Tinkerbell poppers

Ingredients Tinkerbell peppers, cream cheese, jalepenos, cheddar.

Preparation: 30 minutes

When I was a teenager, my father worked for a gourmet food company which provided ultra posh frozen foods - people used to buy catering packs of beef wellington when having a dinner party. Their jalepeno poppers were my first experience of this Americanised version of the Mexican classic chile relleno. Any time I have had them since, my lingering impression has been greasy breadcrumbs, cheap cream cheese and jalepenos that have lost all their heat. Very sad. When I saw these adorable little Tinkerbell peppers, I knew that they'd be the perfect ingredient for me to reinvent the popper. Cool, creamy oozing cheese with a fiery bite contrasts wonderfully with these sweet, juicy peppers. Cheeky Tinkerbell would be very proud to be associated with these saucy minxes.

1) Slice the tops from the peppers (but do not discard) and remove the seeds.

2) Dice jalepenos, grate cheddar and stir into cream cheese at a ratio of two parts cheese and jalepeno to two parts cream cheese.

3) Pack tightly into the peppers and replace the lids. The cream cheese works as a sort of mortar and will seal the lid if you smooth a little around the join. Bake in the oven for 30 minutes on a medium heat, then serve hot. Magnificent.

Spicy polenta chips

Ingredients 1 cup polenta, vegetable stock, jalepenos, chilli flakes, coriander, butter, cheddar

Serves: 4 preparation: 1 hour 30

Polenta is a marvellous alternative to potato, for those who cannot eat them - or just fancy a change! I have posted a recipe previously for polenta French fries, which I think are absolutely heavenly - but these chunky, spicy chips are  equally gorgeous. Polenta doesn't fluff up exactly like a potato, but it does remain soft in the centre and crispy on the outside which is all one can ask for!

1) Measure out the polenta into a milk pan, and slowly add the vegetable stock until you achieve a porridge like consistency.

2) Finely dice the jalapeños and add to the polenta. Grate in a little cheddar, then add chilli flakes and finely chopped coriander. Make it as spicy as you like - personally if my mouth isn't smoking, it's not hot enough for me but you should cook according to your own taste.

3) Spoon the polenta mixture onto a baking tray or into a square baking dish and smooth with a spatula. Cover and refrigerate for at least an hour.

4) Turn out the solid polenta block and slice into sections to make your chips.

5) Shallow fry in a tablespoon of butter, turning regularly until a golden crust is formed, then serve hot.

Southern Comfort fajitas

Ingredients 300g Quorn steak strips (or beef steak strips), southern comfort, tomato passata, 1 white onion, iceberg lettuce, soured cream, butter, jalepenos, cumin, cheddar, tortillas, Guacamole: 3 avocados, jalepeno, lime, coriander, soured cream, avocado oil.

Serves: 6 preparation: 20 minutes

I have never been a fan of Southern Comfort - the smell turns my stomach and I find the taste too sweet. Usually when cooking Mexican food I use tequila but a lack of tequila and the dregs of a bottle of SoCo that someone brought to a party recently made me wonder if the fruity, spicy flavour would work well as an alternative. Turns out it did! Enjoy...


1) To make guacamole, see my previous recipe.


2) Marinate the Quorn in Southern Comfort for about 5 or 10 minutes (it's like a sponge and will soak it right up - if you're using beef you might want to make it an hour beforehand).


3) Peel and finely dice the onion and sautee in a little butter until completely soft. Add the Quorn and any excess Southern Comfort and cook off the alcohol.


4) Add a little tomato passata, cumin and some chopped jalepenos to taste


5) Serve with shredded iceberg lettuce, grated cheddar, guacamole and some soured cream in a tortilla.

5 bean chilli & sweet potato melting burger

Ingredients 2 sweet potatoes, kidney beans, pinto beans, cannellini beans and haricot beans, maize, pistachios, sesame seeds, old bread, coriander, 5 jalepenos, Philadelphia

Serves: 4 preparation: 30 minutes


I love bean burgers and this is a fabulously spiced with a scrumptious melting Philadelphia centre to cut through the heat.


1) Peel and dice the sweet potato, then boil it in hot, salted water until soft. Drain, mash and set aside to cool.  


2) Stir the beans into the sweet potato (Tesco sell "taco beans", 1 can of which is perfect - but rinse away the sauce, otherwise it will make the mixture too wet) and add a teaspoon of cumin and some chopped jalepenos to taste.


