When it comes to feeding a crowd, cheese is always a good idea. With a creamy inside and delectably crispy outside, these cheesy chorizo balls are guaranteed to be a hit. Armstrong Mexican Fiesta Marble Cheddar with Jalapeno provides these tasty morsels with a complex hit of spice that balances well with the buttery potato filling.
Related: Mac and Triple Cheese Topped with Grilled Chicken is the Comfort Food You Need
Love Roger’s cheesy chorizo bites? Try this cheesy peameal breakfast sandwich next.
ingredients
directions
Place the peeled and chopped potatoes in a large pot. Fill water to 1 inch above the potatoes. Bring the water to a boil, then turn the heat down to a simmer, continuing to cook for about 20 minutes or until potatoes are fork-tender. You can test this by poking a piece of potato with a fork, paring knife, or skewer. If the utensil slides easily all the way to the center, the potatoes are done.
Strain potatoes and cool on a clean dry tray, until room temperature. Mash with a potato masher or process through a potato ricer, stirring in butter and seasoning with salt to taste. You should yield about 2 cups of mashed potato total. Set aside.
Heat a medium-sized frying pan over medium-high heat. Cut chorizo casings down the middle and squeeze the chorizo into the hot pan. Break the sausage apart into pea-sized crumble using a wooden spoon and turn the heat down slightly to medium, continuing to move sausage around the pan. Cook for about 7 minutes, or until cooked through. Chorizo should be dull red or light brown when cooked.
In a large bowl, combine the room-temperature mashed potatoes, cooked chorizo, cilantro, Armstrong Mexican Fiesta Marble Cheddar with Jalapeno and 1 egg. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
Form the mashed potato mixture into compact balls using a small ice cream scoop or 2 spoons, make 24 balls total. The balls should be similar in size to golf balls and weigh about 30 g each.
Prepare 3 shallow plates: 1 with flour, 1 with remaining eggs beaten and 1 with panko breadcrumbs.
A few at a time, roll the balls first into the flour, then dip them in the beaten egg and finally roll them through the panko, making sure they are completely covered. Place them on a plate or tray until ready to fry. Repeat this step until all balls are coated.
Add vegetable oil to a large pot, at least a couple inches deep, and heat over medium-high heat until a thermometer reaches 350°F. Fry balls in batches of 4 or 5 at a time. Using a slotted spoon, roll them around to ensure they are golden all over, about 3 minutes. Once crispy and golden, place on a towel-lined tray to cool. Garnish with a large crystal sea salt. Serve warm or cold.
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