Papa's Spicy Peanut Brittle - 2022

So, I have learned a great deal over the years about making peanut brittle.  So, it is time for yet another update (2022).  I have found even more new techniques and changes in the amounts for some ingredients for creating this great brittle. Six major changes are reflected here, these include: 1) cooking the sugar to only 278 degrees; 2) reducing the amount of peanuts to 2-⅓ cups from 3 cups; 3) adhering to the humidity in the room (very important); 4) constantly stirring the mixture; and 5) where to pour out and flatten the mixure for cooling.  These issues are very, very important.  If the hunidty is higher that 40% the brittle may not setup correctly and might be sticky when it cools.  The density of the cooked sugar and peanuts must be balanced so that the mixtures can be spread more easily.  I have learned a great deal about stirring during cooking and the size of the steel pot to use when you make the brittle.  Finally, you need to keep the cookie tray hot from the oven so that the mixture has time to flatten out before starting to cool.  I normally turn on two cook top burners to low.  Get them warm and then turn off the burners.  When you pour the peanut brittle mixture into the pan, the pan should be sitting on top of the two burners.  It works great to allow more time to spread out the brittle.  An alternative is to put the cookies tray on the oven door once open and pour the brittle there.  I am still looking for the best vessel to use to cook the brittle.  Some say copper is the way to go.  More later.   For now, have fun.

• I use a 4.5 quart stainless steel pot that has a radius of 9.5 inches.   I find that a larger size base works better than a smaller pot.
• You need to stir the mixture during cooking.  I let the mixture get to about 245 degrees.  At this point, I add butter one tablespoons at a time to the mxture.  Mix each time you add the butter.  Stir until the butter is fully incorporated and the mxiture turns a lighter caramel in color. Continue to stir again to 278 degrees (soft crack)  At this point, you add the baking soda.    I take the mixture off the fire after adding the baking soda at 277.  Finally, moving very quickly add the peanuts, stir well and take out the cookie sheet and put it on the oven door (which should be hot) and then pour out the mixture and level and spread out.  

Enjoy.

Ingredients

• 2 cups white sugar or Sugar in the Raw.
• 1/2 cup Light corn syrup (for some reason, dark corn syrup does not work as well).
• 1/4 cup water.
• 1/4 to 1/2 tsp. Cayenne pepper to taste (or, up to 1 tsp. to make this stuff really hot).
• 1/4 teaspoon salt.
• 1/4 cup plus 1 TB unsalted softened butter (1/2 stick plus 1 TB butter).
• 1 TB Vanilla Extract.
• 1 tsp. Baking Soda.
• 2-1/3  cups lightly salted, dry roasted peanuts, I use Planters.

Procedure

• Preheat over to 175 degrees.
• Put the 2-1/3 cups of peanuts in an oven proof bowl and warm peanuts in oven.
• Spray a cookie sheet with nonstick cooking spray (such as Pam) and put in the oven to warm the cookie sheet. 
• Doing the above two warming steps helps immensely when you mix and spread the brittle.  By preheating the peanuts you do not cool down the syrup mixture.  And, by preheating the cookie sheet, you are able to spead out the brittle easier. 
• In wide mouthed pot, over medium heat, combine sugar, corn syrup, water, cayenne pepper, vanilla extract, and salt in a pot (be careful to not burn the sugar - maxium heat setting should be medium). Stir until the sugar dissolves and starts to bubble.
• Clip a candy thermometer on the side of the pot and boil mixture stirring until temperature reaches 278 degrees. 
• Add softened butter (one tablespoons at a time) at 245 degrees and stir until fully melted and combined.
• Cook until you reach 278 degrees.
• Lower the stove to low setting or take the pot off the heat.  And, then sprinkle baking soda over the syrup and stir. The contents should bubble and froth.  Further, the liquid will start to look dull and will slightly lighten in color.  Once this condition is reached, stir in the warmed peanuts and combined until the peanuts are completely covered.
• Quickly pour mixture evenly onto prepared (warmed) cookie sheet pan.  Make sure the cookie sheet is laying on the open oven door.   Use the back of a large metal spoon or a spatula to spread the brittle in the pan while it is still warm. To perfect this task might take a few tries. 
• At this point, I have a great new piece of advice. As I noted above, never cook the brittle when the humidity is over 40%.  A dear friend of mine who is a chocolate maker, suggested that once the brittle is ready to cool, but the humidity is over 40%, do the following.  Set a second oven to 100 degrees for 5 minutes.  The humidity in this oven should be about 10-20%.  So, put the prepared brittle into the second oven for about 30 minutes.  At that point, the brittle should be set.  You can bring it out to break up if it is set.  Otherwise, keep it in the second oven until it is easy to break up into pieces.  
• Cool completely and break into pieces. 

