Lisa Fain from The Homesick Texan Cookbook
4 servings
We love our jalapeños in Texas and never miss a chance to eat them. When I was young, one of my favorite snacks was to hollow out a jalapeño and stuff it with cream cheese. As an adult, I’ve taken that simple dish a bit further by adding some tangy goat cheese and succulent, spicy chorizo to my filling as well. These are always a welcome party food, though I’ve been known to make a meal out of them. And since they’re baked, I can tell myself that they’re a spot healthier than the battered and fried versions often served.
12 medium jalapeño chiles
¼ pound chorizo, cooked and drained of excess fat
8 ounces cream cheese, room temperature
2 ounces goat cheese, room temperature
1 tablespoon chopped cilantro
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon ground cumin
2 cloves garlic, minced
¼ teaspoon cayenne
1 teaspoon lime zest
Salt, to taste
- Preheat the broiler and line a baking sheet with foil.
- Take each jalapeño and cut in half, lengthwise. With a knife or small spoon scoop out the seeds and white pith and discard.
- Mix together the cooked chorizo, cream cheese, goat cheese, cilantro, oregano, cumin, garlic, cayenne, and lime zest. Adjust seasonings and add salt to taste.
- Fill each of the jalapeño halves with about 2 teaspoons of the cheese filling. Place stuffed jalapeños on the sheet and place under the broiler for 8 to 10 minutes or until brown and bubbling.
NOTE: You can vary this by replacing the chorizo with cooked bacon or leftover brisket. And pimento cheese makes for a fine filling as well. For extra decadence, try wrapping them in bacon before baking as well.
From The Homesick Texan Cookbook by Lisa Fain. Copyright © 2011 Lisa Fain. Photographs by Lisa Fain. Published by Hyperion. Available wherever books are sold. All Rights Reserved.
Lisa Fain is the author of The Homesick Texan’s Family Table © 2014. Published by Ten Speed Press, an imprint of Random House LLC.
