Popcorn with Sesame-Glazed Pistachios
from https://www.foodandwine.com/, December 2015

Mixing popcorn with glazed pistachios creates a sweet-salty snack that's fantastic with cocktails.

FMM: I took these to Janet’s for Super Bowl Sunday 2024 and we ate most of it. Whatever was left, Janet was more than happy to keep. I would like to modify the flavoring a bit. I was not all that fond of the garlic powder; tasted too artificial or something, and I think I would like Worchestershire sauce instead of soy sauce. Once the pistachios were coated, I sprinkled more sugar over them before baking. I also melted butter to drizzle over the popcorn once it was through popping (1/2 stick?).

The second time I made this I changed the recipe. I made a version based on Honeyed Sesame Walnuts: 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, 2 tablespoons sugar, 2 tablespoons toasted sesame seeds, 1/4 tsp. ancho powder made from a dried pod, salt, 1 1/2 cups pistachio (no garlic powder or soy sauce). I did not sprinkle the sugar over the nuts in the pot this time, and the sugar did not get bubbling in the oven. All the sesame seeds fell to the bottom of the bowl.

I found this information: To achieve a "bubbling" sugar coating on nuts in the oven, you generally need a sugar-to-water ratio of around 2:1 by volume.

1/3 cup vegetable oil [just coat the bottom of the pan with some oil - see my popcorn recipe]
1/2 cup popping corn
Kosher salt

Original recipe for the nuts and sesame seeds:

3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons sugar
2 tablespoons toasted sesame seeds
2 teaspoons soy sauce
1/2 teaspoons garlic powder
2 cups shelled unsalted pistachios (8 ounces)

My recipe for the nuts and sesame seeds:

The sesame seeds stuck to the pistachio nuts when making it using the ingredients listed below, but the pistachio nuts didn't stick to the popcorn.

2 tablespoons sugar [try 3 Tbsp. next time]
2 tablespoons toasted sesame seeds
1 Tbsp. water
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil [try using less - 2 Tbsp. especially if using water]
2 teaspoons soy sauce [I added 1 tsp. Worchestershire sauce and I liked it better than the garlic powder and soy sauce. Maybe try the soy sauce and no garlic powder next time]
1/2 teaspoons garlic powder [omitted - try adding 1/4 tsp.?]
2 cups shelled unsalted pistachios (8 ounces) [I used a 6 oz. package, about 1 1/2 cups and it was plenty]

Preheat the oven to 350° and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

Make the popcorn: In a large saucepan, combine the vegetable oil and popcorn, cover and cook over moderate heat until the corn starts to pop. Cook, shaking the pan until the popping stops, 3 to 5 minutes. Transfer the popcorn to a large bowl, removing any old maids.

[Melt 3 Tbsp. butter and drizzle over the popcorn. Sprinkle with some salt. Mix to distribute it.]

Wipe out the saucepan [I used the pan I melted the butter in and didn't wipe out]. Add the sugar, sesame seeds, olive oil, soy sauce, garlic powder and 2 teaspoons of salt and cook over moderate heat, stirring, until the sugar dissolves, about 3 minutes. [In the video, the oil was sizzling.] Add the pistachios and cook, stirring, for 1 minute.

[I sprinkled a couple of tablespoons of sugar over the nuts and mixed in trying to change the taste when I first made this. I was not fond of the garlic powder. I think the recipe needs a little more sugar and maybe less oil.]

Scrape the pistachios onto the prepared baking sheet and bake for about 10 minutes, until bubbling. Scrape the pistachio mixture into the popcorn and toss well. Let cool before serving. Try immediately adding the pichios nuts and mix in. I think adding the pistachio nuts immediately while the sugar is still sticky made help them to stick to the popcorn better.

instead of falling to the bottom.

[This bubbling is key. It forms a sticky mixture, which holds the sesame seeds and the pistachios together. This is not simply the sugar melting because I tried this technique and made a version based on Honeyed Sesame Walnuts recipe (see modifications above) and the sesame seeds and the pistachio nuts did not stick together. I reused the sesame seeds and pistachios from this batch, heated a little olive oil, soy sauce, 1/3 tsp. garlic powder and a pinch of sugar. Added the pistachios and sesame seeds and heated well. Placed in the oven and the mixture bubbled.]

Make Ahead: The mix can be made early in the day and stored in an airtight container at room temperature.

Yield 18 cups