Jalapenos Stuffed with Chorizo and Smoked Gouda

I love appetizers and finger foods. I think this is why tapas restaurants are some of my favorite places to go. I like to sample lots of different flavors and don't like to commit myself to a large portion of anything. That's one of the many reasons I like hosting parties like my Oscar party, because it gives me an excuse to make a variety of small dishes. These poppers definitely fit the bill.

In choosing to make them, I did discover two important things:

1) Despite my complaints about my Giant and their less than stellar selection of many foods, they do have a very extensive Latino section, which boasted 4 different types of chorizo. This became a tough decision, but I opted for the traditional hot Mexican chorizo. I think it was a nice choice in that the supreme spicyness of the sausage was balanced out by the smokeyness of the cheese.

2) Speaking of heat...never again will I work with jalapenos without using some sort of gloves. My hands were still burning the next morning after countless washings. Do yourself a favor and wear disposable gloves if you're going to work with jalapenos for an extended period of time. I was petrified to touch my face for a good 24 hours and elected to wear glasses the next day. This probably could have been avoided with gloves.



Jalapenos Stuffed with Chorizo and Smoked Gouda (makes 24 poppers)

Ingredients:

• 2 links Mexican chorizo, casings removed
• 1/2 pound smoked gouda, shredded
• 1/4 cup finely chopped red onions
• 1 egg
• 1/2 cup cream cheese
• 3 TB sour cream
• 1 TB hot sauce (recommended: Frank's Red Hot)
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 12 large jalapeno peppers, stemmed, seeded and halved

Directions:

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.


Brown chorizo in a skillet over medium-high heat, about 8 to 10 minutes. Drain and place into a large mixing bowl. Add the cheese, red onion, egg, cream cheese, sour cream, hot sauce, and salt and pepper, to taste.

Press into jalapeno halves and assemble on a parchment lined baking sheet. Bake until golden and bubbly, about 20 minutes.