False Start Poppers Recipes

Steps:

• Pat the peppers dry with a paper towel and set aside.
• Wrap each cheese stick with a slice of ham, then slice the wrapped sticks into approximately 1/2-inch cubes. Stuff the wrapped cheese cubes into the peppers.
• Heat the oil in a medium heavy-bottomed pot to 350 degrees F.
• Set up a breading station using pie pans or plates. Put the flour in the first pie pan, then whisk together the egg and 2 tablespoons water in the second pie pan. In the third, mix together the panko, salt and pepper. Run each stuffed pepper through the breading station: lightly coat in the flour, dip in the egg wash and thoroughly coat in the panko.
• Fry the peppers in batches in the hot oil until the breading is lightly browned, 1 to 2 minutes. Transfer to a plate lined with a paper towel. Serve hot.

Steps:

• Heat the oven to 400 degrees. Line a large baking sheet with aluminum foil, then top with a wire rack.
• Halve jalapeños lengthwise. (Do your best to halve them through their stems for added visual appeal.) Using the tip of a small spoon, scoop out and discard the seeds. Set the halved jalapeños aside.
• In a medium bowl, stir together the cream cheese, cilantro, scallions, garlic and lime zest, if using; season generously with salt and pepper.
• Season the inside of each halved jalapeño with salt and pepper, then fill each with about 2 teaspoons of the cream cheese mixture. (Fill until there's a slight dome on top.) Wrap each stuffed jalapeño with 1 piece of bacon, setting one tip of bacon on top of the cream cheese filling, then wrapping the bacon under and over the popper at an angle, so the bacon covers the filling on top in two layers. (The bacon will shrink as it cooks, so you want to make sure the top of the popper is well covered.) Arrange poppers evenly on the wire rack, nestling each popper between two parallel wires to keep it upright so the cream cheese doesn't spill during baking.
• Transfer to the oven, and bake until bacon is cooked through, about 25 minutes. Broil on the rack closest to the broiler until crisp, about 2 minutes. Let cool for 5 minutes, then serve warm.