3) Sift in a little maize flour and stir through, adding more bit by bit until the mixture has stiffened just enough to form a patty with.


4) Blitz your bread in a blender until fine breadcrumbs are formed. Crush a handful of pistachios in a blender and stir through the bread with some sesame seeds.


5) Slice the patty in half and fill with a good teaspoon of Philadelphia. Form the patty back around the cheese to ensure there is no place for it to bubble out. Roll it in the breadcrumb mixture, then bake in the oven for 10 minutes until the breadcrumbs are golden brown.

Pineapple guacamole

Ingredients 1 avocado, 2 tbsp pineapple, 1 jalepeno, coriander, 1 lime

Serves: 4 Preparation: 5 minutes

Avocado and pineapple are both such fickle beasts - avocado oxidises quickly and pineapple becomes fermented so it was only a matter of time before I brought them together to create another twist on my classic guacamole. This is fresh and tangy and utterly addictive.

1) Slice and de-seed the jalepeno and set to macerate in the juice of 1 lime.



2) Slice the avocado in half and remove the stone. Slice the flesh from the shell, taking care to scrape out the dark buttery outer layer of avocado. Pulse in a blender or mash until smooth. Add the jalepeno and a little of the lime juice and stir through.


3) Slice the top from the pineapple and peel off the skin with a knife. Slice the flesh away from the hard core and discard.


4) Dice the flesh and stir about 2 tablespoons into the guacamole. Stir through about a teaspoon of finely chopped coriander and serve - perfect with tortilla chips.

Baked potato: jalepeno, pineapple and cream cheese

Ingredients Jalepenos, pineapple, cream cheese, cheddar, potato.

Serves: 1 Preparation: 45 minutes - 1 hour

Once you have made your perfect baked potato, you need to fill it! I love spicy food and jalepenos and cheese are perfect partners. This filling manages to be cool and creamy, yet tangy and spicy all at the same time.
1) Finely slice the jalepeno and pineapple (I used about 1 tsp for every 1tbsp of cream cheese) and stir into the cream cheese.

2) Stir in some cheddar, spoon onto the potato and serve!

Guacamole

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Ingredients 3 avocados, jalepeno, lime, coriander, soured cream, avocado oil.

1) Slice the avocados in half, remove the stones and scoop the flesh from the shell with a spoon.

2) Deseed and finely dice a jalepeno and add it, along with the avocado and a squeeze of lime juice to a blender.

3) Pulse the avocado thoroughly, adding a teaspoon of soured cream and a handful of chopped coriander halfway through, and a splash of avocado oil to make it glossy.

Traditionally served with tortilla chips - I used Fudge's delicious cheese and black pepper flatbreads.

Dirty rice balls

Ingredients Wild rice, cherry tomatoes, red onion, tomato puree, jalepenos, lime juice, tequila, green chilli pepper, cream cheese, cheddar, buttermilk, bread, 1 egg, sesame seeds, groundnut oil.

This recipe was created using leftovers from the dirty rice balls with tequila and chilli con queso.

1) To make breadcrumbs, pulse the crust slice of slightly stale bread in a blender and mix with a handful of sesame seeds.

2) Form small balls with the cold, leftover rice and roll them first in a whisked egg and then in the breadcrumbs mixture.

3) Drop the ball carefully into hot oil (a deep fat fryer will enable them to keep their spherical shape) and sizzle until the breadcrumbs turn golden brown.

4) Using a slotted spoon, remove the rice ball from the oil and drop back into the breadcrumbs and roll around until they are covered with a second layer of crumbs.

5) Repeat until you have a number of rice balls and bake them in the oven for 10 -15 minutes until the outer layer is also crisp. Ideal served with leftover Chilli Con Queso.

Dirty rice with tequila

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Ingredients Wild rice, cherry tomatoes, red onion, tomato puree, jalepenos, lime juice, tequila

1) Put your wild rice into a pan and just cover it with water. Add a teaspoon of tomato puree and a diced red onion.

2) Add a generous handful of whole cherry tomatoes and stir through as the water begins to cook off.

3) Add some chopped jalepenos to taste. I like my food spicy so added 3 jalepenos - with the seeds - and the juice of one lime.

4) As the rice begins to soften, press the tomatoes with the flat of your spoon so that they burst and stir through. Add a generous dash of tequila and continue to stir until the liquid is cooked off, leaving the rice coated in a rich, sticky sauce.