Peanuts, You want Peanuts?

In answer to the Culinary Throwdown Challenge Lightnin and I came up with not 3, but 4 dishes containing peanuts and/or peanut butter! An appetizer (Beijing style Cucumbers and Peanuts), a salad (Thai style rice noodle and shrimp salad with Peanut Butter vinaigrette), an entree (Kong Pao Chicken), and a dessert (Chocolate Peanut Butter Shooters)!

The starting ingredients and the cucumber peanut appetizer already prepared and marinating.









So lets start at the beginning!
Beijing style Cucumbers and Peanuts
Ingredients:
2 cucumbers, julienned in bite size pieces
2 Lightnin size handfuls of Peanuts (approx. 3/4 cup)
2oz soy sauce
2oz rice wine vinegar
1tsp red pepper flakes
In a medium bowl combine cucumbers and peanuts
in a separate bowl combine soy sauce and vinegar and pour over peanuts and cucumbers, stir and scatter red pepper flakes on top,
Let stand 30 minutes in the fridge before serving. (Serves 2-4 people)

Thai style rice noodle and shrimp salad with peanut butter vinaigrette
ingredients:
1/2 package of Taste of Thai rice vermicelli noodles, cooked as per direction on package, rinse several times with cool water and set aside to cool.
1-1/2cup fresh bean sprouts
1/2 pound of 50 count shrimp, shelled and divined; boiled and cooled
1/2cup cilantro leaves, whole
5 basil leaves, sliced thin
10 mint leaves, sliced thin
In a medium bowl combine all ingredients reserving a few cilantro leaves for garnish, spoon or drizzle on the vinaigrette. (Serves 4-6 people)
Vinaigrette:
4Tbs Smuckers Natural Peanut Butter (Hey I own some of their stock!)
Juice of 1 lime
1/2tsp sesame chili oil
1/4tsp salt
1/2tsp red pepper flakes
3Tbs olive oil
In a large stainless bowl add peanut butter, lime juice, salt, pepper flakes, and sesame oil. Then whisk in olive oil.

Kong Poa Chicken
ingredients:
2 chicken breasts cut into thin strips
2 carrots, cut into kuai ze (chop stick) friendly sized sticks
1 green bell pepper, same as carrots
1 small onion, same as carrots and pepper
1cup peanuts
2 stalks celery, sliced
1 can or jar of sliced mushrooms, drained
1/4 cup cilantro leaves, whole
4 cloves garlic, finely diced
1 inch fresh ginger root, finely diced
2 sichuan red peppers, fresh (any small spicy red chili will do)
1 sichuan red pepper, dried and crumbled (1/4tsp of red pepper flakes will work)
4 Tbs soy sauce
1/2tsp salt
1/2tsp sriracha chili sauce (sometimes called Rooster sauce because of the rooster on the bottle)
1tsp brown sugar
3Tbs Peanut oil
In a small bowl combine chicken 2Tbs soy sauce, 1/2 the garlic, 1/2 the ginger, dried sichuan pepper, mix well and set in fridge while preparing everything else.
In a really small bowl combine brown sugar, the rest of the soy, and the Rooster sauce, stir and set aside
In a hot wok pan, or similar, add peanut oil and then the marinated chicken, stirring constantly. When chicken is almost cooked add, celery, carrots, sichuan peppers, bell pepper, garlic, ginger, onion, cilantro, mushrooms, and peanuts and continue cooking and stirring until the vegetables are brightly colored and cooked, but firm. Add the soy/chili sauce and brown sugar mixture, stir and remove to a serving dish. (serves 4-6 people)

Chocolate Peanut Butter Shooters
2 chocolate cordial cups, frozen (for 2 people)
Smuckers Natural Peanut Butter (It's all about the stock!)
whipped cream (the can works better)
Either Kahlua or Baileys Mint liqueur
Fill each cup 1/2 way with peanut butter,
then top off with liqueur,
add whipped cream, and then a peanut on top for garnish if desired!
Note: we actually used 4 cups so we could each try the different liqueurs to see which we liked best!






We hope you all enjoy these asian style Peanutty good dishes!

Well that was it, let's see how we stack up against the competition!