The Boston Pops Aren't the Only Thing Poppin' This 4th

Are you ready for fireworks and some good ol' American BBQ? We are too! Which is why we're planning our menu and figuring out what makes the perfect 4th of July side. Spicy, savory, and grilled. Need we say more? Check out this recipe for delicious jalapeno poppers - the perfect accompaniment for your BBQ!

Jalapeno Poppers

Ingredients:
12 jalapenos
2 Tbsp. olive oil
1 dozen large shrimp, peeled and deveined
6 oz. Large Marge queso (or substitute nacho cheese), chilled
6 oz. Monterey jack cheese
6 oz. parmigiano reggiano
1 Tbsp. fresh chives, chopped
12 slices pancetta or prosciutto, sliced paper thin, around 2” x 4”
Kosher salt to taste

Instructions:

1. Turn on the grill and pump up the heat as high as it goes. Once it’s blazing hot, put the jalapenos on the grates to blister the skins, flipping them every few minutes to get all of the sides dark and burnt. Remove them from the grill and let them cool in an airtight container.
2. While the peppers cool, toss the shrimp with olive oil in a medium bowl and season them generously with salt. Grill the shrimp for about one minute on each side, until they just start to turn pink. You don’t want to cook them all the way through, you just want to give them a head start (they will finish cooking later inside the peppers).
3. Remove the shrimp from the grill and let them cool.
4. While the shrimp and peppers cool, grate all three cheeses into a large bowl. Note: If the queso is too soft to grate, just pinch it into small chunks and throw them in the bowl.
5. Once the shrimp are cool enough to handle, chop them into small chunks and put them into the bowl with the cheese, adding chives as well. Stir to combine, salt to taste and set the bowl in the fridge while you prep the peppers.
6. Take the cooled peppers and remove the blistered skin under running water. If you miss a few pieces of skin, that’s ok!
7. Once the skins have been removed, slice a vertical slit in each pepper running from top to bottom and remove the seeds under running water. Pat the peppers dry inside and out and arrange them on a platter.
8. Take the shrimp and cheese filling out of the fridge and stuff each pepper with about 1-2 tablespoons of filling. The amount of filling used will depend on how big each pepper is, just be sure to jam pack each pepper with filling. The more the better! Note: If you have any filling leftover, we suggest saving it in the fridge and reheating it in the microwave for 20 seconds. Eat it as a dip with tortilla chips and hot sauce!
9. Once all of the peppers are filled, take a slice of pancetta (or prosciutto) and wrap it all the way around one pepper. There is no need to use toothpicks to adhere it; the pancetta will stick to itself. Make sure each slice of pancetta goes fully around the jalapeno to help prevent the filling from leaking out when grilling.
10. Put the peppers on the grill over medium heat and grill with the lid on until the pancetta is cooked through and darkened. Don’t flip the peppers; just let the ambient heat from the grill cook the top of the pancetta. The bottoms will be darker than the tops.
11. Remove the peppers from the grill and let them sit for a few minutes before devouring. Enjoy!

Yum! We can't wait to treat our guests to these and devour the details of a perfect 4th of July feast!