Some additional noted about cooking peanut brittle.  

• Keep a hygrometer in your kitchen to ensure that the humidity in your home is no greater than 40 percent. Alternatively, check your local weather broadcast and watch for your region's humidity forecast. The relative humidity of your region and home has a powerful effect on how the ingredients are able to bind together to form crunchy peanut brittle.  Use a second oven set to 100 degrees for 5 minutes to setup the brittle when the humidty is over 40%. 
• Check that you measured the corn syrup according to the recipe before adding it to the rest of the ingredients. Lightly coat the measuring cup with oil first, so that the corn syrup simply slides out. This will ensure that all the corn syrup from your measuring cup ends up in your bowl.
• Additing baking soda injects millions of tiny bubbles into the candy, making it more delicate and crispy as it hardens and cools.
• Use a candy thermometer to check the temperature of the brittle. During the cooking stage, continue stirring the candy until the temperature reaches 278 degrees Fahrenheit, which is the soft/hard crack stage. This is the point at which the syrup solidifies when it's cooled. The issue is that when you are close to these temperatures the mixture can burn. Keep stirring the mixture until it reaches temperature will help to reduce burning. 
• After pouring and spreading the mixture onto the cookie sheet, try to cool the peanut brittle on a surface at room temperature. This will speed the cooling process and make for a crispier candy. 
• Store peanut brittle in an airtight container. This will minimize the amount of moisture the candy can absorb. 

Spaghetti alla Puttanesca

Okay, my favorite pasta dish of all time is Puttanesca.  My next favorite is Cacio e pepe. Both are classic Italian dishes.  Puttanesca means "Lady of the Night".  It derives its name as a late night preparation requested by the Ladies of the Night.   While I appreciate that some folks do not like Anchovies, you should not fear.  This pasta dish is so complex that you will never know the exact things you are tasting.   The sauce once cooked down is earthy and Oh-so flavorful that you will not mind what is in it.  The best Puttanesca (and Cacio e pepe for that matter) I have ever had in the United States was at Ristorante La Toscana in San Rafael, California.  The classic dish does not come with any seafood.  However, at La toscana they top the dish with three prawns.  While visiting Carmel, I had a seafood Puttanesca at the Old Fisherman's Grotto on the tourist wharf in Monterey.  They added Prawns, Scallops and Salmon.  I ask to hold the fish.  Their version was very, very good.  So, here goes, one of the best pasta dishes you will ever eat.  Buon Appetito.  

Ingredients

• ¼ Cup Extra-virgin Olive Oil
• 4 large Garlic cloves, finely chopped
• 1 28.2 ounce can peeled tomatoes in puree with basil (find Italian tomatoes).
• ½ Cup Kalamata Olives, halved, pitted
• 3 Anchovy fillets, chopped
• 1-½ TB drained Capers
• 1 Teaspoon Dried Oregano
• ½ Teaspoon Dried Crushed Red Pepper Flakes
• ¾ Pound Spaghetti
• 2 TB chopped fresh Italian Parsley
• 3 medium sized prawns, shelled with tail attached and deveined.
• Grated Parmesan Cheese

Procedure

• Heat Oil in saute pan over medium heat.
• Add garlic and saute until fragreant, about 1 minute
• Add tomatores with puree, olives, anchovies, capers, oregano, and crushed red peppers
• Simmer sauce over medium-low heat until thickened, breaking up tomatoes with spoon, about 8 minutes.  
• Add prawns.
• Season with salt and pepper.

