Cracker Jeff

2 sheet pans

Parchment paper or Silpat

Silicone spatula

Large pot with lid

1.

Preheat the oven to 300ºF/150ºC. Line two sheet pans with parchment paper or Silpat.

2.

Pop the corn. Follow package instructions, or place a large, heavy-bottomed pot on the stove over medium-high heat. Add the neutral oil and a few test kernels. Once kernels pop, remove popped kernels and add ½ cup of kernels to the pot. Gently shake the pot to coat all the kernels, and cover it with a lid. The corn will begin to pop; once pops are less than 1-2 seconds per pop, remove from heat, gently shake, and crack the lid to release some steam. Set aside.

3.

In a small saucepan over medium heat, melt the butter with the pomegranate molasses, brown sugar, sumac, cayenne, salt, and anardana. Stir with a silicone spatula until the brown sugar dissolves and the mixture is smooth, about three minutes.

4.

Place the nuts in a medium bowl. Pour ⅓ of the butter mixture over the nuts and toss gently with a spatula to coat. In another bowl, combine the popped corn with the remaining butter mixture, tossing gently to coat.

5.

Spread the coated nuts in a single layer on one prepared sheet pan and the coated popcorn on the other. Place the nuts on the top rack and the popcorn on the bottom rack of the oven.

6.

Bake for 9 minutes, then remove the popcorn and let cool. Rotate the pan of nuts and bake for another 9 minutes. Remove from the oven.

Note: Nuts can burn quickly, so keep a close eye if you’re unsure of your oven’s accuracy.

7.

Tip nuts into a large bowl and sprinkle with additional Maldon salt, turning occasionally with a silicone spatula for five minutes as it cools to prevent clumping. Add popped corn and stir to combine. Serve warm or store in an airtight container for up to a week.

Ingredients

3 tablespoons neutral oil
¼ cup popcorn kernels
3 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
6 tablespoons pomegranate molasses
6 teaspoons brown sugar
3 teaspoons ground sumac
1 ½ teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 ½ teaspoon Kosher salt
3 teaspoon anardana (optional)
1 cup raw (unsalted, unroasted) whole cashews
½ cup raw (unsalted, unroasted) shelled pecans
½ cup raw (unsalted, unroasted) shelled pistachios
½ cup raw (unsalted, unroasted) halved walnuts
Maldon sea salt for finishing

Cook's Notes

This is Jeff’s adult spin on an American classic, the Cracker Jack. Popcorn still plays the leading role in his recipe, with the humble peanut swapped for cashews, walnuts, pistachios, and pecans. Traditional, sticky-sweet molasses receives an upgrade from its pomegranate cousin. Complex, exotic spices and heat come from adding sumac, cayenne, and ground pomegranate seeds – anardana.

Even with these tweaks, the Cracker Jack slogan registered in 1896 is still fitting, “The more you eat, the more you want.” We seem to want this snack with a bit of rosé.