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© St. Petersburg Times, published February 20, 2002
Boiled peanuts are an acquired taste. Catherine Tverstol shares several recipes as well as some comments about this Southern specialty. "The characteristics of boiled peanuts are different from those processed by any other method. The kernels have a firm, slightly gelatinous texture, are moist yet crunchy, with a mild nutty flavor. The seed coats are gray in color with prominent veins.
"Boiled peanuts may be served as they are, as a party or between-meal snack, used to add flavor and crunch to salads, casseroles, poultry stuffing or other prepared dishes. They also are an excellent replacement for water chestnuts."
Shirley Ganz writes that her mother made molasses taffy when Shirley was a child. After extensive searching for a recipe, Shirley found this one in a collection of Eagle Brand sweetened condensed milk recipes published about 50 years ago.
Jean Hoagland asked for an old-fashioned date nut loaf recipe. Joyce Siddall sends the one her grandmother made. This seems to be the day for recipes that have stood the test of time. Joyce writes that the recipe is about 50 years old and "is probably the best recipe out there for date nut bread."
For: Evelyn Hansen of New Port Richey and Theresa Cody of St. Petersburg.
From: Catherine Tverstol of Clearwater Beach.
Recipe: Boiled peanuts. Catherine found the information on the Internet at www.aboutpeanuts.com/reci2.html.
Wash freshly harvested peanuts with shells thoroughly in cool water. Place the peanuts in a suitable sauce pan and cover with a medium brine (10 ounces salt to one gallon of water). Boil covered for 45 minutes or until the kernels are tender.
Taste test for preferred saltiness. (Allow peanuts to sit in brine to increase saltiness; drain as soon as desired degree of saltiness is achieved.) The peanuts are ready for shelling and eating immediately, or they may be held in the refrigerator for as long as five days.
1 pound dried raw shelled peanuts
Water
Salt
Put peanuts in a 3-quart crock pot. Fill pot with water. Allow peanuts to soak for 8 hours or overnight. Peanuts will absorb a lot of the water, making it necessary to add water until the pot is filled. Add salt to taste (see note). Cook peanuts on low for 8 hours and then on high for 11/2 hours or medium for 41/2 hours. Drain.
Note: Try 4 to 5 tablespoons of salt; taste toward end of cooking time. Add more salt if desired and allow to cook for about 1 hour more.
Prepare peanuts as indicated above in either recipe for boiled peanuts. Drain. Allow to cool and freeze in airtight containers. They keep indefinitely.
1-1/2 quarts green uncooked peanuts
1/2 cup salt
2-1/2 quarts water
Wash peanuts. Put clean peanuts in crock pot; add salt and water. Cook on high 5 to 7 hours, adding water during cooking if necessary to keep peanuts covered.
For: Billie Kay Piatt of St. Petersburg.
From: Shirley Ganz of Indian Shores.
Recipe: Molasses taffy, from a 50-year-old Eagle Brand recipe collection.
1-1/3 cups Eagle Brand sweetened condensed milk (1 can)
1/2 cup molasses
Few grains salt
Cook sweetened condensed milk, molasses and salt together in a heavy saucepan. Stir over low heat until hard ball forms when tested in cold water (250 to 266 degrees on candy thermometer). Cool on a buttered platter or pan. Pull, with buttered hands, until firm. Stretch into a long rope and cut in pieces.
For: Jean Hoagland of St. Petersburg.
From: Joyce Siddall of Clearwater.
Recipe: Date and nut bread, Joyce's grandmother's recipe.
1-1/2 cups boiling water
1 cup chopped pitted dates
3/4 cup granulated sugar
1 egg, beaten
2-1/4 cups sifted all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
2 teaspoons baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon melted butter
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup chopped nuts
Pour boiling water over dates and let stand for 10 minutes.
Add sugar to egg while beating with spoon. Sift together the dry ingredients.
Add date mixture alternately with dry ingredients to the egg and sugar mixture. Stir in butter, vanilla and nuts. Bake in a greased loaf pan at 350 degrees for 1 hour and 15 minutes.
Marge Pelak of Valrico would like to know how to avoid the liquid that shows up after baking custard pie. She often makes custard pie, sometimes adding coconut, and has to pour off the liquid after baking and slicing the pie. She read a newspaper tip that recommended using scalded milk, but that didn't solve the problem.
Dianne Bell of New Port Richey remembers fondly the artichoke dipping sauce her mother and her mother's mother used to make. Dianne writes that it is a delicious thickened yellow sauce. Egg yolks, butter, dry mustard, salt and lemon juice are some of the ingredients. Cream of tartar may be one also. Dianne hopes you can help her in her search for this chef's delight.
- You Asked for It is a reader mail column. If you have a cooking question or the answer to someone else's question, write to: You Asked for It, the Times, P.O. Box 1121, St. Petersburg, FL 33731. Be sure to include your full name, city and phone number with your letter. Letters without this information will be discarded. Requests cannot be answered by phone or mail.