Prosecco Battered Fried Hatch Chiles with Peach Jalapeño Jam

JUMP TO RECIPE
Course Appetizer, Side Dish
Cuisine American, New Mexican
Keywords Fried, Spicy
Difficulty Moderate
Servings 10 people
Prep Time 30 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Total Time 1 hour
Inspiration

Tiny's #5, Houston, TX

Wine Pairing

Prosecco or Champagne

Hatch chiles, the famous New Mexico native, only come around for a short time of the year at the end of August, and when they do, it's a Hatch festival. Literally, at Central Market in Houston, there is a Hatch festival, with outdoor hatch chile pepper grilling and live music. Hatch chiles really do have a unique fragrance and flavor, and they come in a range of capsaicin levels, from mild to very hot. They're delicious in many ways, but one of the ways we like them best is fried in a light and flaky batter and served with some jalapeño jelly. Choose mild or medium Hatch peppers for frying, and the spicy jam adds the kick at the end. They are a fantastic appetizer or finger food for a party or barbecue, but I will gladly eat a whole plate of them for my dinner too.
I make this batter with Prosecco, which like beer contributes a lightness and ultra-crispiness to the fry due to its effervescence. Feel free to use beer instead to go with a traditional beer batter. The Prosecco based version has a milder flavor, so it lets the flavor of the chiles come through more. They are best eaten right out of the pot when they are nice and hot and threatening to burn you. However, because frying anything requires some work and undivided attention, you can make them ahead. Fry them and let them sit draining on paper towels at room temperature. Just before you are ready to eat, reheat for about 7 minutes in a 400° F oven.
Servings: 10 people
Calories: 109kcal

Equipment

  • Dutch Oven or Deep Fryer

Ingredients

  • 10 medium heat hatch chiles
  • 1 egg
  • 1 1/4 cups cold Prosecco
  • 1 1/4 cups all purpose flour
  • 1/4 tsp salt
  • 1/4 tsp black pepper
  • 1/4 tsp paprika
  • 4 cups canola oil (enough for 2 inches deep)
  • 1/3 cup jalapeño peach jam

Instructions

  • Rinse and dry the hatch chile peppers. You don't want any water on them, otherwise the oil with splatter. Cut off the tops and bottoms and gently seed the pepper with a thin knife or jalapeño corer. Slice each pepper into 1-inch thick slices.
  • In a large dutch oven or deep fryer, heat the oil over high heat until it reaches about 350° F. A candy thermometer that can attach to the side of the pot is best for this, so you can monitor the temperature throughout the cooking process. While it heats, prep the peppers.
  • In a medium bowl, gently whisk together the egg and Prosecco (or beer). In a small bowl, mix together 1 cup of the flour and the salt, pepper, and paprika. Add the dry ingredients to the egg and Prosecco mixture, and prod with a fork until the flour is just incorporated. Do NOT whisk or mix thoroughly, as that will help degas the Prosecco more. We want to retain those bubbles and we want the batter to be a bit lumpy. Place the remaining 1/4 cup of flour in a small bowl.
  • Dredge each pepper slice in the plain flour and shake off the excess, then dip into the batter to coat thoroughly. Place on a cutting board while you dredge the rest of the peppers.
  • When you've gone through about a 1/3 of the slices, add the batter coated pieces to the hot oil. Let cook for about 10 minutes, turning half-way through or as needed to evenly brown all over. While the chiles fry, batter the remaining pieces. When each of the pieces are nicely golden-brown all over, transfer them to a paper-towel lined plate using a slotted spoon. Repeat with the remaining chiles in as many batches as needed.
  • Let drain on paper towel lined plates and cool until just easy to handle but still hot. Serve immediately with the jalapeño pepper jam on the side.

Nutrition

Calories: 109kcal | Carbohydrates: 20g | Protein: 2g | Fat: 1g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 16mg | Sodium: 220mg | Potassium: 55mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 5g | Vitamin A: 40IU | Vitamin C: 6mg | Calcium: 9mg | Iron: 1mg

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Recipe Rating




About the author

Hi! Welcome to The Dynamic Dish! I'm Erin - a geophysicist who is passionate about food and culinary science. Here you will find a collection of my favorite recipes, both collected and original, as well as educational posts and reviews on ingredients and cooking techniques. Please check out the welcome post for more information about the site!