Stuffing Jalapenos

[tedln]

I've always enjoyed jalapenos stuffed with cheese, wrapped in bacon; and cooked on the grill or in the oven. I prefer them cooked on the grill. I've been trying to think of some other stuffing ideas for the peppers. The cheese always seems too melt to fast and most of it runs out of the pepper. Anyone have any ideas for an alternate stuffing to cheese? It will be okay to mix the cheese with some other ingredients to help retain it. I've thought of filling the pepper with precooked and crumbled bacon or possibly sausage mixed with cheese. I've thought of a mixture similar to thanksgiving turkey stuffing mixed with cheese. Maybe a shrimp or oyster stuffed pepper wrapped in bacon. I'm just searching for ideas. If someone comes up with a really innovative idea, we can post it in the recipes forum. Also think about the spices or herbs. How would a sage or basil or rosemary stuffing taste with the pepper and bacon?

Ted

[gumbo2176]

Ted, I do a lot of stuffings for game birds, cornish game hens, turduckens.

I think a good shrimp stuffing made with seasoned bread crumbs would be a winner. When I make a shrimp stuffing, I peel my shrimp and boil them in crab boil for only about 5 minutes to add a lot more flavor to them. After they have boiled for 5 min. drain, chop, and reserve till needed.

When I make my shrimp based stuffing I'll take the shrimp shells and heads and boil them down to make a shrimp stock.

Then I'll cook the "trinity" of onions, bell pepper and celery sauteed in olive oil then add the garlic, chopped shrimp, green onions, parsley and a shot of worcestershire sauce. I don't add any salt or pepper because shrimp boiled in crab boil are flavored with salt and cayenne and the bread crumbs are also a bit on the salty side.

After all this is incorporated, I'll add enough bread crumbs to stuff whatever needs stuffing. If the mix is too dry, simply add a little shrimp stock to wet it down.

If you want to add some cheese, do so----it's all good from here on out.

[tedln]

Sounds good Gumbo. I always cook with the trinity after living in Louisiana. I think the first person I heard call it "The Trinity" was Justin Wilson. Then Paul Prudhomme always used it as he built his flavors. I miss the smells and sounds of Louisiana. Good Memories.

I cooked the last of my purchased giant Jalapenos this evening on the grill with the cheese and bacon. They were great, but I kept thinking about what could be. I had it in mind that a shrimp or crab stuffing with bread crumbs should work well.

Cooking the shrimp for five minutes before adding it to the stuffing seems a little long. It will cook again in the stuffing.

I was thinking about possibly cooking some seven count shrimp in crab boil, peeling the shrimp, then putting a whole shrimp in the giant peppers. Crawfish etouffea cooked dry enough to stay in the pepper would be good. If I was still in Louisiana, I would buy some fresh shrimp boudin and stuff the peppers with that. Good boudin has the trinity in it plus a lot of other flavors and rice.

Ted

[gumbo2176]

[quote="tedln"]I was thinking about possibly cooking some seven count shrimp in crab boil, peeling the shrimp, then putting a whole shrimp in the giant peppers.

Man, how much are you going to pay for 7 counts in N. Texas? 6-10's are running at least $6 a lb. here in N.O. IF you can get them. 11-15's are a little over $5 a lb. the last time I checked and are more available.

As for boiling the shrimp for 5 min. and then cooking them in the stuffing, I don't cook it long in the stuffing, just long enough to impart some of the flavor.

Now you're talking to me-----crawfish etouffe is great stuff. If you cook like that in Texas, you must have fattened up a neighbor or two. Every once in a while I'll tackle crawfish bisque but that is a labor of love and takes a good 2 days to make the way I do it. Funny, I'll always have more eaters when I fix that.

[tedln]

I used to buy them right off the shrimp boat at a place on the Calcasieu river south of Sulphur, Louisiana near Cameron. They were the size of a small lobster. Since Cameron was taken out by hurricane Rita, I doubt if my shrimp source is still there. I have seen seven count in Albertsons and Krogers, but they are expensive. The seven count were great on the grill with a little butter sauce.

Ted