Jalapeno Popper Potato Poutine
Jalapeños are the most popular chile peppers in the US. This is probably due to the availability and versatility of the chile. Jalapeños have a balanced combination of flavor and heat. The demand for these have caused breeders to develop a broad range of varieties.
Ingredients:
3 lbs Little Potato Company Creamer Potatoes (I used two microwave ready packages which comes to 2 lbs, but you can use their 1.5 lb bag varietals, too.)
3/4 lb (375 g package) bacon, sliced large
2 onions, chopped
Salt and pepper
1/4 tsp. cayenne powder
1/2 lb cheese curds
Sauce:
1/8 cup butter
1/8 cup all-purpose flour
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 1/2 cups milk
4 oz plain cream cheese
1/4 cup grated cheddar cheese
2 jalapenos, seeds removed and minced
1/2 tbsp. coarse whole grain mustard
1/8 tsp. cumin
1/2 tsp. paprika
Salt and pepper
Instructions:
Microwave potatoes until fork tender (5-10 minutes: see note.)
Preheat oven to 425F. Place potatoes, onions, bacon, cayenne, salt, and pepper onto baking sheet. Toss until well combined.
Roast for 15-20 minutes, or until bacon is cooked through and potatoes and nicely browned, tossing every so often.
Sauce:
In a large saucepan over medium heat, add the butter. When melted, add in garlic and jalapenos. Cook for 1 minute. Whisk in flour and continue cooking until the roux browns, about 4-5 minutes, stirring almost constantly.
Combine milk, mustard, salt, pepper, cumin, and paprika. Pour into pan, whisking constantly. Add cream cheese and heat until sauce has begun to thicken. Stir in cheddar cheese and cook until melted.
Assembly:
Place potatoes onto plate. Add cheese curds, and pour “gravy” on top. Garnish with extra bacon and jalapeno if desired!
Notes
If using The Little Potato Company’s microwave ready packages, just follow their directions. If using the bagged varietal, you can still microwave your creamer potatoes on a plate to speed up cooking time.
From thecookiewriter.com