Peanuts.
We all know they aren't really nuts (they're the edible seeds of legumes). And we know they grow under the ground. And that they are a meat substitute and excellent source of protein. And any cocktail party you attend will have a couple of bowls filled with them.
They are also versatile and portable.
But did you know they are grown in many tropical and subtropical regions of the world? China accounts for 37 percent of all peanut production. The United States is a mere 8 percent, according to the National Peanut Board, with Georgia leading the states that grow them.
The board continues: "The peanut plant probably originated in Peru or Brazil in South America ... European explorers first discovered peanuts in Brazil."
As for nutrition, peanuts are rich in monounsaturated fats, which is emphasized in the heart-healthy Mediterranean diet. And they contain oleic acid, the healthful fat found in olive oil. New research shows these legumes are also as rich in antioxidants as many fruits, according to whfoods.com.
My generation grew up eating peanuts and peanut butter. Lots of peanut butter. This was long before the proliferation of peanut allergies. I even recall one of my parents' infrequent cocktail parties, where my mom told me to "fill a napkin with peanuts and go back upstairs to bed. Now."
Dishes with peanuts run the gamut from soup to (dare I say it?) nuts.
I found a plethora of dessert recipes -- three of which are below -- in the many cookbooks I scoured. But peanuts' savory side is much less explored and more specific, as far as American cookbooks are concerned. Most of those recipes come from other countries, where peanuts star in main courses -- likely as a meat substitute (remember the high protein factor).
For starters, here is a beef dish that can be on the table in 20 minutes.
Thai Peanut Beef
1/4 cup peanut butter
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1 tablespoon brown sugar
2 teaspoons sriracha, or more to taste
2 tablespoons water
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 1/2 pounds flank steak, thinly sliced against the grain
Kosher salt and black pepper, to taste
1 green onion, thinly sliced
2 tablespoons peanuts, chopped
1 red chile, sliced, optional
Whisk together peanut butter, soy sauce, brown sugar, sriracha and 2 tablespoons water; set aside.
Heat oil in large pan over medium heat. Add beef and cook, stirring, until browned, 3 to 4 minutes; season with salt and pepper. Stir in peanut butter mixture until well combined, and cook 1 to 2 minutes more.
Serve immediately, garnished with green onion, chopped peanuts and red chile, if desired.
Makes 4 to 6 servings.
Recipe adapted from damndelicious.net
It doesn't have to be summertime to make and enjoy this simple salad. And it tastes even better the next day. It could easily become a main dish with a little diced chicken or tuna.
Peanut Butter Summertime Salad
3 cups shredded purple cabbage
1 cup grated carrots
1 cup seeded and sliced cucumber
1 cup golden raisins
1/2 cup peanut butter
1/2 cup mayonnaise
3 tablespoons cider vinegar
2 tablespoons orange juice
Romaine lettuce
Combine cabbage, carrots, cucumber and raisins. In a medium bowl, stir together peanut butter, mayonnaise, vinegar and orange juice. Add cabbage mixture and toss well. Line large bowl with lettuce leaves. Spoon cabbage mixture into bowl. Chill for several hours or overnight.
Makes 4 servings.
Recipe from The Official Peanut Butter Lovers' Centennial Cookbook (Peanut Advisory Board, Atlanta, Ga., 1990)
This flavor-packed chicken dish is spiced with coriander, cinnamon, cloves, black peppercorns, cayenne and green chiles. For a spicier dish, increase the cayenne and use hot green chiles in place of mild.
Chicken in Peanut Sauce
1 pound skinless, boneless chicken breasts, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
2 tablespoons lime juice
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground red pepper (cayenne)
1/4 teaspoon ground coriander
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
2 tablespoons peanut oil, divided use
1/4 cup chopped onion
1 clove garlic, minced
1/2 cup peanuts
4 black peppercorns
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
1 medium tomato, cut into wedges
2 tablespoons green chiles
1 cup water PLUS 1 teaspoon water, divided use
To make the chicken: Sprinkle chicken with lime juice, salt, red pepper, coriander and black pepper; set aside.
To make the sauce: Heat 1 tablespoon oil in small skillet over medium heat. Cook onion and garlic until soft. Add peanuts, peppercorns, cinnamon and ground cloves. Cook until golden brown. Transfer mixture to a blender or food processor and add the tomatoes, chiles and 1 teaspoon water. Puree until almost smooth. Set aside.
