GLUTEN FREE CHILLI CHEESE CORN BREAD CRISPY JALAPEÑO POPPERS

These gluten free jalapeño poppers are a game changer for someone like me who is allergic to storage mites which can live in stored flours and grains.  For years I have missed these gorgeous power punch of fresh crispy jalapeño and hot creamy cheese and crispy panko fried crust, not anymore!  Who knew taking a homemade cornbread, blitzing into breadcrumbs could result in a gluten free crispy glorious jalapeño popper!

Prep time 30 minutes / Optional 30 minutes chill time / Cooking time 5 mins in batches (4)

(makes 20)

For the cornbread breadcrumbs I make my own but store brought will work the same.

Cornbread Recipe for Cornbread Crumbs

150g  butter

1 glug olive oil

2 onions finely sliced

1 tsp sugar

4 cooked corn on the cob

4 large eggs

350g polenta

500ml top gold milk

200g grated cheddar

200g grated Parmesan cheese

5 red chillies de-seeded and finely sliced

1 tbsp sea salt and black pepper

1 tsp baking powder

Cornbread Method

Preheat your oven to 200 degrees.  In a frying pan melt the butter and a dash of ooil, add the onions, garlic and gently fry for approx. 20-30minutes, after 20mins add the sugar and cook on until they are wonderfully caramelised, golden brown and sticky, leave to one side to cool slightly.

 

I love to take my corn off the cob, it really does make a huge difference to the flavour, so holding the cob upright on the board I run my knife from top to bottom cutting off all the kernels.  Add these to your onions and cook for a further 5 or so minutes.

 

In a large bowl place your eggs, milk, baking powder, flour and polenta, season with salt and pepper, add most of the grated cheese reserving 50g for topping the muffins later and the same with the chillies reserve a little for topping later,  mix gently but well then add the slightly cooled onion mix.

 

I either like to use a 8” cake tin or my son’s favourite Pioneer Woman’s flower muffin tin, grease well.  Fill your mixture into the tin and bake for approx 30 - 35 minutes in your oven, 15 minutes before their ready sprinkle the left over cheese and chillies and return to the oven.  Take out the oven and leave to cool for five minutes before removing from the tin.

Jalapeño Poppers

(makes 20)

Ingredients 

10 green or red whole fresh jalapeños

2 tubs Philadelphia cream cheese

3 eggs beaten

300g gluten free plain flour

1 tsp Himalayan sea salt 

1/2 tsp black pepper

1 tsp onion powder

1/2 tsp garlic powder

2 ltr vegetable oil for frying

Halve the jalapenos, scoop out the seeds and place in a large bowl, add the cream cheese to the seeds and mix well.  Using a teaspoon generously fill each half jalapeño with the cream cheese mix. 

Set up your dredging station, 3 bowls one with beaten eggs seasoned with salt and pepper, one with gluten free flour seasoned with onion powder, garlic powder, salt and black pepper and the final bowl with your blitzed cornbread crumbs.

Blitz the cornbread into crumbs

Coat the jalapeño poppers in the beaten egg.

Next coat the popper in the seasoned gluten free flour.

Next dip the popper back in the egg.

Finally coat the popper in the cornbread crumbs, place on a plate and chill for 30 minutes in the fridge.

Chill for 30 minutes (optional).

Heat your vegetable oil to 180 C / 356 F.  Place in some of the poppers to fry, don’t over crowd the pan as this will lower the oil temperature which will leave you with soggy oil soaked poppers.  Fry for 3-5 minutes until crispy golden brown, remove and drain on a paper towel, best eaten straight away, whom I kidding as if I would ever have the patience to wait!

Serve immediately as best eaten hot.

Enjoy.