We fired up our recently deprived smoker today and in went peanuts. We were given some raw Texas peanuts and figured why not smoke them. Well, I think the idea also came from the peanut butter and bacon combination and all the current talk of Elvis on the television. Ideas and thoughts bounce around in my head and out pops smoked peanuts. These were raw shelled nuts and took on the light hickory smoke nicely.
Now a few thoughts for their use: peanut butter and puree, soup, a lighter froth, ice cream, a fine crust, salt and sugar sanded nuts, vinaigrette.
Further thoughts include dusting crustaceans with the smoked peanuts and serving them with a fortified wine sauce (port, Madeira, sherry in equal parts reduced to a syrup) along with wheat berry fricassee. Also, we will use them in a pad Thai of calamari or giant squid noodles with mints, chili and black lime. Roasted pork belly, pickled banana, maple vinegar, mallow root puree and horseradish-lime condiment.
