Jalapeño Poppers

Method

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1. Heat the oven to 200°C / 400°F and line a baking tray with baking paper.

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2. Wearing gloves, cut the jalapeños in half lengthways and scrape out the seeds and white ribs with a small spoon.

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3. Mix the cream cheese, cheddar, garlic powder and paprika in a bowl until smooth.

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4. Fill each pepper half with the cheese mixture, mounding it slightly, and set them on the tray.

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5. Mix the panko, parmesan and melted butter and press a spoonful onto each filled half.

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6. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, until the topping is golden and the filling is bubbling. Cool for 5 minutes and serve with ranch.

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Chef’s Tips

• Scrape out the seeds and ribs to reduce the heat. Leave some in for a hotter popper.
• Wear gloves. The capsaicin stays on your fingers for hours.
• Cool for 5 minutes before eating. The filling is scalding.

Common Substitutions & Variations

• Panko gives the crunchiest crust here, but ordinary dried breadcrumbs will still fry crisp if that's what's in the cupboard.

Pairing Suggestions

• Ranch dressing
• Cold beer
• Tortilla chips

Storage & Reheating

Keep in the fridge up to 2 days and reheat in a 190°C oven for 10 minutes. Freeze uncooked, filled peppers for 2 months.

Common questions

Nutritional Highlights

Per serving, calculated from the ingredient list. Treat these as an estimate — brands and cuts vary.