Kitchen Report

If you are binge-watching Oscar nominated movies or any of your favorite TV shows at home while waiting for this never-ending winter to pack up and leave, here’s how to bring some buttery stove-top popcorn to your armchair.

My farmer friend Joel, who is in charge of an organic research farm out at Western Illinois University, has done something really cool. He has helped to develop Rocky Purple and Gold Popcorn – a snack in the school’s colors. He recently sent me a small bag of purple popping corn, a token of encouragement after Huge Winter Storm No. 2 or No. 3 (I’ve lost track) hit Boston.

Unfortunately, once the corn pops, the purple and gold are tucked inside (that’s why it looks dark, it’s not burned, it’s purple!). But there’s nothing like stove-top popcorn. For some reason it tastes better than the cellophane-wrapped bags of microwave popcorn that we’ve all become a little too accustomed to. Another bonus: It is a lot cheaper to buy your own bag of dried corn and either pop it on the stove or put it in a brown lunch sack and pop it in your microwave for about 2 minutes.

Organic popcorn is even better, and if you can make friends with the farmer who grew it, it will be the best bowl of corn you’ve ever popped.

Stove-top popcorn

2 tablespoons canola oil
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/3 cup dried corn kernels

1. In a large sauce pan, add the oil and salt and a few kernels of corn and heat over medium heat.

2. When the kernels pop, remove from heat and add the remaining kernels, shaking out the pot to distribute them evenly across the bottom. Let the pot cool down for about 30 seconds to let head distribute evenly.

3. Return to the burner on medium heat and cover with a lid. Crack the lid just a bit to let the steam escape. Every few minutes pick up the pot with pot holders and give it shake to keep the kernels from burning.

4. Once the corn begins to pop, continue shaking the pot until there are 2 or 3 seconds between each pop. Remove from heat.

5. Pour into a bowl, add melted butter, more salt if you wish, and your favorite seasonings. Serve!