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Jalapeno is an integral part of Latin American, Spanish, Caribbean and Asian cuisine. This spicy vegetable serves not only as a topping, but also as a main dish.
However you need to know all the secrets of choosing, slicing and cooking in order to prepare a delicious meal. It’s time to find everything out and get to know jalapeno better!
What is jalapeno?
Jalapeno is a variety of hot chili pepper with small fleshy cone-shaped pods. Chefs around the world use it primarily as a seasoning that gives a strong spicy taste.
Farmers harvest pepper before it turns red, as experts consider the unripe vegetable to have a richer taste. Jalapeno has many varieties, including: peludo, morita, and espinalteco. They have small external differences, but are equally suitable for use in cooking.
What does jalapeno taste like?
Dried and crushed in the form of flakes, jalapenos usually have a reddish-pink color. The taste is very sharp, with a slight nutty taste and a special sourness.
The unique flavor and rich aroma of Jalapeno pepper make it indispensable for making salsa sauce. It is also a mandatory addition to the traditional Mexican drink – sangrita.
The burning taste of jalapeno pepper is diluted with fruity notes. Fresh, the aroma is not too obvious, but during cooking you can feel the pleasant smell of spices.
What is the best way to cook jalapeno?
You can cook jalapeno in various ways – fry, stew or boil. However, if you want to get a product with a crispy crust, just roast it. The chosen recipe and taste preferences also play an important role.
For meat dishes, your jalapeno should be soft and tender. And for burgers, it’s worth cooking a vegetable with a tough texture. However, to preserve the healing properties of jalapeno, choose roasting.
This is the best and fastest method of preparing this product!
How to choose jalapenos for roasting
When buying jalapenos, choose green, solid pods of uniform color. Their skin should be smooth, shiny and without damage. Avoid dry, wilting fruits with cracks, cuts, and spots on the surface.
Sometimes it can be quite difficult to find a fresh and high-quality jalapeno. Professional chefs recommend buying such a vegetable in grocery stores or from trusted sellers.
Should you remove seeds from jalapeno?
Many culinary beginners often wonder whether it is necessary to remove seeds from jalapeno. Everything depends on the cutting method and on the required degree of sharpness.
The seeds of this vegetable contain a large concentration of spicy juice. If you still decide to remove them, then use a regular spoon. You can also remove the core with a regular knife by cutting the edible part of the jalapeno in a circle.
How to slice jalapeno for roasting
Before the cooking process, you must properly slice the jalapeno. This method is suitable for any fresh chili or pepper. Just follow the instructions:
- Wear protective gloves so that the sensitive skin of your hands does not come into contact with the caustic juice of jalapeno.
- Using a sharp knife, cut off the tip.
- Place the jalapeno on a flat part and cut a strip from the side. The seeds should remain attached to the jalapeno core.
- Cut the strips in a circle on all sides of the vegetable. So you will have a core with seeds in your hands, you can throw it away.
- Next, cut the jalapeno strips into pieces of any size.
How to roast jalapenos on the grill
The grill is a quick and convenient way to roast jalapenos. Chefs advise adding bacon and cream cheese to such a dish. First, rinse the jalapeno and peel it from the seeds, dividing it into two parts.
Fill the halves with cream cheese and wrap them with a slice of bacon. Cook such jalapeno snacks on the grill for 20-25 minutes at a temperature of 400 degrees Fahrenheit.
However, with this method of preparation, be especially attentive to the time of preparation. If the vegetable comes into contact with the grill grates for too long, its skin will simply burn.
How to roast jalapenos on the stove
Another suitable way to prepare jalapeno will require you to use a conventional stove. Choose small jalapeno peppers about the same size. Rinse the vegetables and dry them with a paper towel.
Using a sharp knife, make an incision along the entire jalapeno. Put on gloves and carefully remove the seeds and partitions from the peppers. Put the peeled peppers in a bowl with hot water and leave for 10 minutes.
