha-cha-cha”). This was one of the great Jimmy Durante’s famous catch phrases during his time.
The morning of writing this, I decided to have a little snack of a fresh jalapeño pepper, with a slice of roasted garlic French bread. I washed it, cut off the stem, sliced it in half lengthwise, cleaned out all the seeds and membranes, and (insert drum roll here) took a bite. I actually exclaimed, “Ha-cha-cha-cha” because I was certain that flames were shooting out of my mouth. It was funny, but the humor did not lessen the mouth burn.
I will have to do some research into this type of pepper, because sometimes they are surprisingly mild, and other times they are, well, HOT. I know that many people love them to be that hot, and I respect that. I just wish I knew of a way to tell which ones have a super-high heat level and which ones are mild.
There is one grocery store where I can consistently find mild ones, but it is a two-hour drive one way, so there goes that plan. I still love jalapeño peppers, though, and am happy to share some of my favorite recipes that use them.
Hope you are all enjoying the mornings that have a touch of fall in the form of cooler temperatures.
Hot corn dip
5 ears corn, shucked
Vegetable oil, for brushing
Kosher salt
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1/2 red onion, finely diced
2 to 3 cloves garlic, minced
1 red bell pepper, seeded and finely diced
1 green bell pepper, seeded and finely diced
1 jalapeno pepper, seeded, finely diced
1 package (8-oz.) cream cheese, room temperature
1/2 cup mayonnaise
1/2 cup sour cream
1 pound (about 4 cups) Monterey Jack cheese, shredded (Pepper Jack is good, too)
2 green onions, thinly sliced
1 can (4-oz.) diced green chiles
Chili powder, for garnish
Tortilla chips, for serving
1. Heat a grill pan over medium heat (or preheat an outdoor grill). Brush the corn with vegetable oil, sprinkle with a little salt and grill, turning, until slightly charred, about 10 minutes. Set aside to cool.
2. In a large skillet, melt butter over medium heat. Add red onion, garlic, bell peppers and jalapeño. Stir and cook the vegetables until they are soft and golden, about 5 minutes. Set aside to cool slightly.
3. Cut the corn kernels off the cobs. In the bowl of a mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, combine the cream cheese, mayonnaise, sour cream and two-thirds of the Monterey Jack. Mix on low speed until combined. Add the scallions, vegetable mixture, corn and canned chiles in their liquid. Mix until just combined.
4. Spread the mixture in a 3-quart baking dish and sprinkle with the rest of the Monterey Jack and a little chili powder. (At this point, you can cover the pan with foil and keep it in the refrigerator for up to 2 days. Just let it sit at room temperature for 30 minutes before baking.)
5. Preheat the oven to 350. Bake the dip until bubbling and golden, 20 to 22 minutes. Remove from oven and serve warm with tortilla chips. Makes 12 to 16 servings.
Jalapeno poppers
Allow some time, at least 30 minutes or more total, for air-drying in between steps of the coating process.
12 ounces cream cheese, softened
1 package (8-oz.) shredded sharp Cheddar cheese
1 tablespoon cooked, crumbled bacon
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
12 ounces fresh jalapeño peppers, split and seeded
1 cup milk
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 cup dry bread crumbs (seasoned or plain)
Oil, as needed for frying
1. In a medium bowl, mix cream cheese, Cheddar cheese, bacon crumbles and garlic powder until smooth and well blended. Spread mixture into the jalapeno halves.
2. Place 3 small bowls on work surface. In one, add the milk. In another, add the flour. In the last bowl, add the bread crumbs.
3. Dip the stuffed peppers in the milk, then the flour, making sure they are well-coated. Transfer to a plate or rack with a wire grid, and allow to dry for 10 minutes.
4. Dip the peppers in milk once more, then roll them in the bread crumbs. Allow to dry for another 10 minutes. Repeat the dipping in milk and rolling in bread crumbs once more, allow to dry.
5. Heat oil to 365 in a medium skillet (or use a deep fryer). Working in batches, fry the poppers until golden brown, 2 to 3 minutes. Remove and drain on paper towels. Serve hot. Makes about 20 servings.
Candied jalapeno peppers
I find that the heat mellows out a bit the longer the candied peppers are kept.
1 pound fresh jalapeño peppers
1 cup apple cider vinegar
1 1/2 cups sugar
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon pickling spice, optional
1. Remove the pepper stems, then cut each pepper into 1/4-inch-thick coin shapes.
2. In a medium saucepan, combine cider vinegar, sugar, salt and pickling spice, if using. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally, until the sugar dissolves, about 3 minutes.
3. Add the jalapeños and return to a boil. Reduce heat to medium low and simmer until the pepper rings look slightly shrunken and glossy, about 5 to 6 minutes.
4. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the peppers to a pint-sized canning jar or other heat-proof container. Bring the liquid back to a boil and cook until it is reduced to a syrup and is about 1 1/2 cups, about 8 to 10 minutes.
5. Pour the syrup over the jalapeños, pressing the peppers down so they remain submerged. Cool to room temperature before sealing and storing in refrigerator. They will last at least 1 month in refrigerator. Makes about 2 cups.
Guacamole with jalapeños
1/4 cup fresh lime juice
1/4 cup chopped red onion
1 teaspoon kosher salt
4 whole ripe avocados
1/2 cup diced tomatoes (drain if too juicy)
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
1 fresh jalapeño pepper, seeded and minced
Tortilla chips and fresh veggies, for serving
1. In a medium bowl, mix lime juice, onion and salt. Set aside for 5 minutes.
2. Meanwhile, scoop out the avocado flesh, placing it into the bowl with the lime juice, onion and salt. Using a fork, mash the avocado to the texture you prefer. (Leaving a few small chunks is a good idea.)
3. Add the diced tomatoes, cilantro and jalapeño, mixing well. Serve with tortilla chips and your choice of fresh veggies, such as bell pepper, jicama, celery or carrot sticks. Makes about 3 cups.