- 12 large jalapeño peppers
- 1 brick cream cheese (8 ounces), at room temperature
- 3 tablespoons onion, grated
- 2 large cloves garlic, grated or pasted
- Salt and pepper
- About 3/4 cup grated extra-sharp white cheddar cheese
- About 3/4 cup shredded Monterey jack cheese
- About 2 tablespoons cilantro leaves, finely chopped
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin (1/3 palmful)
- 1 cup panko breadcrumbs
- About 1/3 cup grated Parmigiano Reggiano cheese (a heavy handful)
- All-natural cooking spray
Pre-heat the oven to 400ºF.
Trim the top third of the jalapeños lengthwise, leaving the stems intact. Reserve the tops. Using a demitasse spoon or other small tool, scoop out the seeds and the ribs from all the peppers, making 12 “boats.” Chop all of the trimmed pepper tops and reserve.
In a mixing bowl, combine the softened cream cheese, grated onion, garlic, salt, pepper, shredded cheeses, cilantro and cumin. Add in the finely chopped jalapeños to your taste – I usually use about half of the total amount, reserving remaining jalapeños for other recipes.
In a small dish, combine the panko with the Parmigiano Reggiano cheese. Fill your jalapeño boats, mounding the filling up a bit. Roll the filling in the panko.
Arrange the poppers on a baking dish, spray lightly with cooking spray and bake until the breadcrumbs are evenly brown and the filling is bubbly, about 18-20 minutes.
Let stand for 10 minutes and serve.