Peppadew Stuffed with Goat Cheese

Something sweet and spicy~ peppadew.  I was introduced to these tiny packages of spice recently while out with a friend.  There is a great coffee shop I frequent.  Not only do they have the best coffee in the area, they serve wine and beer and some delectable nibbles.  They have expanded their menu to include some fresh appetizers.  My favorite is the goat cheese stuffed peppadew.

I was hooked instantly. When I got home, I did some searching to find out what these tiny red peppers were.  They are a recent discovery, it seems, found in South Africa in the mid 90s.  They are sold pickled, already processed with seeds removed to reduce the level of heat. When I looked for them in the local grocery, I found that they are available in mild to hot.  Also, when I opened my jar, I found some of the mild peppers still contained the seeds.  I just rinsed them out a bit to remove the seeds.  Some peppadew retained a few seeds and they do add some spice.

They have a sweet and spicy combination that pairs well with a creamy cheese.  I enjoy them slightly warmed so the cheese is rather soft and the warmth lets the flavors swim around your taste buds.  Enjoy them with small pieces of bread.

To prepare your peppadew appetizer, remove them from the jar, rinse and drain them.  Place soft cheese in a piping bag {I recommend a goat cheese that is soft and spreadable rather than crumbly}.  To heat, place a small skillet over a medium flame.  Add stuffed peppadew and heat for about 2~3 minutes, turning once or twice. You could stuff these ahead of time and serve at room temperature but the taste is so much better if slightly heated. {These stuffed peppadew are a bit messy because I was really craving them and used a small spoon to stuff them rather than piping.}

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