Serious Heat: Okra-Fried Jalapenos

Ingredients

• For the dipping sauce:
• 1 cup sour cream
• 2 to 3 tablespoons horseradish
• 2 teaspoons hot sauce
• Parsley, for garnish
• For the jalapenos:
• 2 cups sliced pickled jalapeno peppers, drained
• 1/2 cup cornmeal
• 1/2 cup flour
• Handful of crushed tortilla or corn chips
• 1 egg
• 1/2 cup milk
• 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• Canola oil, as needed

Directions

1. For the dipping sauce, mix all ingredients in a bowl. Let chill in the refrigerator until ready to serve.
2. In a large bowl, mix the cornmeal, flour and finely crushed chips. In a smaller bowl, mix the milk, eggs, garlic powder and salt.
3. Warm the oil in a medium sauté pan over medium-high heat. (I found that about a half-inch of oil in the pan was adequate.)
4. Using a slotted spoon or hands, spoon some of the peppers into the milk mixture to coat, and then toss into the cornmeal mixture to coat too. Shake off excess cornmeal coating.
5. In batches, add the coated jalapenos into sauté pan, and fry until golden in hot oil. Drain on paper towels. Repeat in batches until all the jalapenos have been fried.
6. Serve jalapenos hot with horseradish sauce.