Mexican Firecracker Platter with Four Cheeses

A festive party platter with edible cherry bombs, blue crab firecrackers and fiery cheese dynamite sticks! Recipe by Chef Chad Scothorn.

Recipe Ingredients:

12 Cherry Bombs (recipe follows)
12 Blue Crab Firecrackers (recipe follows)
12 Fiery Queso Dynamite Sticks (recipe follows)
1 cup prepared green salsa
1 cup prepared red salsa
6 carrot curls
1/4 cup diced tomatillos
3 whole pickled jalapeño peppers
3 scallions
3 tomato husks
3 sparkler candles

Cherry Bombs:
1 cup (4 ounces) Wisconsin Pepper Jack cheese, softened
1 tablespoon chili powder
12 wonton wrappers
1 large egg, beaten

Blue Crab Firecrackers:
3 tablespoons grated Wisconsin Asiago cheese
3 ounces cooked crabmeat, flaked
1/3 cup dry bread crumbs
1/4 cup Wisconsin Cream Cheese, softened
3 tablespoons mayonnaise
2 tablespoons roasted red peppers, chopped
2 teaspoons minced cilantro
1/2 teaspoon minced garlic
Dash hot pepper sauce
13 wonton wrappers - divided use
1 large egg, beaten
1/4 cup blue cornmeal
1 tablespoon chili powder

Fiery Queso Dynamite Sticks:
1 1/2 cups (6 ounces) Wisconsin Queso Blanco cheese
1/4 cup prepared hot taco sauce
6 egg roll skins, halved
1 large egg, beaten
1 tablespoon paprika

Cooking Directions:

1. For Cherry Bombs: Cut cheese into 1/2 ounce cubes; roll into balls. Dust with chili powder. Place a cheese ball in the center of each wonton wrapper; brush edges with egg. Bring wrappers up around cheese, enclosing by twisting and pinching together. Refrigerate at least 1 hour.
2. For Blue Crab Firecrackers: Mix cheeses, crabmeat, bread crumbs, mayonnaise, peppers, cilantro, garlic and hot pepper sauce. Cut 1 wonton wrapper into thin slivers. On each wrapper, place 1 rounded teaspoon cheese mixture, spreading to within 1/4 inch of edges. Fold sides over filling; place several slivers of wonton over filling, allowing 2/3 of slivers to hang out of firecracker. Brush upper 1 inch of firecracker with egg. Dust firecracker base with cornmeal; dust fuse with chili powder. Refrigerate at least 1 hour.
3. For Fiery Queso Dynamite Sticks: Cut cheese into 1/2 ounce sticks, approximately 3x1/2x1/2 inches each. Lightly brush one side of each egg roll skin; place 1 cheese stick onto center of each. Fold short end of each egg roll skin over cheese; roll up each from long side, sealing edge. Twist egg roll skin on open end, pinching to seal. Brush each with egg; dust with paprika. Refrigerate at least 1 hour.
4. Deep fry Cherry Bombs, Blue Crab Firecrackers and Fiery Queso Dynamite Sticks in 350°F (175°C) oil for 1 to 2 minutes, or until golden brown and crisp.
5. On a large serving platter, place two bowls filled with salsa. Arrange Cherry Bombs, Blue Crab Firecrackers and Fiery Queso Dynamite Sticks on platter. Surround with carrot curls, tomatillo, jalapeño peppers, scallions and tomatillo husks. Stick 1 sparkler candle into each jalapeño pepper; light candles, then serve.

Makes 36 appetizer servings.

Recipe provided courtesy of Wisconsin Milk Marketing Board, Inc.