Betsy

Newsgroups: rec.food.veg.cooking
From: U33754@UICVM.UIC.EDU (Lu Bozinovich)
Subject: Jalapeno Feta Poppers
Original-To: REC-FOOD-VEG-COOKING@UUNET.UU.NET
Organization: University of Illinois at Chicago, ADN Computer Center
Date: Sat, 20 Apr 1996 22:13:28 GMT

I posted this a few months ago. It is better than most restaurant
versions, IMHO. Unfortunately, it doesn't always turn out the way
I like, so you have to be prepared to experiment.

Feta Cheese Poppers

jalapenos
feta cheese
whole grain flour
salt
oil

Clean out the jalapenos by cutting a slit out of the sides and
carefully scraping the seeds out. Sometimes water pressure from
a faucet will help. The most I can do without gloves is 6.

Keep the stems on those 6 buggers, and drop them into a pan
of hot oil. They don't have to be deep fried at this point, just
cooked down a bit, and the oil helps the coating adhere.
Frying also helps spice up the oil.

In a small food processor, blend the feta cheese, using some of
the whey or water to help it blend to a firm-soft consistency.
Don't let it get too liquidy, it should adhere to a spoon held
upside down.

When jalapenos have softened a bit, remove from pan and place on
a strainer or nonabsorbant surface. Fill with creamed feta.

Mix extra feta with whole grain flour to form the coating. This
doesn't work if you try to process it, because then it will form
little granules of cheesey flour that won't adhere. A paste also
is not great. You want some paste and some plain flour. You can
add salt to the flour if the feta is not salty enough for your
tastes.

Dip the filled jalapenos in the flour to coat. Then briefly
dip in water, and dip in flour again. Set aside until all are
coated. Then add more oil to the pan, or start with fresh oil,
and add enough in to half cover the jalapenos. Fry a few at a time
and serve hot. These get a great crust if you get it right.

Lu