Most people only know peanuts s alted and canned. It's a pity really, because it can also be used to conjure up delicious pesto. Just give it a try.
Everyone knows peanuts, almost everyone knows pesto. But most associate pesto with the spicy Italian pasta sauce with basil and peanuts with the s alty canned snack. It is less well known that peanuts also cut a fine figure as a pesto and that in many variations they can make both pasta fans and friends of Asian cuisine happy. But peanuts can be much more than just a snack in front of the TV. With peanut pesto you can, for example, conjure up delicious pasta and sophisticated Asian dishes.
Recipe 1 - The Basic Recipe
If you want to try the classic pesto with peanuts first, you only need a few ingredients. The basic recipe is almost identical to a classic Pesto Genovese, only here the pine nuts are replaced by peanuts.
Ingredients:
- 150 g s alted peanuts
- 1 - 2 garlic cloves to taste
- 60 - 80 ml olive oil
- a handful of fresh basil
- 50 g fresh Parmesan
- 1 pinch pepper
Preparation:
Put all the ingredients except for the oil in a blender or a kitchen utensil with an attachment and chop first on a low speed, then on a high speed. Gradually add the olive oil and continue to mix until the mixture is homogeneous and creamy. Then pour the pesto into a bowl or a jar with a screw cap and either process it completely or pour oil over it, close it and store it in the fridge. The pesto will keep for about 1 week.
Recipe 2 - Peanut Sesame Pesto
In addition to the pesto variant for friends of Italian cuisine, you can also modify the peanut pesto for Asian dishes.
Ingredients:
- 1 - 2 tablespoons peanut butter with chunks
- 3 - 4 tbsp sesame oil
- 2 tbsp sunflower oil
- 2 tbsp lime juice
- 1 tbsp soy sauce
- 1 clove of garlic
- Sesame seeds and peanut pieces to taste
Preparation:
Stir the peanut butter with the sesame and sunflower oil until smooth, then soy sauce, lime juiceand add the crushed garlic clove and mix well. Then season with s alt and pepper.
Toast the sesame seeds in a pan, spread the pesto on glass noodles or fried noodles and sprinkle the roasted sesame on top.
Recipe 3 - Peanut Cilantro Pesto
Another Asian variant also goes well with fish dishes. However, this Asian Peanut Cilantro Pesto is a little spicy.
Ingredients:
- 50 g fresh coriander
- 100g s alted roasted peanuts
- 50 g grated manchego or pecorino cheese
- 7 tbsp peanut or sunflower oil
- 1 - 2 small chili peppers
- 1 - 2 cloves of garlic
Preparation:
Chop the cilantro into large pieces and process into a pesto together with the peanuts, cheese, garlic, chili and oil in a food processor.