This recipe is not dissimilar from the fried milkweed pods recipe that I posted on Friday. It uses the same breading, similar frying oil and temperature, the big difference here is the filling. This is a great recipe for the slightly larger pods from your harvest–the 3-inchers or so. You can find that previous recipe, as well as a bit more information about harvesting milkweed here.
Milkweed pods, when harvest young, are filled with immature seeds. These seeds, when cooked, turn into a sort of gooey, cheesy filling. If the pod is too old, the filling is tough, but when young, it is an excellent texture that I have heard aptly described as “nature’s mozzarella stick.” So, that’s one way to do it. Slice them lengthwise, bread, fry, and serve with ranch and/or marinara sauce to dip in.
But I wasn’t satisfied with just that preparation. If we’re making poppers, I knew I wouldn’t be fully sated without some kind of jalapeno popper. Fortunately, milkweed pods are great for any kind of stuffing, and these milkweed jalapeno poppers came out pretty great.
Milkweed “Mozzarella” Sticks
Ingredients:
3 cups of milkweed pods, sliced lengthwise
¼ cup cornmeal
½ cup flour
½ tsp salt
¼ tsp garlic powder
¼ tsp black pepper
¼ tsp cayenne pepper
¾ cup buttermilk
2-4 cups neutral oil for frying
Directions:
For this recipe, use milkweed pods that are a bit larger. Pods in the 3-4 inch range are perfect for stuffing, and will should still have tender enough innards to create that “cheesy” filling.
Trim off the stems and slice the pods lengthwise.
Trim the stems from the milkweed pods and slice them crosswise into 1” segments, like okra.
When the pods are trimmed, you can start your oil over medium-high heat, while you are prepping the breading. You will fry at 350 degrees, so set a thermometer in your oil and keep an eye on it. You don’t need more than about 1-2” of oil in your pot/pan. And you can always add more oil midway through if you are making a big batch and need to reup.
Mix the flour, cornmeal, and spices in a bowl. Pour the buttermilk into another bowl, and set this all up next to the stove. I would also suggest putting out a plate with paper towels right now to drain the pods when they are done frying. Having your mise en place set up will make the whole process smooth.
When the oil gets close to 350 degrees, you can start prepping the first batch. Grab a bunch of milkweed pods, dip them in the buttermilk and toss them in the breading. Throw these immediately into the oil, being careful not to splash yourself. Add as many as you can without overcrowding the pan.
Fry the milkweed pods until they are crunchy and golden brown. When done, scoop them out of the oil and drain them on a plate covered with paper towels. Add a bit more salt when they are fresh out of the pan.
If you need to fry in multiple batches, just make sure you wait until the oil gets back up to 350 degrees before adding the second batch. Frying at too low a temperature can lead to a soggy, oily finished product.
Serve them with marinara sauce or ranch (or both).
Milkweed Jalapeno Poppers
Ingredients:
3 cups of milkweed pods, sliced lengthwise
¼ cup cornmeal
½ cup flour
½ tsp salt
¼ tsp garlic powder
¼ tsp black pepper
¼ tsp cayenne pepper
¾ cup buttermilk
2-4 cups neutral oil for frying
4 oz. cream cheese
1-2 jalapenos, finely diced
Directions:
These will be prepared almost exactly as above, the only difference is the filling. In fact, I would suggest that you split your harvest and make half as above, and half like this.
Slice the pods lengthwise and scoop out the seeds from the center. Fill the cavity with cream cheese and press in some finely diced jalapeno pieces. They can then be breaded and fried just like the “mozzarella sticks” above.
Enjoy!