Druid's Dragon Toes

This is a recipe not for the weak-willed or those who value their stomach. This recipe is about heat and flavor, and it will not forgive those who dare to attempt the eat the results. This recipe, is for my famous Dragon Toes, Fire Bombs, or Belly Burners, depending on what you decide to name them. This can be turned into an appetizer or a game-day treat for those brave enough to digest them.

Dragon Toes:

6-8 Whole Habanero Peppers (Or Ghost Chilis if you are really looking for a punishing dish)
1/2 Cup Mozzarella Cheese, finely shredded
1/2 Cup Medium Cheddar Cheese, finely shredded
1/2 LB of finely chopped cooked bacon
1 Whole Red or Green Jalapeno (just pick your favorite color)

Cut the stem off the habanero peppers and remove the seeds from inside, leaving the outer shell of the pepper intact. Remove the stem of the jalapeno and run the jalapeno (Include the seeds if you are brave enough) through a electric chopper to get it as finely diced as possible. Mix the Jalapeno with the cheese and bacon, mixing it all together in a small bowl until everything is well blended. Stuff each habanero with the cheese and bacon mixture and set aside.

Wet Batter:

1 Cup of your favorite beer
1 Cup All-Purpose Flour
1 TSP Baking Power
1 TBSP Worchestershire Sauce
2 TBSP Corn Meal
1 TSP Red or Yellow Curry Powder (Red for Mild, Yellow for not-so-mild)

Combine all the ingredients in a bowl, using either an electic mixer or a hand-powered whisk to blend the ingredients into a decent wet batter. Set this aside as well.

Dry Dredge:

1 Cup Panko Bread Crumbs
1/2 Cup of Grated Parmesan Cheese
1 TSP Ancho Chili Powder
1/2 TSP Salt
1/2 TSP Ground Black Pepper
1 TSP Chinese Five Spice Mix

Pour all these ingredients into a shallow bowl and use a fork to mix them together.

Prepare your deep fryer according to the directions, you want the oil to be between 350 and 360 degrees, so this is definitely not a child's recipe. Remember, ujse caution when working with hot oil!

Dip the stuffed habanero peppers into the wet batter, coating the entire surface before rolling them in the dry dredging mixture. Carefully place the breaded peppers into the hot oil and lower them into the deep fryer. Let them fry for a good 5-7 minutes, or until the breading turns golden brown and crispy. Remove the cooked peppers from the fryer and drain off the excess oil before plating.

I would recommend either a nacho cheese sauce or sour cream for a dipping sauce to accompany these delicious fiery treats. Use these a sinus-clearing appetizer at your next dinner, or serve them as a snack during the big game. These are not a treat for the timid, the weak, or those who might be watching their weight. These little peppers come with high flavor, satisfaction, and enough heat to melt your insides. Dragon toes could be made with any pepper, but the habanero is great because of it's thin skin and sweet flavor, and if you go the ghost chili (Naga Bhut Jolokia Pepper) route, you might want to have those eating it sign health waivers before consuming them.

So make these for your friends and family, but be sure to warn them before hand, unless you are sick and twisted and enjoy watching people in pain. Change the cheeses and maybe use a type of sausage instead of the bacon, turn these into your next favorite snack. I might suggest making a bunch of these and storing the extra in the freezer for future uses.

Again: Hot oil and hot peppers, use caution... and don't rub your eyes after handling the peppers. Make sure to remove any pepper oil from your hands before touching your face or other sensitive areas.

~Bon Appetit~

...and good luck.

Pierogi Dough and Filling

This is a tasty stuffed dumpling recipe that is easy to make, and even easier to customize.

Pierogi Dough:

2 1/2 Cups All-Purpose Flour
1/2 TSP Salt
1 TSP Olive Oil
1 Egg
2/3 Cup Water

Combine all ingredients in a mixing bowl, and mix together thoroughly. Turn onto a lightly floured surface and knead dough for 10-15 minutes. Place the dough under a bowl and allow it to rest for 20-30 minutes. Roll the dough out as thin as possible then cut into 2-inch diameter circles, continue rolling out dough and cutting circles until as much dough is used as possible. Using a pasta-roller will make this part much simpler.

Spicy Cheese Filling:

2-3 Large Russet Potatoes, washed, peeled, and shredded
1/2 Cup Yellow Onion, finely diced
1 TBSP Diced Garlic
2 Jalapeno Peppers, finely diced with seeds removed
2 Cups Shredded Sharp Cheddar Cheese
2 TBSP Olive Oil
1/2 Cup Water

In a large skillet, combine the potatoes, jalapenos, garlic, onions, and oil, and cook until onions turn soft and potatoes begin to brown. Add in water and cover for 5-10 minutes, or until water is all absorbed. Remove from heat and stir in the cheese, mixing together until cheese is melted and ingredients are combined thoroughly.

Using a small spoon, place a small amount of filling mixture onto the pierogi dough circles. Wrap and fold the dough around the filling, making sure to seal the edges together. Doing this, they should look similar to ravioli or mini-calzones. Drop the filled pierogi into boiling water for 10-15 minutes, or until the dough is cooked through and the dumplings float.

At this point, the dumplings are cooked and finished, but from here you can decide to pan fry or deep fry them for a different type of texture. You could also make a sauce to drizzle over these, a light, but savory sauce will make these dumplings a complete meal, or even a game-day snack.

Try making your own fillings using your favorite ingredients. Or if you want, make a dessert pierogi by using sweet ingredients and fruit and taking the salt out of the dough, and adding brown sugar. Also, for dessert-style pierogi dough, replace the olive oil with melted butter.

Dessert Filling:

1 Granny Smith Apple, Shredded
1 Fuji Apple, Shredded
1 Braeburn Apple, Shredded
1 Cup Cream Cheese
1 TBSP Honey
1 TBSP Brown Sugar
1 TSP Cinnamon

Heat the honey with the cinnamon and brown sugar until the honey is heated and easy to work with, combine the ingredients with the shredded apples and stir together until everything is well mixed. Add in the cream cheese and blend the ingredients until evenly worked in. Fill the pierogi dough and cook as suggested above.

So come up with your own unique pierogi experience and enjoy!

~Bon Appétit~

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