KETTLE CORN WITH FRIED SAGE

It is a rainy, grey Sunday morning and I’m at the local coffee shop sipping a Cubano (latte made with a shot that’s been pulled through raw sugar) and working on the desperately needed redesign for my photography website. Well, I guess I’m technically working on this blog post and procrastinating the work that needs to be done on my photography site. It’s been ages since I’ve updated it the site. I kept thinking, “Well, if I’m going to redesign it soon why should I update it now?” Months passed and then more months passed and here I am, finally getting ready to tackle it. Compared to the building of this site and my Gorge in the Gorge site it should be a breeze. Fingers crossed.

This past week really wasn’t much different than the one before, which is how seems to go this time of year. I did finally shake my fever and cold, but I haven’t given up binging on movie watching. The last two books I read were Wild and Gone Girl, so we watched those two movies this week. I really liked both, though there’s something to be said for allowing a little time between finishing a book and watching the story unfold on a screen. I finished reading Wild only hours before we curled up to watch it, so I was acutely aware of every nuanced difference. Gone Girl was such an intense read, and the movie watching experience was too… the casting was perfect!

On that note, my PSA for today is to remind you all that the Golden Globes are on tonight! I love award season. It’s my version of the playoffs and the SuperBowl. Tonight I am going to make Pasta e Fagioli from Ashley’s cookbook, Date Night In. I spent the day yesterday simmering homemade stock for it, Kyle is making sourdough bread, and I’ve been fending Gigi off from eating all of the jamón serrano which, in compliance with Ashley’s recipe, gets crisped up and served alongside the soupy pasta like fancy, frilly bacon. Yesterday G saw a illustration of a chicken that looked disturbingly like a pig. She brought it to me and said, “Did you know that baby pigs are called “chickens” and big, grown up pigs are called “serrano”?!” I only corrected her about the chicken part.

Tonight dessert will be served, as it should be during the Golden Globes, on the couch. I’m making one of my favorite desserts that only takes minutes to pull together. There are few salty, sweet desserts I love more than Kettle Corn. Because Kettle Corn has a savory side, it allows for the addition of earthy, hearty herbs. I love to add fresh thyme, but since our thyme has frozen over, blackened and died for the winter, I’ve moved on to adding fried sage. The thick, perfume heavy leaves thin out and brighten up when they’re fried. They take on the fruity quality of the olive oil in which they’re fried, and they simultaneously crumble and melt when they hit your tongue.

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Making Kettle Corn is so easy that you’ll thank and curse me in equal measure for sharing this recipe with you… hopefully more of the former.

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KETTLE CORN WITH FRIED SAGE
Ingredients.
1/4 cup butter
1 Tablespoon vegetable or canola oil
1/4 granulated sugar
1/2 cup corn kernels
5-7 sage leaves
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
kosher salt

A Couple Notes.
Do not use enameled cast iron or Le Creuset for this recipe. The heat diffuses too much and the popcorn kernels will just burn and never actually pop! Use a heavy, stainless steel pot with a tight fitting lid.

Cooking Kettle Corn is all about finding the right temperature and getting it out of the pot and into a bowl the second it’s done popping.  You’ll have to practice on your stove. I use our largest gas burner on medium heat.

Be sure to transfer the popcorn out of the pot the second the popping starts to space out or it will start to burn.

Directions.
In a small sauté pan, heat 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil until shimmering. Gently place in a few sage leaves at a time and allow to fry for 10-15 seconds. You don’t want them to brown. Remove using tongs and set on a paper towel to drain. Repeat with the remaining leaves. Set the leaves aside.

Put your butter, oil, sugar, and corn kernels in a large pot (I use a three quart saucepan with a tight fitting lid) over medium heat stirring constantly until the butter is melted.  When the butter has melted completely, cover with a tight fitting lid, and either leave the heat on medium or reduce it; depending on your individual stove.

Keep the pot tightly covered by using a towel and holding the lid in place.  It can take 4-7 minutes for the corn to start popping depending on your temperature.  Don’t be tempted to lift the lid.  That will just let out the steam and it will take longer and then it can burn.  Once it starts popping give the pot a good shimmy every 10-15 seconds to make sure that all of the popcorn is getting coated evenly. When the popping slows down, remove your pot from the heat and immediately (and carefully) transfer your kettle corn into a large bowl.

Allow the Kettle Corn to cool for a minute or two.  Season with a bit of salt, add the fried sage leaves, toss, and serve immediately.

Below is my video for how to fry sage leaves in case you’d like a visual…

Printable Recipe.
KETTLE CORN WITH FRIED SAGE