Heat the remaining 1 tablespoon oil in a large, heavy skillet over medium heat. Add chicken and saute until it loses its pink color. With a slotted spoon, remove chicken and set aside. In the same skillet, cook sauce over medium heat, stirring constantly and scraping the bottom of skillet, about 3 minutes. Reduce heat to low; cook, occasionally scraping bottom of skillet, about 30 minutes.
Add chicken pieces to skillet with 1 cup water and continue cooking on low for 35 to 40 minutes, or until chicken is tender. Serve with sauce over rice or pasta if desired.
Makes 4 servings.
Recipe from On the Light Side: Healthy Recipes for International-Style Entertaining
This bread is like the brown bread my mom used to give us. It came in a can, but was tasty nonetheless. I would suggest a smear of cream cheese on top of a slice.
Carrot Peanut Butter Bread
1 cup dark brown sugar, firmly packed
1/2 cup crunchy peanut butter
1/2 cup peanut oil
2 eggs
2 cups shredded carrots
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon ground allspice
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
3/4 teaspoon salt
1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup milk
Heat oven to 350 degrees. Grease 9-inch loaf pan.
In a large bowl, cream sugar, peanut butter, oil and eggs. Add carrots and vanilla.
In a separate bowl, stir together the spices, baking soda, baking powder, salt and flour. Add flour mixture, alternating with milk, to creamed mixture, a bit at a time until well incorporated. Turn into prepared loaf pan and bake 1 hour and 10 minutes, or until a tester inserted near the center comes out clean.
Makes 1 loaf.
Recipe from The Official Peanut Butter Lovers' Centennial Cookbook
The meringue for this pie was a bit difficult to prepare as it was raining at the time. And high humidity is not an egg white's best friend. But it was scrumptious and got rave reviews. This is my new go-to pie for holiday dinners and get-togethers.
Peanut Butter Pie
1/2 cup confectioners' sugar
1/3 cup crunchy peanut butter
1 (9-inch) pie shell, baked
1/4 cup cornstarch
2/3 cup PLUS 6 tablespoons sugar, divided use
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 cups milk, scalded (see note)
3 eggs, separated
2 tablespoons butter
1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
In a small bowl, combine confectioners' sugar and peanut butter; blend until it has the texture of biscuit mix. Spread 3/4 of it on bottom of baked pie shell. Set the remaining mixture aside.
In a medium bowl, combine cornstarch, 2/3 cup sugar and salt. Add scalded milk and mix well.
Beat the egg yolks in the top part of a double boiler. Whisking constantly, slowly add the scalded milk mixture. Cook, stirring, until mixture thickens to the consistency of pudding. Add butter and vanilla and mix well. Pour mixture into the prepared pie shell.
Beat egg whites, adding the remaining sugar a little at a time, until whites are stiff and glossy. Top hot pie filling with meringue, spreading it all the way to the crust. Sprinkle the remaining peanut mixture over the meringue.
Bake at 350 degrees until the meringue is lightly browned, 6 to 10 minutes.
Makes 1 pie.
Note: To scald the milk, heat it in a saucepan over medium-low heat until milk is steamy and bubbles form around the edges of the pan. The milk should not boil.
Recipe from The Official Peanut Butter Lovers' Centennial Cookbook
The last recipe is the easiest to make. It's called Puppy Chow, but I wouldn't recommend feeding it to a canine. It would be welcome at that infrequent cocktail party or a kid's birthday party. The original recipe called for melting the chocolate chips in a microwave oven but I have ruined more than my share of chocolate chips that way. A double boiler is recommended.
Puppy Chow
1 (12-ounce) package chocolate chips
1 cup peanut butter
1/2 cup butter
1 (12-ounce) box Crispix or Chex cereal
3 cups confectioners' sugar
Melt chocolate chips, peanut butter and butter in top of double boiler; stir until smooth. Pour mixture over cereal in a large bowl and mix well. Put confectioners' sugar in large bowl with a tight-fitting lid or sack. Add cereal mixture and shake until it all is dusted in confectioners' sugar.
Makes about 12 cups.
Recipe from Recipes & Remembrances: A Collection by Buncombe Bakery
Food on 09/07/2016