Fried Hot Peppers
By: Alisa Escanlar
Published: Friday, December 10, 2010 - 1:02am

Ingredients




16 smalls Jalapeño Pepper or serrano peppers
8 ounces queso blanco or mozzarella cheese
1 cup yellow cornmeal
4 lrg eggs
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 cups peanut oil

Preparation

1 Slice off top 1/8 inch, including stem, of each pepper. Reserve. Remove seeds from inside peppers. (Use thin plastic gloves if you have sensitive skin.) 2 Cut cheese into slivers to fit inside peppers. Insert cheese into peppers. Carefully fit tops back onto each pepper, tucking edges into rim of pepper. Secure with a toothpick if needed. 3 Place cornmeal in medium bowl. Place eggs in another medium bowl, add salt, and whisk well. Heat oil in a 10-inch skillet over medium heat. Place half the peppers in the egg mixture, and coat. Transfer coated peppers to cornmeal, and turn to coat evenly. 4 When oil registers 365 degrees on candy thermometer, or is hot but not smoking, carefuly slip in the eight coated peppers. Turn as needed, and fry until evenly browned, 1 to 3 minutes. Remove with a slotted spoon; set on paper towels to drain. Repeat with remaining peppers. Serve warm. 5 Makes 16 servings.