Preheat the vegetable oil, reduce the heat to low and lower the jalapeno hot oil. Deep-fry the vegetables over low heat until the breadcrumbs turn an appetizing golden color.
How to roast jalapenos on electric stove
If you have a gas stove at home, just fry jalapeno over an open fire. However, with an electric stove, the result will not be worse. Just follow the instructions:
- Rinse the jalapeno under cold running water and dry it with paper towels.
- Remove the stems and tails with a sharp knife.
- Use skewers and put jalapeno on them. This will help not to get burned.
- Preheat the electric stove and place a pan skillet on it. Pour the oil there and roast the peppers for 3-5 minutes. Don’t forget to close the lid!
How to roast jalapenos in air fryer
Roasting jalapeno peppers in an air fryer is a great option to get a delicious snack. All you need is a deep fryer, silicone kitchen tongs and raw jalapenos themselves. The technology of preparation will be simple:
- Place the jalapeno peppers in the fryer basket
- Try to divide the hot peppers among themselves. They should not touch.
- Roast jalapenos for 2-5 minutes at 360 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Pull out the roasted jalapeno peppers with tongs and let them cool.
How long to roast jalapenos in oven
Oven roasted jalapenos is a versatile dish that you will definitely like. You can roast jalapenos in a paper bag, aluminum foil or on a baking sheet. The main thing is to choose the right preparation time.
Finely chop the jalapeno and marinate in balsamic vinegar or lemon juice. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit and place the peppers there.
Roast jalapeños depending on the size: small peppers for 2-3 minutes, medium peppers for 4-5 minutes, and large peppers for 6-7 minutes.
Oven roasted whole jalapenos recipe
Jalapeno crunches are pieces of hot Mexican pepper stuffed with nacho cheese, roasted or baked in breadcrumbs. Mexicans make delicious snacks for parties or in honor of the American football final game. To prepare this recipe, you will need the following ingredients:
- jalapeno – 12 pieces
- butter – 2 tablespoons
- flour – 2 tablespoons
- warm milk – 1 cup
- grated cheddar cheese – 1 cup
- salt – 1/2 teaspoon
- breadcrumbs – 1 cup
- egg – 2 pieces
- olive oil – for roasting
Step-by-step technology of preparation:
- Prepare the jalapeno peppers. Wash them in cold running water. Cut off all the stems and peel the peppers from the seeds with a spoon or by hand.
- Make nacho cheese. Melt the butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Mix with 2 tablespoons of flour. Add milk, grated cheese and salt. Stir until everything melts.
- Fill the pepper halves with cheese.
- Prepare the breading. Take the jalapeno and gently dip it in flour, being careful not to spill the cheese. Sprinkle some flour on top. Next, dip it into the egg mixture. Finally, put the jalapeno in a bowl with breadcrumbs, and then use a spoon to cover the top of the jalapeno.
- Roast the jalapeno in the oven for about 5 minutes. Use tongs to put the crunches in the hot oil.
- Remove the jalapeno from the oil and put it on paper towels, dry and cool.
Roasted jalapenos in olive oil
Jalapeno in olive oil is a great option for a delicious side dish. For these recipe you will need the following ingredients:
- jalapeno – 1 kg
- garlic – 1 head
- fresh herbs (mint and basil) – to taste
- salt – 1 tbsp
- vegetable oil – for roasting
Step-by-step technology of preparation:
- Wash the jalapeno and cut into large rings. Put it in an airtight container.
- Add basil or mint leaves, chopped garlic and sprinkle with salt to taste. Stir, cover with a flat plate and leave for a day.
- Squeeze the jalapeno from the remaining juice and transfer to sterile jars. Tamp it tightly with a spoon and pour olive oil over it.
- Put in a pan skillet and roast for 5-7 minutes.
