Peanut Hummus

• 3 cup garbanzos, soaked overnight
• 1/2 cup lemon juice
• peanut oil to taste
• salt and pepper to taste
• water as needed
• 2/3 cup creamy peanut butter
• 1 bu. italian parsley, chopped fine
• 1 ea. jalapeño, seeds removed, chopped fine
• 2 ea. garlic cloves, chopped fine
• peanut oil to taste
• salt and pepper to taste

Cook garbanzos slowly in water until very soft. They should be very mushy when one is taken and smashed between the fingers. Drain.

In food processor, place all the garbanzos and process with some of the lemon juice, olive oil, salt, pepper, and water.

Process until smooth. Scoop the mixture into a bowl. Add peanut butter. Stir well and adjust with oil and water for texture, and salt and pepper for taste.

Make topping by combining parsley, jalapeño, and garlic in a small bowl. Cover with extra virgin olive oil. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Yield: 8 Cups

Sweet Corn and Peanut Soup

• 1 gal. water
• 8 oz. hominy
• 2 tbsp. sweet butter
• 2 ea. white onions, diced
• 3 ea. garlic cloves, minced
• 2 cup carrots, peeled and grated
• 2 oz. fresh ginger, peeled and grated
• 1 gal. corn stock
• 2 cup dry-roasted unsalted peanuts
• 5 tbsp. smooth peanut butter
• 4 ea. jalapeño chiles, stemmed and diced (including seeds)
• 10 ears sweet corn, shucked, kernels cut off cobs and roasted
• 5 ea. cilantro sprigs

In a small stockpot over high heat, bring the water and hominy to a boil. Boil for 35 minutes, then drain the hominy and rinse it in cold water.

Melt the butter in a large stockpot over high heat. Add the onions, garlic, and carrots and sauté for 10 minutes, stirring often. Add the ginger, stock, peanuts, and peanut butter. Bring to a boil and whisk until the peanut butter is evenly incorporated. Decrease the heat to low, cover, and simmer for 35 minutes.

Uncover the stockpot and puree the soup with a handheld blender until smooth. Add the hominy, jalapeños, and roasted corn. Simmer 5 more minutes. Strip the cilantro leaves from the stems and julienne.

Ladle the soup into shallow bowls. Sprinkle some of the cilantro leaves over each bowl and serve.

Serves 4 to 6.

Tomato and Peanut Salsa

• 1 cup peanuts, roasted, unsalted
• 4 ea. fresh ripe tomatoes, large, diced small
• 1 ea. red onion, large, diced small
• 4 tbsp. cilantro, chopped
• 4 tbsp. parsley, chopped
• 1 tbsp. garlic, minced
• 4 ea. fresh red or green jalapeño chile peppers, diced small
• 4 tbsp. lime juice (about 2 limes)
• 4 tbsp. peanut oil
• 1 tbsp. sugar
• salt to taste
• freshly cracked black pepper to taste

In a blender or food processor, grind the peanuts coarsely. They should not become paste, but should have a slightly chunky, crumbly consistency.

Combine the peanuts with all the other ingredients in a medium bowl, and mix well. This salsa will keep, covered and refrigerated, for 3 to 4 days.

Note: This is my adaptation of a Brazilian condiment in which the peanuts show again the strong African influence on Brazilian cuisine. While it is most often used with vegetables, I actually prefer it with grilled meats, especially pork. Add a can of tomato juice and a little more hot chile pepper, and this turns into a nice salsa for chips.

Yield: 4 Cups

Peanut Lemon Granola Bombs

• 1/2 cup Honey, whipped (or thick and dry)
• 1/2 cup Sour Cream
• 1 cup Peanuts, unsalted, toasted and roughly chopped
• 1/4 cup Plain oatmeal (or extra granola)
• 1 ea. zest of Lemon
• 1/4 tsp. Vanilla extract
• 1 cup Peanut granola (see note)

Method

1. In a large bowl over a double broiler, melt the honey until it is runny; add the sour cream and remove from the heat.
2. Stir in the toasted peanuts, oatmeal (or granola), lemon zest, and vanilla extract; stir until cool. To cool more rapidly, place bowl over some ice while stirring.
3. Add enough granola to the mixture so that it can be rolled into lime or walnut‐sized balls with your hand. Roll the balls in the peanut granola and chill overnight; use for school lunch or afternoon snacks.

Note: Combine 1/2 cup of regular granola with 1/2 cup of roasted chopped peanuts.

Crispy Fried Peanuts

Yield: 2 cups

• 1 cup Peanuts, raw, shelled, no skins
• 1 cup Garbanzo beans, canned, drained and rinsed
• ¼ cup Garlic, minced
• 1 Tbsp. Fleur de sel
• 1 tsp. Paprika, smoked
• 1 qt. Peanut oil

Method

1. Place the garbanzo beans in a single layer on a sheet pan lined with paper towels and leave uncovered for 2 hours or overnight until slightly dried.
2. Heat the peanut oil in a wide, heavy bottom sauce pot to 350˚F.
3. Add peanuts and stir constantly until lightly golden brown. Remove from oil to paper towels and drain.
4. In the same oil, add garbanzo beans and fry until golden brown. Remove to paper towels and drain.
5. Place the peanuts and garbanzos in a bowl.
6. Drain all but ¼ cup of the oil from the pot and add garlic. Over medium heat, stirring constantly or swirling the pan, toast garlic until lightly golden brown being careful not to burn. Remove from heat and pour garlic and oil over the  bowl of peanuts and garbanzos.
7. Toss the peanuts, garbanzos, and garlic with fleur de sel and smoked paprika. Serve warm.