Cinco de Mayo Stuffed Peppers

CINCO de MAYO (Fifth of May)

It is time to break out the sombreros and party decorations, it is Cinco de Mayo time again!  If you are not familiar, Cinco de Mayo (Fifth of May)   commemorates the anniversary of Mexico's victory over the Second French Empire at the Battle of Puebla in 1862.  The funny part about this “holiday” is that it has become more popular to celebrate in the United States than they do in Mexico!  Yes, we Americans can find a way to celebrate anything as long as it involves good food and plenty to drink.  There are celebrations of this day in every town in the U.S. even though it really has nothing to do with us. The reason that it has become so popular?  Back in the 1980’s, there was a huge advertising push by beer, wine, and tequila companies.  This started a mass Mexican food and drink day that has continued to grow each year.  As a matter of fact, Cinco de Mayo beer sales now rival that of the Super Bowl.  That, mi amigos, is a LOT of cerveza.  Thanks Corona….

Other than alcohol, Mexican food is always a top concern for us.  Every Mexican restaurant everywhere has all kinds of food and drink specials and some even rope off their parking lots and put in huge tents with DJ’s and all to celebrate.  The good news is that if you don’t want to go out on Cinco de Mayo there are tons of great recipes that you can make right at home to celebrate this day.  Plus, it is safer than going out anywhere, well with all of that beer, wine and tequila being served and driving on the roads.  If you do go out, please exercise caution and good judgement.  We want our #FOFOFamily to stay safe!   

THE FOOD (La Comida)

As I said earlier, quite possibly every Mexican restaurant will be having food and drink specials.  If you are like me though, you’d rather stay home and enjoy the day with friends and family.  You know, amigos y familia.  You do not have to ski the Mexican food though, there are many recipes out there that are easy to prepare and are delicioso.  (That means delicious in Spanish)  This week and next week, we are sharing a few of our favorites with you.

This week is Captain Ron’s own stuffed peppers. El Capitan has made these for us before so we asked him to PLEASE share this delicious recipe with you so that you can enjoy this simple and mouth-watering recipe for yourselves.  See how much we care about you???

THE RECIPE (La receta)

This is a very simple recipe and can be customized any way that you would like.  The surprise for us was when Ron said that they make this with ground chicken instead of ground beef.  At first, we were quite skeptical.  Once we tried it though, all doubt disappeared.  The combination of ingredients and the lightness of the chicken over the beef was a welcomed surprise.  Now you may turn your nose up at ground chicken but do yourself a favor try it.  We really think that you will enjoy it.

The layers of flavor really build quickly in this easy-to-follow recipe.  From the taco seasoning to the can of Rotel (canned diced tomatoes and green chiles) in the meat, to the garlic salt on the deep-fried tortilla chips, this is sure to make those taste buds dance with happiness.  One thing, please be very careful when deep frying anything.  If that oil spills, it can create quite a fire hazard.  Be sure not to overfill the cooking pot with too much oil.  Halfway up the side should be more than enough oil to fry the chips.

The finishing touches are what really brigs this tasty meal together.  The garlic salt on the chips, the cotija on the peppers and the chopped cilantro all take this from a decent dish to a meal that will have you shouting Ay Caramba!  Well, maybe not but if the feeling hits you, go with it.  Nobody would blame you.  If they do, pass them a pepper and some chips, and let them see for themselves.

OUR NEW WEBSITE (nuestro nuevo sitio web)

This week we are SO excited to introduce you to our all new and improved website, Kookio.com.    You know, like “Cooking”, but with a K, Kookio! The new website is much easier to navigate and is able to handle much more change, much more easily.  The site features different sections for different types of cooking such as grilling, hot and fast, low and slow as well as open fire cooking.  There are different sections for each type of product that you are looking for from charcoal to knives and everything in between.  We even have a section for cooking tips.  We cover topics for the very beginner right through to the experienced chef.  Whatever you need, our new site is there to help you.  Head over to Kookio.com and check it out for yourself.

IN CONCLUSION (en conclusion)

That is all for this week’s blog, video, and recipe.  We hope that you all have a very fun and safe Cinco de Mayo and really enjoy the day.  Let us know when you make these delicious peppers.  If you post your food on line, please remember to tag us, @fogocharcoal and @cptnron302.  We just may feature you on our stories and give you a spotlight.   Don’t forget to go over and check out the new website.   Happy Cinco de Mayo, remember to get out and grill and we will see you the next time on The FOGO Life!

Directions:

1. Fill your grill with FOGO Premium or Super Premium Charcoal and prepare it for indirect cooking at 350°.
2. On a stove top or grill, heat 2 TBSP Olive Oil in the Carbon Steel paella pan..  Add the ground chicken and ½ chopped yellow onion.  Cook, stirring continuously until the chicken is fully cooked and browned.  As the chicken begins to get finished cooking, add 3 level TBSP of Taco Seasoning to it as well as approximately ½ can of Rotel.  Stir and cook until the liquids have evaporated.  Remove from the heat.  Once cooled, mix in ½ Cup of the Mexican flavored cheese.
3. In the bottom of the Dutch oven, add the chopped tomatoes, chopped jalapeno pepper and 1 chopped onion.
4. On the cutting board of the Prep Tub, using your filet/boning knife,  holding it at an angle, cut around the top of each pepper to remove the top.   If your peppers do not stand up straight, use the knife to trim a little off of the bottom to make it stand straight.  Fill each pepper with the chicken mixture and place them in the Dutch oven.
5. Place the Dutch oven on the grill and place the lid on the Dutch oven.  Close the grill and cook for 45 minutes or until the peppers are soft and heated through.
6. While the peppers are cooking, on a stove top, fill the grill bowl halfway with vegetable oil and heat it to 375°. 
7. Using the Chef’s Knife, cut the stack of corn tortillas into quarters.  Working with one stack of quartered tortillas at a time, carefully place them in the oil and fry them until they start to turn golden.  Remove from the oil, sprinkle with garlic salt and drain.
8. Once the peppers are just about done cooking, top each with a handful of the Mexican flavored cheese and a slice of jalapeno in the center of each one.  Continue cooking until the cheese has melted.
9. Serve the peppers sprinkled with cotija or queso fresco cheese and some chopped fresh cilantro.  Scoop the tomato/onion/jalapeno mixture out into a bowl and serve with the tortilla chips.  You can sprinkle the chips with the cotija or queso fresco if you would like.
10. Feliz Cinco de Mayo!