Peanuts in Cheerwine?

Here in the sultry section of summer, apparently attention has turned to two Southern traditions: Peanuts in Co'Cola (or RC, or Dr Pepper, or Pepsi), and boiled peanuts.

First, Serious Eats has a blog post up about the great summer treat of pouring salted peanuts in your bottle of soda. They reach a few conclusions: Yes, it has to be a soft drink in a glass bottle; yes, it has to involve pouring in salted, roasted peanuts; and yes, people from areas other than "around here" find this behavior puzzling. Read it here.

Just as we were absorbing that, along came the James Beard Foundation's blog, Delights and Prejudices, featuring a recipe from Charlotte's Marc Jacksina (formerly of Lulu, currently of Halcyon) for boiled peanuts made with Cheerwine, Tabasco and some Asian touches such as star anise and mirin. Here's the blog post, and the recipe is below. (Seaweed in boiled peanuts, chef? I don't even want to know what gave you that idea.)

Cheerwine Boiled Peanuts

From Marc Jacksina of Halcyon Flavors of the Earth, for the James Beard Foundation.

4 cups raw (unroasted peanuts) in the shell
1 (3 by 5 inch) sheet kombu (dried seaweed)
2 tablespoons kosher salt
2 whole star anise
2 cups Cheerwine or other cherry soda
1 teaspoon mirin
1 teaspoon white soy sauce
2 dashes Tabasco

Combine the peanuts, kombu, salt and star anise in a large pot. Cover with water. Bring to a gentle boil and cook for 2 to 3 hours, adding more water as necessary to keep the peanuts covered.

Strain and shell the peanuts. (Discard the kombu and star anise.) You should be left with about 2 cups of peanuts.

In a clean medium pot, combine the shelled peanuts with the Cheerwine, mirin, white soy sauce, and Tabasco. Bring to a boil, reduce to a simmer and cook for 30 to 40 minutes, stirring often, until the liquid has reduced to about 2 tablespoons. Lay the peanuts on a parchment-lined sheet tray and cool. Store in an airtight container for up to 2 weeks.

One Great . . . boiled peanut hummus

For a guy who was born in Canada, Hugh Acheson certainly makes a good Southerner. He chef/owns the restaurants Five And Ten and The National in Athens, Ga., and Empire State South in Atlanta; he shared a James Beard Foundation award for Best Chef: Southeast with Linton Hopkins, and his book "A New Turn in the South" won a Beard book award for its fresh takes on traditional Southern dishes and ingredients.

And, yes, he got known as "The Unibrow" in his appearances on "Top Chef" and "Top Chef Masters." (Oh-yeah 2: He also occasionally writes some pretty interesting blog posts, mostly on Southern cooking, at the Epicurious blog roll, Epi Log.)

Paging around looking for something to serve with cocktails, I came across this tasty and simple spread from "New Turn in the South." If you make your own boiled peanuts, green peanut season isn't until late summer. But there's a boiled peanut stand at the Charlotte Regional Farmers Market, or you could use canned boiled peanuts in a pinch.

Tahini is sesame paste; it keeps forever in the refrigerator.

Boiled-Peanut Hummus

1 cup shelled boiled peanuts (almost exactly the amount you get in one of those little paper bags)
2 tablespoons tahini
1 medium clove garlic, minced
1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice
1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
Tiny pinch of cayenne
2 tablespoons olive oil
Salt if needed
Dippers: Pita chips (particularly good), flatbreads, chips or raw vegetables

Combine the boiled peanuts, tahini, garlic, lemon juice, cumin and cayenne in a food processor and process on low or pulse. Drizzle in olive oil slowly with motor running. Add 2 tablespoons water and process again to thin to spreadable consistency. Season with salt to taste (taste first - the peanuts may be salty enough.)
Serve with dippers. Keeps a couple of days in the refrigerator.

Makes about 2 cups, maybe a little less.

PHOTO: Garden and Gun