Nothing against a bowlful of pretzels, but today’s elevated cocktails deserve a slightly more inspired culinary partner. Matthew McClure, head chef of the Hive restaurant and bar in Bentonville, Arkansas, agrees. A throwback to a time when bar snacks merited the same considered panache as the drinks they cushioned, his Arkansas Trail Mix combines house-made cheese straws with a slew of local add-ins: candied black walnuts and pecans, and flash-fried soybeans and black-eyed peas. “Creating the recipe was a very thoughtful and methodical process,” McClure says. “I wanted to give people a snack that told the story of Arkansas.” Mix up a batch his way, or build a custom blend using McClure’s cheese straws as a base and layering in your own native ingredients on top. Either way, you’ll come up with a snack that satisfies well beyond the bar.
Party Snack: Arkansas Trail Mix
Arkansas Trail Mix Components
Crunchy Black-Eyed Peas
Candied Pecans
Candied Black Walnuts
Crunchy Soybeans
Cheese Straws
Crunchy Black-Eyed Peas
1/2 cup dried black-eyed peas (soak in water until hydrated)
1 carrot, peeled and cut into thirds
1/2 yellow onion, cut into thirds
1 stalk celery, cut into thirds
Kosher salt
Lemon zest
Smoked paprika
Candied Spiced Pecans
1 1/2 quart heavy syrup
3 cups raw, shelled pecans
Cayenne pepper (to taste but this gets hot fast)
Kosher salt
Candied Black Walnuts
1 1/2 quart heavy syrup
3 cups raw, shelled black walnuts
Kosher salt
Crunchy Soybeans
1 cup of dried soybeans
2 quarts water
Paprika
Kosher salt
Lemon zest
Cheese Straws
8 oz. shredded sharp cheddar cheese, room temperature
1/4 cup softened butter
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp. salt
1/8 tsp. cayenne pepper
Preparation
- For the trail mix: Toss all items together in a large bowl.
- For the Crunchy Black-Eyed Peas: Cook peas covered in water with celery, carrots, and onions until tender; cool in liquid, then strain.
- Heat vegetable oil to 325 degrees, and fry peas until crispy.
- Toss the peas with salt, lemon zest, and paprika, and cool in a single layer on a baking sheet.
- For the Candied Spiced Pecans: In a medium saucepan, bring heavy syrup to boil with pecans. Reduce heat and simmer gently for 30-45 minutes. Strain syrup and allow the pecans to cool for about 5 minutes.
- Heat vegetable oil to 325 degrees and fry pecans until they just start to toast.
- Remove and toss with kosher salt and cayenne pepper, then spread in a single layer on a baking sheet, giving them a gentle shake every few minutes to prevent sticking.
- For the Candied Black Walnuts: In a medium saucepan, bring heavy syrup to boil with walnuts. Reduce heat and simmer gently for 30-45 minutes. Strain syrup and allow the walnuts to cool for about 5 minutes.
- Heat vegetable oil to 325 degrees and fry walnuts until they just start to toast.
- Remove and toss with kosher salt, then spread in a single layer on a baking sheet, giving them a gentle shake every few minutes to prevent sticking.
- For the Crunchy Soybeans: Soak soybeans in cold water overnight. Strain excess water from the soybeans and let beans dry for 3-5 minutes.
- Heat vegetable oil to 325 degrees, and fry soybeans for about 5 minutes, or until the beans begin to toast.
- Toss soybeans with salt and lemon zest, and cool.
- For the Cheese Straws: Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
- Combine cheese and butter in the bowl of a stand mixer. Beat on medium with a paddle attachment until thoroughly blended. In a separate bowl, combine flour, salt, and cayenne, and whisk together. Slowly add the flour mixture to the butter and cheese, and continue to beat until no longer crumbly.
- Roll the dough to ¼-inch thickness, then cut into ½-inch by 4½-inch straws. Place straws 1 inch apart on a parchment-covered tray. Bake for 12 minutes or until lightly browned. Cool completely.
Recipe from chef Matthew McClure of Hive restaurant and bar in Bentonville, Arkansas