Peanuts are much more than a tasty and energizing snack: they are perfect for your break at work or as traditional snack at the cinema but may also represent the missing ingredient for that crispy note that characterizes both sweet and salty recipes. In this article we will have a deeper look at the ways peanuts may be used to prepare a dressing for salads, a refreshing sorbet and the classic peanut butter.
1) Peanut dressing for salads
If you are looking for a different dressing for your salads, this peanut dressing may be the answer. It is easy to prepare and has a characteristic bittersweet and oriental taste. The ingredients are:
- 2 tbsp peeled peanuts
- 2 tbsp apple vinegar
- 2 tbsp soy sauce
- 2 tbsp ketchup
- 1 tbsp honey
- 2 drops tabasco
The first step consists in the toasting of peanuts: this can be done in the oven by placing them without overlapping them on a baking tray covered with baking paper and baking them in a static oven which was preheated to 170° for 10-15 minutes or in a ventilated oven at 160° for 5-10 minutes. Pour soy sauce, apple vinegar, ketchup, tabasco, honey and cooled toasted peanuts in a mixer and mix until a homogeneous sauce is obtained. For the dressing to be crunchier simply add some chopped peanuts.
2) Orange and peanut sorbet
This delicate sorbet is perfect to be served at the end of a meal or as a fresh and crispy snack in summer. It is refreshing and creamy and thanks to the peanuts it has a crunchy note that makes it special. Here are the ingredients:
- 250 g water
- 125 g coconut sugar
- 3 oranges
- peeled peanuts (to be chopped)
Boil water with coconut sugar, add the filtered orange juice, let everything cool and pour it in a sorbet maker. If you do not have a sorbet maker, pour the mixture into a large bowl and put in the freezer for at least 1 hour. Remove it from the freezer, move it with a fork and put it back in the freezer. Repeat the operation about every half hour until the desired consistency is obtained. When the sorbet is ready, add some chopped peanuts to it.
3) Peanut butter
Peanut butter is typical of the American tradition and can be eaten for breakfast or as a snack by spreading it on bread. A fanciful variation of peanut butter consists in adding a thin layer of marmalade that will create pleasant contrasting flavours. Here are the ingredients for 4 people:
- 500 g peeled peanuts
- 30 g peanut oil
- 1 tsp acacia honey
- 2.5 g coconut sugar
Toast the peanuts and, once cooled, pour them in the mixer together with sugar, honey and peanut oil. Mix until a homogeneous creamy mixture is obtained. Here you are: you can store the peanut butter in the fridge or in a container with an airtight cap for up to 2 weeks.
Sources:
http://www.buttalapasta.it/articolo/ricette-salse-di-arachidi-per-accompagnare-le-insalate/8755/
http://it.wikihow.com/Tostare-le-Arachidi
http://ricette.giallozafferano.it/Burro-d-arachidi.html
https://www.fruttaebacche.it/blog/tortino-al-cioccolato-con-gelato/
