Tom Kerridge’s stuffed padrón peppers

Method

1. Cut a tiny crossways slit 5mm from the stem base of each padrón pepper to reveal the seeds. Now carefully cut a slit from here, halfway down the length of each chilli, to create a pocket you can open up. Using a sharp small knife, remove the seeds and discard.
2. Beat the cream cheese, grated mozzarella and crumbled blue cheese together in a bowl until evenly combined. Mix in the pickled jalapeños and season well with salt and pepper. Put this mixture in a disposable piping bag and snip off the tip to create a small opening.
3. Put the flour and beaten egg in a bowl and whisk in the milk to make a thick batter, then set aside.
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4. Pipe the cheese filling into each pepper cavity, then close the pocket, pressing the edges tightly over the opening to seal in the filling. Lay the stuffed peppers on a tray and put in the fridge to firm up for 30 minutes.
5. Put the breadcrumbs in a shallow bowl. Dip each stuffed pepper into the batter to coat, then drop into the breadcrumbs and turn to coat well on all sides (see tips). If there are any gaps in the crumb coating, dip that section into the batter and crumbs a second time to seal properly. Put on a clean tray in the fridge for 30 minutes to firm up again.
6. You’ll need to cook the stuffed peppers in a few batches. Take the tray out of the fridge and heat the oven to 130°C fan/gas 2. Heat a 5cm depth of oil in a sauté pan to 180°C. Lower the stuffed peppers into the oil and cook for 5 minutes or until golden. Remove with a slotted spoon and drain on kitchen paper or a wire rack. Keep warm in the low oven while you cook the rest.
7. Once they’re all cooked, sprinkle the stuffed padrón peppers with sea salt flakes and serve with sweet chilli sauce on the side as a dip.