Brussels Sprout Poppers
Football season is getting exciting—all of those playoff hopes and dreams!
And whether or not your team is doing well, I hope you’re eating all of the Sunday snacks your little heart could desire.
Sunday is a day to sit around, watch TV, crack open a beer, and enjoy cheesy, fried, Buffalo-flavored things.
Jalapeno poppers have long been a staple on the list of favorite football foods.
I've made classic jalapeno poppers many times and they're considered a classic for a reason, but after I discovered how easy it is to hollow out a Brussels sprout, I knew I had to try to make it into a popper.
Luckily the Brussels sprouts held together like champs and cooked up beautifully!
Before my eyes, Brussels Sprout PopperS were born!
And just to make things interesting, I've stuffed them with pimento cheese.
There is nothing not to love here!
I mean, they’re Brussels sprouts stuffed with pimento cheese, then breaded and fried!
Even if you have no interest in football, you’re going to have one heck of a Sunday.
Check out the video for more details!
Brussels Sprout Poppers
servings: 24 -30 poppers
Ingredients:
- 4 ounces cheddar cheese
- 4 ounces cream cheese
- 2 ounces pimento peppers
- ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 1 teaspoon, plus a pinch of kosher salt
- Pinch of ground black pepper
- 1 pound Brussels sprouts (about 24-30 sprouts)
- 1 cup flour
- 2 eggs, beaten, with 2 tablespoons water added
- 1 teaspoon cracked pepper
- ½ cup panko breadcrumbs
- ½ cup Italian breadcrumbs
- Vegetable oil, for frying
Directions:
- Make the pimento cheese by combining the cheddar cheese, cream cheese, pimento peppers, cayenne, a pinch of salt, and a pinch of ground black pepper in a food processor and process these ingredients until they are well combined. You can also do this by hand if desired. Then set the pimento cheese aside in the refrigerator while you prepare the Brussels sprouts.
- Bring water to a boil in a medium pot, salting it once it is boiling. Cut the Brussels sprouts in half lengthwise and drop them into the boiling water (you may have to work in batches); cook them until they are slightly soft and pliable—about 2 minutes. Then set them aside to cool. Once the Brussels sprouts are cool to the touch, use a melon baller to remove the inside of each sprout and discard (or reserve for a later use). You can also use a paring knife to cut part of the stem towards the base of the Brussels sprout; the center of the sprout should then pop out. Place the Brussels sprout shells on a parchment-lined baking sheet.
- Fill each scooped-out sprout with ¼ teaspoon to ½ teaspoon of the pimento cheese. Pair the shell halves together and freeze them for 20 minutes.
- Prepare the breading station by mixing, in a small bowl, the flour, ⅓ teaspoon of the salt, and ⅓ teaspoon of the cracked pepper. Next, put the egg mixture into a small bowl, again adding ⅓ teaspoon of the salt and ⅓ teaspoon of the cracked pepper. Finally, in another small bowl, mix the panko breadcrumbs and the Italian breadcrumbs together, and add the remaining ⅓ teaspoon of salt and ⅓ teaspoon of cracked pepper.
- One at a time, dip the poppers into the flour mixture, turning them to dust all sides. Tap off any excess flour, then dip the poppers into the egg mixture, turning them to coat all sides and allowing any excess to drip off. Finally, dip each popper into the breadcrumb mixture, making sure the crumbs coat all sides of the popper. Lay the coated poppers on a clean, dry surface.
- Heat a fryer or a large pot filled with vegetable oil to 375ºF. Cooking in batches, fry each popper in the oil until golden brown—about 2 minutes.
Notes:
- If you prefer to bake the poppers rather than frying, begin by following Steps 1 through 5 above. Then put all of the poppers on a parchment-lined baking sheet and place it in an oven preheated to 400ºF. Bake for 30 minutes, flipping the poppers over halfway through their cooking time.
