Here’s a great idea for your year-round entertaining…pop up some festive corn with a punch. The heat of the jalapeño, the coolness of lime, and the pop! of tequila come together nicely in this adults-only treat. It’s a great snack for munching on the patio with a pitcher of margaritas close at hand—sophisticated, unique, and quite possibly responsible for folks jumping on tables and dancing like Pee Wee Herman. Tequila!
CHILE-LIME TEQUILA POPCORN
Makes: 4 quarts
Ingredients
4 quarts freshly popped corn
1/3 cup butter, melted
2 TSP freshly squeezed lime juice
1⁄2 TSP lime zest
1 TSP tequila
1⁄2 small jalapeño, seeds and membrane removed, minced
1⁄2 TSP freshly ground black pepper
11⁄2 TSP salt
1 TSP red pepper flakes
1 TSP ground cumin
Read Related: Viva Tequila! Making the Perfect Margarita
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 300 ̊F. Line a baking sheet with foil or a silicone baking sheet and set aside.
- Put the popcorn in a large, clean paper bag or a washable muslin bag. In a medium-size bowl, whisk together the butter, lime juice and zest, and tequila. Add the jalapeño. In a small bowl, combine the black pepper, salt, red pepper, and cumin.
- Drizzle the butter mixture over the popcorn, fold over the top of the bag, and shake until the popcorn is coated and moist. Sprinkle the pepper mixture over the popcorn, fold over the top of the bag, and shake a few times to coat.
- Spread the popcorn evenly over the baking sheet and bake until the popcorn is dry, 5 to 7 minutes.
