Robin: I recently came across huge cans (about 6.5 pounds each) of nacho-sliced jalapeño peppers being sold for only a dollar. I didn’t buy one right away, but a seed was planted; after mentally debating myself on the issue for a couple of days, I decided that I could not pass up this deal, so I went back to the store and bought a can.
I felt slightly silly—we are, after all, a household of only 2 people—but also, oddly, a bit exhilarated. What wonderful new dishes would I discover—or even, maybe, invent—featuring pickled jalapeño slices?
One might think that, given my more than two decades of life in Mexico City, I would know a jillion unusual ways to use those sliced peppers, but that was not the case. Jalapeños are only one of dozens of frequently-used chiles in Mexico, and the pickled version are basically used simply (albeit quite deliciously) as a condiment, spooned onto food at the table. I knew Ed and I would never get through all six and half pounds of pickled peppers that way.
I went on a quest for ideas for using canned jalapeño slices. Most of what I found were just variations on the peppers-as-garnish theme: use them on nachos, in dip, in casseroles, on sandwiches, etc. There was a small handful of more interesting options. One idea I didn’t think much of at first was deep frying the slices. I mean, fried food is delicious, but it’s not necessarily very healthful, plus it makes a big mess, right? Good thing I just decided one day to go ahead and try it anyway.
These battered, fried jalapeño slices are superb warm or at room temperature. As they are quite spicy, serve them with a couple of “cool” elements such as ranch dressing and cucumbers or celery (similar to how buffalo wings are paired) as an appetizer or game-day snack. If this recipe, which makes about 10 servings, sounds like too much for your purposes, you are wrong; leftovers store well in the fridge for a few days and are excellent accents on a sandwich or salad, in a soup, or over a bowl of mac and cheese.
Deep Fried Jalapeño Slices
Tasty batter-dipped pepper slices that are as perfect as a side dish/garnish as they are as part of an appetizer or game-day plate.
Ingredients
- 2 eggs
- ½ cup buttermilk
- ½ cup all-purpose flour
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 3 cups drained pickled jalapeño pepper slices nacho-style slices
- Vegetable oil for deep frying
Instructions
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In a medium-sized bowl, beat the eggs with a fork until yolk and whites are indistinguishable. Stir in the buttermilk.
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Add the flour, garlic powder, paprika, and salt and mix well; batter should resemble thick pancake batter. Stir in the drained jalapeño slices.
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Pour enough oil into a small saucepan to reach a depth of 3 inches (or use deep fryer). Heat the oil enough so that a fork dipped in batter sizzles nicely when thrust into hot oil; don’t let oil smoke or boil. Fry your battered jalapeños in small batches until well browned.
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Drain your fried jalapeños slices on paper towels. Serve with ranch dressing and cucumber cut into sticks or cubes (or other similar cooling accompaniments). Refrigerate leftovers to use as a delicious garnish on sandwiches, in soups, etc.
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