Pop corn + herbal tea Remedium n.6 – Relax

This recipe could transform your next cocktail party. But it’s perfect for so many other occasions such as birthdays, picnics, a quiet snack at home to spend on the couch in front of your favorite series or, why not, as a savory dessert to end a dinner with friends amidst a lot of chitchat.

The idea came from our contributorJulia, who was looking for an alternative snack that would reflect her guiding principles in the kitchen: avoid waste at all costs, which is why we are starting with an already used teabag of Remedium n.6 – Relax; respect the mood of the season with something lighthearted suitable for longer days when temperatures get warmer between spring and summer.

This is really a no-stress recipe, not only because there are the ingredients of our Relax herbal tea such as lavender, verbena, rosmary to help you embrace the right rhythm, but also because with very few ingredients and in very simple steps you can prepare an alternative and original snack perfect for taking a break. 

Ingredients

• 1 used Remedium n.6 – Relax teabag
• 3 tablespoon popcorn kernels
• 4 tablespoon olive oil
• salt to taste

Method 

1. Heat olive oil on medium low in a medium-sized pot. The oil should thinly coat the bottom of the pan. 
2. When the oil is warm, infuse the tisana into the oil. One way to do this is by slowly swirling the teabag around the bottom of the pot (keeping the string and paper tag out of the oil!). 
3. Lower the heat, and infuse for around 10 minutes on low, occasionally swirling and rotating the teabag to ensure maximum extraction. At this point you will smell the aroma of the herbs. 
4. After around 10 minutes, remove the tea bag (caution; hot!) and press out as much oil as possible by squeezing the tea bag on the inside of the pot with a fork. Don’t dispose of the tea bag yet! 
5. Increase the heat to medium, then add the popcorn kernels with a pinch of salt and cover the pot with a tight fitting lid. Gently shift the pot around to ensure all of the kernels are coated in oil.
6. It’s time to pop! Within moments, you will start hearing popping sounds. 
7. While the popcorn pops, take your *used* teabag and open it up. Remove the juniper berries and any other herbs that look much bigger or tougher than the rest. Then, finely chop the herbs (the finer the better). 
8. Once the popping sounds slow down (around 10 seconds between pops), take the pot off of the heat. Give it a few moments for the final pops to finish, then facing away from yourself carefully open the lid (don’t direct the hot steam towards your face). 
9. Toss freshly popped popcorn in a large bowl with chopped herbs from the tea bag and salt to taste. Enjoy with your favorite iced herbal tea!