I Made Peanut Butter Jalapenos From Andrew W.K.
The tweet came late Monday night, while in World Before it was near the end of the day; now he arrived in the foggy hours of Spotted Day, somewhere, whatever hellish month it was. (March?)
What is this ? Andrew V.K., the king of the party, has been isolated for too long? Has he formed under the pressure of pandemic life, or is he a genius at biting?
We at Lifehacker needed to know the answers to these questions. And, luckily enough, I had fresh jalapeno peppers and peanut butter bits in my house. What are the odds of a pandemic ?!
So, I went to the kitchen in search of the truth.
Attempt # 1: Not Enough Peanut Taste
I pulled out my fresh jalapenos, cut them in half, removed the seeds, and smeared them with peanut butter – all natural – filling each half to the brim (because I couldn’t figure out how to stuff an intact jalapeno with minimally sticky nut butter). I transferred the mixture to the oven at 400 ° F. After eighteen minutes, long enough for the pepper to soften, I took it out again.
My initial verdict? They were somewhat disappointing. The jalapeno had a nice texture and warmed up a bit, but the peanut butter taste was mild. It won’t do; if i’m going to eat peanut butter, i want to actually taste peanuts.
Attempt # 2: Add soy sauce and brown sugar, finish with lime.
At the suggestion of Lifehacker Senior Culinary Editor Claire Lower, who was just as curious to root out the frenzy but lacked fresh jalapenos, I tried again, this time mixing cups of salted peanut butter with ½ teaspoon of soy. sauce and 1 tsp. brown sugar.
In the same way as above, I spread the mixture on three fresh jalapenos, which I cut in half again to remove the seeds. After another 18 minutes at 400 ° F in the oven, I was ready for round two.
Before eating, I came up with one last, literal twist: squeeze lime juice on top of each chopped pepper. This time, the results were more dramatic, mixing the warmth of the pepper with the aromas of peanuts, brown sugar, soy sauce and lime to create something of an adult-adapted Thai version of Ants on a Log. In terms of impromptu pandemic cooking, I would rate these kids as a success.
Next time I can increase the amount of brown sugar a little. If you try it yourself, it may be best to mix to taste; Your preference for this salty-sweet peanut flavor can vary. Either way, you will experience an adventure in taste at a time when we are all fed up with the ordinary.
So the party, Quarantine Andrew V.K., may have hit you, but if so, then your particular taste of insanity is good, and I raise you a peanut butter jalapeno in salute.