Ways to use jalapeno peppers
You can use roasted jalapeños for a variety of interesting dishes. There are appetizers, side dishes, and main courses among them. Professional chefs like to add jalapenos in unusual combinations. You can try:
- Cilantro pesto with roasted peppers
- spicy Gazpacho
- Seattle hot dog with cheese
- Tacos with spicy minced meat
- Bean soup with oven roasted jalapeños
Can you freeze fresh jalapeno peppers?
You can increase the shelf life of both raw and cooked jalapenos. The simplest option is a refrigerator. Here you just have to wash the vegetables and dry them with paper towels.
So you can store raw jalapeno for about 7 days. Freezing is also a great option to keep your jalapenos fresh and sharp when you’re ready to use them. There are two popular methods:
- Freeze jalapeno peppers whole. Rinse the pepper thoroughly with cold water, dry the pepper with a towel. Remove the stems, place the peppers in bags for freezing. Seal it tightly.
- Chop and freeze jalapeno peppers. With this method, you will be able to store peppers more compactly. To implement this method, thoroughly rinse the pepper with cold water, dry the pepper with a towel. Trim the stems and discard. Cut the pepper into the desired shape. Place the chopped peppers on a baking sheet and freeze quickly for 1 hour. Place the chopped jalapeno peppers in the freezer bags. Remove as much air as possible and close.
Marinade ideas
Roasting jalapenos is a process that sometimes deprives the vegetable of its sharpness and spice. In such cases, you can pre-marinate the peppers. Pay attention to the following ideas for marinades:
- Classic marinade. The absence of spices in such a dressing allows you to reveal the original taste and aroma of the vegetable. You will need only 4 tablespoons of sugar, 2 tablespoons of salt, 2 cloves of garlic, and 250 ml of white wine vinegar.
- Sweet and spicy marinade. Despite the use of whole and not peeled jalapeno seeds, the vegetable turns out slightly milder. For this marinade, use apple cider vinegar, salt, coriander, garlic, and honey.
- Mexican marinade. This is a traditional Mexican combination: jalapeno, garlic and oregano. You can prepare sauces with these ingredients for meat, salads and nachos chips.
Serving ideas
Jalapeno is a versatile vegetable. It goes well with mushrooms, vegetables (cabbage, carrots, onions and sweet peppers), cheese, nuts, poultry, fish, fresh herbs, as well as spices.
Professional chefs advise adding jalapeno to soups, stews, and salads. Also, this vegetable is perfectly combined with a spicy sweet and sour dressing of lemon juice, butter and honey.
For a beautiful serving, you can fry peppers on the oven rack to get a pleasant toasted crust. Just put a whole or chopped jalapeno on a dish with any products. You can also add fresh herbs there: oregano, basil, and thyme.
Common tips
The roasting process of jalapeno seems easy, but you may have some difficulties.In such cases, follow the advice of professional chefs. Among them:
- When working with jalapenos, be careful – carry out all actions in tight rubber gloves. The juice released during slicing has an irritating effect on the mucous membranes and respiratory tract.
- When cutting burning pods, do not use wooden boards – it will be very difficult to wash them from the bitter juice.
- The most burning parts of the pods are the seeds and the light inner membranes on the pulp. To reduce the sharpness of the dish, simply peel the peppers from them.
- If the jalapenos are ripe and very hot, soak them in milk (so that it completely covers the vegetables) for a day. Then rinse with cold water and cook according to the recipe. You can scald the pods with boiling water and leave for 10 minutes – this will also slightly reduce the sharpness.
- To make jalapenos juicy, sprinkle the peppers with oil using a cooking spray. So the peppers will absorb the oil, and it will not burn so quickly.
Summary
Jalapeno is a great option for lovers of Mexican cuisine. This is not only a spicy addition to your dishes, but also an opportunity to make the taste of familiar products more saturated.
Choose roasting as a cooking method for jalapenos. This way you will retain more nutritional properties and get a vegetable with a pleasant golden-brown crust. Bon appetit!