With World Series fever in the air it is hard not to think about peanuts, but dry roasted peanuts are not what we have on our mind this week. As the first frost hit last Friday, we had some work to do in the Growing Together Garden. Being that this is the George Washington Carver building, we grew peanuts for the first time this year, and the lower part of the garden got nipped just enough to dig them. While roasted peanuts are a great treat and baseball appropriate, when you have fresh green peanuts, there is one way to eat them that just can't be beat.
It you have driven through the south you have seen the signs "HOT BOILED PEANUTS!", with the giant pots steaming away on the side of the road and you have thought to yourself, "that's just gross." To some it will always be that way, but for those with the taste for salty slimy goodness, peanut harvest might become your favorite time of year. You can prepare this recipe with dry raw peanuts, but add several hours to the cooking time, or use a pressure cooker to do it. They will still taste good and stop your craving, but nothing is quite the same as the firm, yet soft texture you get from freshly dug peanuts.
Directions:
Thoroughly wash the peanuts: Leaving the nuts in their shells, rinse them repeatedly until the water runs clean. Soak them in water for about 20 minutes and repeat the rinsing process.
Boil the peanuts: Place the peanuts in a large stock pot and cover with half again as much water as there are peanuts in the pot. Bring them to a hard rolling boil for about an hour. The hard boil breaks the nut free from the shell and allows it to roll inside the shell for the remainder of the cooking. This is what tenderizes the nut. Make sure there is always enough water in the pot for the nuts to move freely.
Season the peanuts: After the initial boil, start with at least a 1/4 cup of salt per gallon of water. Add black pepper, cayenne or red pepper flakes to taste. Then turn the water down to a slow boil, but with enough movement to keep the peanuts moving in the pot. After about and hour, take out a peanut and suck on she shell to test your flavor, then adjust as desired. Adding the salt before the hard boil can cause the shell to tighten, making it harder to get the flavor inside and for the nuts inside to move and tenderize.
Keep on boiling: Keep boiling as long as it takes, about 4 hours total for green nuts. Some people like the nuts more firm, but ideally, it will still hold the shape when the shell is removed, but smash softly between your tongue and the roof of your mouth.
Serve: To serve them, just remove with a slotted spoon and place them in a bowl or cup. Roadside stands will often put them in a plastic bag inside a paper bag. The paper bag is a must for the shells, as is a paper towel or napkin for the salty, juicy drippings that will coat your chin and hands.
Save Some for Later: This is a long and ritualistic process, so be sure you save some for days when just need to satisfy that craving. All you have to do is put them in a freezer bag and put them in the freezer. You can freeze them in the water, if you want to reheat them in a pan. You can also drain them before freezing so you can microwave a handful at a time whenever you feel the need.
