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I know boiled peanuts sound funny but if you have ever spent any time in the Deep South, you probably have at least heard of them, hopefully you have tried them. I spent a few weeks in Charleston, S.C. years ago and that’s when I was introduced to them. I know it sounds strange to boil peanuts instead of the more traditional roasting, but they’re worth trying. I was a bit reluctant to try them myself, but I am glad I did. There is a whole range of flavorings for boiled peanuts; Cajun, crab boil, ham hocks, or just plain salt. The flavoring variations are as broad as your imagination.
You can’t use the roasted peanuts that are available everywhere and boil them; they have to be raw peanuts. By raw (green) I mean that they are in a semi-mature state having reached full size, but haven’t been fully dried in order to then be roasted for eating, processed into peanut butter or used for candy. No local purveyors carry raw peanuts but that’s the beauty of the internet, no matter where something is located you can get them delivered to your doorstep, overnight if you feel so inclined.
To prepare the boiled peanuts, it really is just as easy as boiling peanuts in souped up water;
Sort peanuts removing all debris and rinse well
Cover peanuts with water level being 2” above the peanuts
Add salt, the general rule of thumb is ¼ cup per 10 lbs. of peanuts
Add the other flavor components of you’re choosing (jalapenos, hocks, crab boil, garlic, Cajun seasonings, etc…)
Bring water to boil and stir every 15 minutes. Test for doneness and saltiness after 1 hour. Adjust seasonings to taste. It may take 2 hours or more until tender. Drain.
Once cool, refrigerate or freeze in zip lock bags.
Just a word of warning, these suckers are addicting, even worse than potato chips! Don’t waste your greenbacks on canned boiled peanuts, they’re terrible.
The best part is they have 4 times the antioxidants that regular peanuts contain because during the boiling process, the antioxidants from the shells leach out and the actual peanut itself soaks them up. Go ahead and expand your food horizon and order yourself a bag of raw peanuts, you’ll be glad you did!
Amuse Bouche will take a look at current issues in today’s vast food world through the eyes of a sarcastic, CIA trained Chef. It will also keep readers abreast of current events and what is just arriving at the Canandaigua Farmer’s Market.
