Here’s a democratic idea: In patriotic spirit, have the everyday peanut not only join the summer’s big parties but also be assimilated by a chef of Vietnamese descent with Thai leanings. The result: two classic favorites dishes, steak and ice cream, updated with flair.
Peanuts are already a favorite nibble in countless snacks, at ballparks and picnics; peanut butter holds together legions of PBJ sandwiches. Peanuts grow all across the southern United States, but they have long been treasured in other parts of the world, too.
Take a look at these ways to use peanuts as ingredient in “cowboy” steaks and ginger-nutty ice cream – offered in original recipes from Mai Pham, born in Vietnam, raised partly in Thailand, who came to the United States with her parents in 1978.
She’s now chef-owner of the Lemon Grass Restaurant in Sacramento, Calif., food columnist for the San Francisco Chronicle, cookbook author and cooking teacher.
Her cooking includes influences from both traditions, she says: the now-familiar spicy Thai and the more delicate and fresh Vietnamese, increasingly popular in the United States.
“The steak dish was inspired by the wonderful street snacks of Thailand, including the satays with peanut sauce. I wanted to take this idea, use the peanut sauce and turn it into a meal,” Pham said. “The ginger ice cream is another way of using the peanuts to give flavor and crunch.”
She says peanuts are often used in Vietnamese cooking, roasted and chopped, used to add richness and texture, or as a garnish for noodle and salad dishes.
This ice cream is a delectable example of the Southeast Asian fondness for layering flavors and textures. The fresh ginger adds a tangy bite, the candied ginger and roasted peanuts provide contrasting textures. The ice cream is best eaten within 6 to 8 hours, Pham said, so the peanuts stay crisp and crunchy.
1/3cup chopped candied ginger
1cup whole milk
2cups heavy cream
1/4cup light-brown sugar
1/3cup sugar
1/4teaspoon salt
2large eggs
1tablespoon freshly minced ginger
To make peanuts more fragrant and flavorful, dry-roast them in a frying pan over moderate heat for 3 to 5 minutes. Do not allow them to brown, as they will become bitter. Remove from heat. When cool, coarsely chop peanuts and set aside.
Place candied ginger in a small bowl and add just enough water to barely cover it. Set ginger aside to plump and soften.
In a saucepan over moderate heat, bring milk, cream, sugars and salt to a boil. Meanwhile, whisk eggs in a large metal bowl. Add hot cream mixture in a slow stream, whisking constantly, then pour into saucepan.
While stirring constantly with a wooden spoon, simmer over moderately low heat until custard is thick enough to coat the back of a spoon (registering about 170 to 175 degrees if you have a thermometer). Do not allow the mixture to boil.
Pour custard through a fine-mesh sieve into a clean metal bowl. Cool to room temperature. Stir in soaked ginger. Cover and refrigerate until cold, at least 3 hours.
Freeze custard in an ice-cream maker until soft-frozen, then add fresh ginger and 1/2 cup peanuts. Continue churning ice cream until frozen. Transfer to an airtight container and place in freezer to harden.
To serve, scoop ice cream into dessert bowls and garnish with remaining chopped peanuts.
Makes 12 servings.
Nutrition information per serving: 290 cal., 24 g total fat (11 g saturated), 91 mg chol., 75 mg sodium, 19 g carbo., 1 g fiber; 5 g pro.
Versatility and ease are the watchwords for the simple steak recipe and the accompanying peanut sauce giving a bit of Bangkok sizzle to a backyard cookout. Note: You can do the steaks on the grill, or broil or even pan sear them. The sauce makes a great accompaniment to other grilled meats, fish, shrimp and vegetables, too.
For a family feast, “Just serve it with a nice, easy green salad,” Pham said.
Thai cowboy steak with spicy peanut sauce
1tablespoon minced garlic
1tablespoon oyster sauce
2tablespoons soy sauce
1tablespoon brown sugar
1tablespoon brandy (optional)
1 1/2 tablespoons vegetable oil
4New York steaks, each cut in half
1/2cup peanut sauce (recipe follows)
Combine the garlic, oyster sauce, soy sauce, brown sugar, brandy and oil in a shallow baking tray. Add the steaks and turn so they’re evenly coated with the sauce. Cover and allow to marinate for 2 to 4 hours, in the refrigerator.
Preheat the broiler or grill to medium-high. Grill the steaks to the desired doneness, about 3 to 5 minutes on each side for medium-rare. (You may also pan sear the steaks.) Serve with spicy peanut sauce.
Makes 4 servings.
Spicy peanut sauce
2/3cup coconut milk or cow’s milk
2teaspoons Thai red curry paste or 1 teaspoon curry powder plus 1 teaspoon cayenne powder
1/4cup creamy peanut butter
1/4cup water
2tablespoons finely chopped roasted peanuts
1 1/2tablespoons sugar
1tablespoon fish sauce
1/2teaspoon lime juice
Combine all the ingredients except for the lime juice in a saucepan. Stirring constantly, heat the mixture over moderate heat until it begins to bubble. (If necessary, add water so the sauce is just thick enough to coat a spoon. The sauce will continue to thicken as it sits.) Stir in the lime juice and remove from the heat.
Makes about 1 cup.
Nutrition information per serving: 567 cal., 40 g total fat (15 g saturated), 41 g pro., 9 g carbo., 1 g fiber, 138 mg chol., 715 mg sodium.
Both recipes from Mai Pham, Lemon Grass Restaurant, Sacramento, Calif., courtesy National Peanut Board
Talk to us
> Give us your news tips.
> Send us a letter to the editor.
> More Herald contact information.
