Deep-fried Pickles with Cheese and Bacon

Source - http://www.foodwithlegs.com/?p=4116

Dill pickles that are deep-fried after being stuffed with cheese and bacon and coating in panko breadcrumbs make an excellent treat.

Yield: four deep-fried pickles; plenty for one hungry person as an appetiser or shared between two.

4 medium-small kosher dill pickles (or 2 large)

50 g (a smallish knob) cheddar cheese, shredded

2 strips good-quality bacon, lightly cooked and cut into small bits

65 g (1/2 cup) all-purpose flour

1 large egg

90g (1 cup) panko (Japanese-style) bread crumbs

pinch cayenne

Cut the lids off with a sharp knife; dig the seeds out with a small spoon; stuff with cheese and bacon; re-seal with toothpicks; and prepare your breading operation.

Cut a wedge out of the top of each pickle. It should run the almost the entire length and be triangular in cross section. Just like how Subway used to cut their buns–I know the real foodsters who only eat porchetta sandwiches from pop-ups will have no idea what that means. It helps if you keep track of which lid goes with which pickle. Use your smallest spoon (like a 1/8 teaspoon measure or a microscopic melon baller) to dig the seedy insides out of each pickle.

Dill pickles stuffed with cheddar cheese and bacon and resealed with toothpicks.

Stuff each with a generous amount of cheese and bacon. Secure the lids back in place with two toothpicks (things will run more smoothly if the toothpicks are positioned parallel to each other.

Review safety precautions for deep frying at home. (Short version: 1. Don’t fill your cooking vessel more than 1/3 with oil; 2. Have a fire extinguisher and lid for you pot nearby; and 3. Move particularly flammable objects away from stove.) Heat 2 – 3 inches of canola or other vegetable oil to 375F in a dutch oven or heavy-bottomed pot set over medium heat. Do not leave oil unattended.

Prepare a three-station breading operation. Flour in the first container (or plate), the egg beaten with the tablespoon of milk in the second, and the panko crumbs seasoned with a pinch of cayenne in the third. Roll each stuffed pickle in the flour, shake off excess and move to the egg wash. Once coated in egg let excess drip off and move to panko for a bread crumb covering. Move back to egg and then again to panko for a second coating. Hold on a plate while you repeat the process with the other pickles.

Fry the pickles for about three minutes, turning once. Remove to a paper towel-line plate and let cool slightly before carefully removing the toothpicks and consuming in a fit of gluttony.