Parched Corn

[TinkyPete]

Interested in how it turns out Tombear, If it works I will be trying it out myself as anm altnerative to the rice I carry in my old timer/traditional kit

This has been a very interesting thread so far and I have learnt alot thanks for posting in the first place ateallthepies

 

[ateallthepies]

No problem Tinkypete, sharing is the name of the game! I had never heard of Parched Corn either until I watched one of Sandy from Jacklore Knives video on YouTube!

I had a notice today that the dried Maize I ordered has been shipped, probably means I will get it Monday so will report back my findings next week.

 

[tombear]

Ill put up some pics of the kernels when they have dried out. I'm a bit of a nance and won't leave the dehydrator on when I'm out so its only being switched back on now.

ATB

Tom

 

[tombear]

The first tray is ready and Ive replaced it with the last few that wouldn't fit in the two trays with the baking sheets. I'm always surprised how much they shrivel up.

Tomorrow ill toast them until they puff up a little, brown slightly

ATB

Tom

 

[Toddy]

Looks good be interesting to find out how well it works.
That looks like a much posher dehydrator than I have too

The fried peas are called Carlins. Away back in 2008 Chickenofthewoods found a website of a man who makes and sells them, and he wrote this "Apparently There's a guy called Ken Bentley in Driffield who still sells them - this is from his website:
"Carlin Peas - also known as Maple Peas, Brown Peas, Pigeon Peas and even Black badgers and Grey Badgers -are an ancient pea or marl, recorded in the reign of Elizabeth 1.

They almost certainly originated in the gardens of the early Middle Ages monasteries, when peas and beans formed a huge part of the staple diet. They grow to about six feet high, and boast attractive purple and white blossom, and they crop prolifically. The peas, which can be used fresh, or dried for winter use, have a distinctive flavour, often described as a mediaeval mushy pea.
Carlin peas are better known in the north of England. In the Northeast traditionally children were given them to eat on Carlin Sunday, after a special church service, a little like Harvest Festival. In Nottingham the cooked peas were sold at the annual Goose Fair until the late fifties.

Here is a recipe for Carlin Peas.

Preparation Time is about three minutes, plus overnight soaking.
Cooking Time is around 25 minutes
This recipe serve Serves four people
INGREDIENTS
½lb (200g) carlin peas
Pinch of salt
1oz (25g) of beef dripping (or butter)
Some soft brown sugar (optional and not usually used in the North East)
A splash of rum (optional)


COOKING INSTRUCTIONS
Soak the carlin peas in cold water overnight. Drain and put them in a saucepan of boiling water with salt. Boil for approximately 20 minutes, or until cooked but not overdone or mushy.

Melt the beef dripping (or butter) in a frying pan, drain the carlins and then add them to the pan and fry for two to three minutes.
Serve hot with salt and pepper. Or you can leave them to cool for a tasty nibble later. Alternatively, while still hot, you can add the brown sugar and a drop or rum."

M

 

[tombear]

Cheers! I do believe it was carlin peas that herself grew last year and we have a bunch in envelopes for planting a decent patch of this year. Whatever's left of back plot after the bere barley, small oats and landrace rye we are going to grow peas and kale as they grew best last year.

Anyroad, ill drag myself back to the subject! I've done parched corn this way two or three times before with herselfs old dehydrator so I know it will work. I may add some salt this time.

ATB

Tom

 

[tombear]

Well. I'm sitting here on the shed floor toasting them with a tiny amount of oil and a bit of salt, which has really brought out the flavour, Watching Sharpes Waterloo and fending off the youngest son who's picking kernels from the pan as I write this.

To my taste they are done when most of them are the colour of the darkest ones above. I'm stirring them pretty much continuously a there's a few more in the pan than I'd normally stick in in one go.

very moorish, I should have done two bags not one!

ATB

tom

PS Herself has planted a hole bunch of peas in wee pots to germinate on a window sill.

 

[tombear]

Got another bag of sweet corn from ASDA and its in the dehydrator, they are shrivelling up nicely.


atb

Tom

 

[Toddy]

It looks really tasty; but how sore is it on the teeth ?

M

 

[tombear]

Not bad at all, I've a couple of missing back teeth and chomping on pinches of kernels doesn't bother me at all. Mine are crunchy but not hard. When eating a lot I'd want a drink to go with them. Easy enough to post you some. It's a amazing how much it reduces by, a great big freezer bag goes down to nowt!

ATB

Tom

 

[Toddy]

Thank you kindly I think I'll give it a go myself though; I'm shopping to refill the freezer tomorrow, so will see about picking up a bag of corn when I'm out.

My teeth are relatively sound, certainly for my age, but I'm aware that I'm getting older and the last thing I want is a cracked one or loose fillings.
I think it's brilliant that the kids have all their teeth and not a single filling Wish we grew three sets though

M

 

[tombear]

Ha! The wife, who's two years older than me, is still yet to have a filling it or lose a tooth! She had the flouride jell treatment as a kid. It's not as if she makes much effort to look after them even!

Worst pain I ever had with my teeth was from biting on a unpopped kernel on a filling that was forced into a nerve ending!

They are well worth making, the little b@ggers have eaten most of the first batch I did!

ATB

Tom

 

[mrcharly]

That looks good although my teeth (not strong and with many, many fillings) are wincing just looking at them.

Buckwheat toasts very easily, just take the whole dried grain and very lightly toast some in a pan. I'll do a bit tonight, makes a tasty snack. Very good nutrition values, almost as good as oats

 

[bearbait]

Is there any significant difference between Polenta and Parched Corn/Pinole? Apart from the fact that Polenta hasn't been baked?

BTW, this seems to be quite a good thread on Parched Corn on BCUSA.

 

[santaman2000]

Is there any significant difference between Polenta and Parched Corn/Pinole? Apart from the fact that Polenta hasn't been baked?

BTW, this seems to be quite a good thread on Parched Corn on BCUSA.

Loads of difference. Polenta is just Italian grits.

 

[ateallthepies]

Got my corn at last! Enough to keep me going for a fair while

Will get parching soon.

 

[tombear]

The parched stuff isn't like unpopped popping corn at all and chews easily, more like slightly leathery than crunchy/ hard. The 2nd batch has finished in the dehydrator so I will toast them tomorrow. If I do it while they are in school I can hide them before they get home!

ATB

Tom

 

[TinkyPete]

Thanks on the pics so I now know what it is meant to look like will be having a go this weekend

 

[tombear]

Just toasted and salted the new batch and it suddenly occurred to me why my parched corn doesn't look quite right compared to others on the interweb. Properly, naturally, air dried corn doesn't shrivel up like stuff put through the dehydrator, It looks just like the stuff bought for fishing bait before its toasted. I'm pretty sure it will taste the same and have the same nutritional value. And incidentally be more compact for carrying. However when fresh corns next cheap in the uk ill get a bunch and hang them up to dry. Luckily the shed is open all the way up to the roof so there's tons of space to hang them up.

atb

Tom

 

[Toddy]

I picked up a bag of frozen stuff in Iceland yesterday. Well under a pound for huge bag.
I can't be bothered setting up the dehydrator just now, but I think with what you've said in mind that I might just spread some out on a tray and let it air dry, and take things from there.
Cheap enough to experiment with, and if it all fails, then it'll still feed the badgers

M