Jalapeño, A Love Story.

One of the most popular peppers out there, the jalapeño comes from Mexico but has won the hearts (and mouths) of people worldwide. The cultivation of these green gems goes back thousands of years; the Aztecs had already developed the practice of smoking them to make chipotle before the Spanish conquistadors arrived. Now beloved by the world over, the jalapeño was dubbed state pepper of Texas in 1995, and has even been sent to space as part of the diet for the astronaut’s in NASA. 

Today’s blog will celebrate this famous pepper, explore some top flavor pairings for it, and finally we’ll share a simple recipe that uses our >> Jalapeño Corn Tortillas. <<

Jalapeños may have come from Mexico, but they are now grown and eaten all over the world. They can be green or red, this depends on when they are picked. If allowed to keep ripening, the jalapeño will become more spicy and turn red. In general, the pepper is not too hot, but can vary between plants and even between peppers growing on the same plant. Ripened red jalapeños are often smoked to make chipotle. They are healthy too - being high in vitamin C, B6, and E, plus very low calorie. 

FLAVOR PAIRINGS & WAYS TO USE IN RECIPES 

The jalapeño’s flavor is described as bright, grassy, with a touch of quick heat at the front of the mouth. It’s super versatile and can be used in an array of recipes. We like them stuffed with cheese and roasted, pickled (or canned) and sprinkled over melty nachos, turned into poppers (stuffed with cream cheese, wrapped in bacon or breaded), and just added to sandwiches or salads for a little kick. They’re also the perfect topping for quesadillas, and can really enliven most Tex-Mex recipes. The bright, vegetable flavor of a jalapeño makes for a great salsa, especially paired with tangy fruits like mango or pineapple - or softened by peach.

JALAPEÑO CORN TORTILLAS 

If you like jalapeños but don’t want to deal with all the chopping, deseeding, and roasting, we’ve come up with a quick, easy way to enjoy their flavor without spending all that time in the kitchen. We’ve paired our traditional corn tortillas with fresh jalapeño flavor for a knockout combo that makes adding that little extra kick to your meals  as simple as possible. But, don’t worry, our jalapeño tortillas aren’t too spicy - we make sure to give them just the perfect touch of flavor. Another bonus? Gluten free and low calorie, these traditionally made tortillas are a great option for foodies, celiacs, and anyone on a low carb diet.

JALAPEÑO SHRIMP FAJITAS 

A little spicy, a little sweet, and some melty cheesy goodness all wrapped up in a toasted jalapeño corn tortilla. Dinnertime will be something to write home about! 

YOU’LL NEED

• bag of deveined shrimp
• Oaxaca cheese, shredded
• 1 bunch cilantro 
• Avocado
• Mango salsa (homemade or store bought) 
• Medium red onion 
• 2 cloves garlic
• Jalapeño corn tortillas 
• 1 tsp cumin powder 
• Pinch of salt and pepper
• 1 lime 

DIRECTIONS 

1. Drizzle a little olive oil and heat frying pan to medium. Add chopped half of white onion, chopped garlic cloves, and cumin powder. Cook until soft.
2. Add shrimp to pan and cook, stirring occasionally, until no longer pink inside (this won’t take too long - usually about 4 minutes on medium high heat) then season with salt and pepper and drizzle with lime juice.
3. Toast your jalapeño corn tortillas on the stove for 30 seconds on each side, or cook in microwave or oven depending on your preference. 
4. Assemble your fajitas! Add cheese, salsa, chopped raw onion, avocado, and a little bit of cilantro on top. Enjoy! 

Well, we hope you've come away from this post with a few ideas for how to incorporate the snappy flavor of these popular peppers into your home cooking!