I’ve always truly loved peanuts – they’re just so easy to love! But it wasn’t until my palate matured beyond chicken nuggets, Lik-M-Aid Fun Dip, and pudding pops that I really learned to cook with peanuts.
After setting my Fun Dip down for long enough, the most important thing that I realized about peanuts is that they offer so much more than a simple snack or compliment to a sweet dish. And imagine my delight, since I learned to cook and bake from the perspective of modern Southwestern American culinary tradition, when I discovered that so many Mexican and Native American dishes involve peanuts in some form or other.
These days, one of my favorite ways to use peanuts is in fiery savory dishes that marry the creamy, nutty crunch of peanuts with the fiery heat of chiles. It’s truly a match made in heaven.
