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Grilled Jalapeño Poppers with Mango-Lime Sauce

Charred cheese! Unintended and wonderful.

Jess and I often get joint cravings for a few specific things: sushi, ice cream, and the jalapeño poppers at Cafe 440. Today was our first effort at re-creating the poppers, and I must say, it was a success. They were at least as good as the restaurant version. Maybe better, because I like our turkey bacon better than their prosciutto. 

Their sauce is listed in the menu as "mango-lime coulis." So I took out the mini food processor and blended up a mango with lime juice, garlic, honey, and salt. I imagine they cook the sauce down and/or strain it, because theirs is smooth, but ours tasted great. We think it would be good on smoked-salmon sushi, too.

About to become sauce.

Some important things unless you enjoy pain:
1) Wear gloves while working with the jalapeños.
2) Be thorough about removing the ribs and seeds from the jalapeños, and also rinse the insides to remove any hiding seeds and mouth-burning residue. 
3) Don't skimp on cooking time. The jalapeños will mellow the longer they're grilled.

Jess had to take over after the jalapeño fumes nearly killed me. He did a much better (more patient) job than I would have done assembling these.


Jess also did the grilling. He played whack-a-mole with the oozing cheese to achieve minimal loss.


Kenna sat nearby while we ate, but she kept her eyes closed so we'd know she was bored with us. Or maybe the jalapeño fumes got to her, too.


The Recipe:
8 large jalapeños
4 oz goat cheese
8 slices turkey bacon
1 mango, peeled and cut into chunks
1 clove garlic, crushed
1 tb lime juice
1 tsp honey
pinch of salt
  • Prepare the jalapeños: Cut off the stems and then make a single slice down one side, like a hot dog bun. Wearing gloves, remove the ribs and seeds and then rinse thoroughly in cold water.
  • Stuff each jalapeño with goat cheese, then wrap a slice of bacon in a single layer around the stuffed pepper. Stick a toothpick through the loose end to hold it together.
  • Blend mango, garlic, lime, honey, and salt in a food processor to make the sauce.
  • Grill the peppers over a low flame for about 20 minutes total, turning every few minutes. Cook until bacon is crispy on all sides and jalapeños are charred. Try not to lose too much cheese in the process.

The Verdict:
Overall grade: A
Overall reason: Delicious but labor-intensive.
Time to prepare: 1 hour
Husband quotes: 
1) "This it the fanciest thing you've ever made. Well, the fanciest thing WE've ever made."
2) "The only thing better than bacon wrapped around jalapeños would be bacon wrapped around bacon." (Takes another bite.) "No, bacon wrapped around jalapeños is better."
3) "The jalapeño demands to be felt." (We just saw this movie).







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