Goat Cheese Stuffed Peppadew Peppers

Sweet, Spicy little Nuggets of Joy

A while back I was visiting some close friends in Colorado. They both love to cook and when we get together there’s always great conversations about food and fabulous meals to be had. On this occasion they made a very quick and easy appetizer out of goat cheese stuffed little peppers. The moment I popped one of those warm morsels into my mouth I knew that this was something special. These peppers, that I had not seen before, were sweet with just a little heat, and played with goat cheese perfectly. They are tender and just the right size for one bite, making them perfect to serve for a party or a great first course. The memory of those little nuggets of joy, have stayed with me ever since. It really was one of the best Hors devours I’ve had anywhere. I was amazed as to how simple and yet utterly delicious they are. It reminded me that not everything great has to be so complicated to make.

When I got back home, I wanted to see if I could find those delicious peppers. My friends had found them in the cold salad bar next to the olives in their supermarket. I checked at my local store but, at the time they weren’t there. A year or so later I was shopping at a slightly bigger grocery store and on a whim, I looked at the cold salad bar and sure enough there they were! It turns out they are called Peppadew peppers.

Peppadew peppers are grown in South Africa and are shipped all over the world. Reportedly these peppers were discovered by a farmer in 1993 along the edge of a field. Only one company in a closely guarded area has a patent on the growing and processing of the peppers. It is surmised that they are actually a native to South America and somehow made it over to Africa. They come in red or gold color. You can find them jarred online or as I’ve found, they have moved in next the olive trays of most major supermarkets.

These can be served hot or room temperature. Every time I serve them, some one remarks that they taste like pizza. It’s true they do, though there are no tomatoes or crust, your mind goes to pizza. Not that that is a bad thing! I love to serve these with my favorite Japanese Whisky.

5 from 1 vote

Print

Goat Cheese Stuffed Peppadew Peppers

A quick and tasty appetizer of goat cheese stuffed Peppadew peppers 

Servings: 14 stuffed peppers

Ingredients

• 14 peppers Pepperdews, small cherry peppers
• 5 oz goat cheese, plain herbed, or smoked at room temperature, if you can
• 1/4 cup Balsamic Reduction Preferably homemade

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350°

2. Drain peppers well, place in a small baking dish sprayed with cooking spray or olive oil.

3. Place the goat cheese in a quart sized plastic bag, squeezing it into one corners and cutting of a small opening in that corner.

4. Pipe the goat cheese into each of the peppers, just filling to the top. 
   

5. Bake for 15-20 minutes or until the cheese is hot and just barely browned on the top. You are really just heating the goat cheese through.
   

6. Let cool for a couple of minutes as the peppers are very hot.
   

7. Serve drizzled with some Balsamic Reduction or dizzle the plate first.