I’m really not a huge football fan. I do enjoy watching our local NFL team, but rarely do I find it enthralling enough to watch a whole game in real time (thank goodness for DVR and 20 seconds skip forward button!) Oh, I hope I didn’t disappoint anyone, or sabotage my tom-boy street cred. I will be watching the Super Bowl this weekend, but really look forward to planning the food and watching the commercials and half-time show just as much as the game itself.

This recipe is definitely fitting for the event and I have a few more to share in the coming days for you to use at your big party! It’s a bit more time consuming than the usual cream cheese stuffed, bacon wrapped and grilled jalapeno popper variety that we go for in the summers. This one is more like…Arby’s, but homemade, gluten free, and way better. The added seasoning to the filling along with roasting the peppers before filling and frying takes this one way over the top. Try it out, I’m sure you’ll love it!

Gluten Free Fried Jalapeno Poppers
Adapted from: Saveur

Roasting and peeling the peppers first takes the flavor of this tasty appetizer up a notch, and cuts down on the heat. My gluten free version didn’t turn out quite as evenly coated in breadcrumbs as the original recipe shows, I’ve changed the order of toasting and food processor-ing the bread in the recipe below to hopefully get your crumbs a bit finer than mine turned out. Either way, they are delicious!

6 medium jalapenos
1 tablespoon olive oil
1/3 cup cream cheese
1/2 teaspoon onion powder
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/4 cup chopped parsley
2 egg whites
1/2 cup milk
3 pieces gluten free sandwich bread ( I used Rudi’s)
1/4 cup corn starch
1/4 cup sweet rice flour

Place the top oven rack into the top position of the oven and turn on the broiler. Place jalapenos on a foil lined rimmed baking sheet. Place under the broiler and leave the oven door cracked to prevent the heating element from cycling on and off. Rotate the peppers every 5-7 minutes until blackened and blistered.

Remove from the oven, drizzle olive oil over them and place in a bowl with an inverted plate over top or covered tightly with foil. Allow to cool for about 15 minutes.

Toast the bread, on both sides, under the broiler, keeping a close eye on it to ensure it doesn’t burn. Remove, and process in a food processor into fine crumbs. Set aside in a bowl.

In a large heavy bottomed pan, heat 2 inches of oil over high heat. Use a oil or candy thermometer to gauge the temperature. Oil is ready when it reaches 350 degrees.

Form the battering assembly line:
In a small bowl, whisk the egg whites and milk together. In a separate bowl combine the corn starch and sweet rice flour. In another bowl (this recipe takes a lot of bowls) combine the cream cheese, onion powder, garlic powder, and parsley. Mix well to combine.

When peppers have cooled, peel their blistered skins off and remove the stem. Slice down one side and lay open to cut and scrape out the seeds, being careful not to tear through the other side of the pepper.

Once all are skinned and seeded fill each with about a tablespoon of the cream cheese mixture. Press the pepper around the filling to help reshape the peppers.

One by one, dredge the filled peppers in the flour mixture, dunk into the milk and egg whites, and roll in the toasted bread crumbs.

Gently lower into the oil and fry, turning often, until starting to brown. This takes about 30 to 45 seconds. Remove from the oil with a slotted spoon and set on a paper towel lined plate to drain.

Serve with a spicy marinara sauce by adding 1 tablespoon hot prepared horseradish to 1/4 cup maranera sauce. Serve the peppers warm or at room temperature. Can be made ahead of time, refrigerated or frozen and reheated for about 10-20 minutes in a 350 degree oven before serving.
Enjoy!