• Meanwhile, cook pasta in large pot of bling salted water until al dente (still firm to bite).
• Drain pasta, return to same pot.  
• Add sauce with prwans and parsley.  Toss over low hear until sauce coats the prawns and pasta, about 2-3 minutes.  Make sure prawns are cooked, pink in color and not translucent.
• Serve immediately with cheese.

Alison's Asian Noodle Salad

A gal I met through the Bel Marin Key's Women's Club, Alison, recently came to a party with an Asian inspired noodle salad she created on the fly.   It was a great hit.  I asked her to provide the recipe.   She gave me the ingredients, as she really did not have a formal recipe to follow.  I formed a recipe, which Alison and I made together.  Our suggested recipe follows.  Thanks Alison.

Ingredients

• 1 lb Capellini Pasta 

• ½ Cup Avocado Oil or Olive Oil

• ½ Cup Rice vinegar

• 1 Teas. Chili Oil 

• 2 Large cloves of finely minced Fresh Garlic

• 1 TB finely minced Fresh Ginger

• 1 Teas. Dried Basil 

• 2 Teas. Sugar

• S&P to taste
•  2 Cups each of assorted Arugula, and "Power Greens" (baby chard, kale & spinach) from Costco
• ½ Cup Feta Cheese
• ½ Cup Kalamata Olives (optional)

Procedure

• Cook Pasta as directed to Al Dente 
• Mix Remaining Ingredients together in a separate container:
• Mix Oil and Vinegar together first and check for taste.  You might want to add more of one or the other.  
• Add remaining ingredients, except for the Arugula, Power Greens, Feta Cheese and Kalamata olives.
• Coat pasta thoroughly in mixture 

• Toss in Arugula, and Power Greens
• Add Feta Cheese

• Add Kalamata olives as desired. 

Werner’s Northwest Cioppino

A dear friend of mine, Verna Fenzl (formally Verna Eisen) and I were talking about great recipes.  She mentioned that her father, Werner Eisen, had a great Cioppino recipe.  He believed in a rich man's cioppino, meaning little or no fish.   So, here is Warner's recipe.  He has included various amounts of ingredients depending upon the size of the crowd being fed.  And, of course, the fish is always optional.  Enjoy.

Ingredients

• ½ Cup Salt Pork
• ¼ Cup Olive Oil
• 2 Cups Onions, sliced
• 2 Stalks Celery, chopped
• 2 Cloves Garlic, minced
• 1 Bay Leaf
• Salt/Pepper (¼ Teaspoon each to taste)
• 1 Teaspoon Fresh Basil, chopped
• ½ Teaspoon Fresh Oregano, chopped
• ¼ Cup Fresh Parsley, chopped
• 1 Cup Clam Juice
• 28 Ounce can of Italian Tomatoes, undrained
• 8 Ounces of Tomato Paste
• 1-½ Pound of the following mix of seafood
• Mussels, in shell
• Clams, in shell
• Shrimp, peeled
• Scallops
• Oysters
• Fresh or Frozen Crab
• If you wish to add fish add Halibut, Lingcod, Rockfish or Seabass.  These would be included in the 1-½ pound mixture of seafood

Procedure

• Sauce the Salt Pork, Onions, Garlic and Celery in Olive Oil
• Add Clam Juice, Tomatoes, and tomatoe paste
• Add Salt and Pepper, Basil, Oregano, and Parsley
• Simmer Covered for 30 minutes
• If you include fish - Add fish, cover and simmer for about 10-20 minutes
• Add Scallops, Clams in Shell, Shrimp and Mussels and Oysters
• Simmer for about 10 minutes longer (or until fish flakes if fish was included). Othersise, until Mussel and/or Clam shells open. 

Now, Warner left a table of quanities for various numbers of servings.  The table below can be followed for large groups.