HUNGRY GERALD

Most people think that peanut butter’s only function is as a companion to jelly in a kiddy sandwich. They are wrong. Peanut butter is one of the great cooking ingredients. It is used in many flavorful African soups and stews (Jambo Cafe , Santa Fe’s very good Afro-Caribbean restaurant, serves a coconut, peanut, chicken stew that is an HG favorite). It is the essential ingredient in many Indonesian and Malaysian dips and salads, often accompanying Satays (skewers of seasoned and grilled meat or chicken). When HG is confronted with left over roast chicken, as HG was last night, HG shreds the meat for a peanut buttery take on the Szechuan favorite, Dan Dan Noodles. HG learned to make it when HG/BSK (then West Side of New York residents) attended the cooking class of Karen Lee. To Karen’s delightful peanut sauce recipe HG added some finely chopped Szechuan preserved vegetables. Laid the shredded chicken on top of a platter of room temperature Chinese rice noodles. Mixed it all with the peanut butter sauce. Topped with sliced scallion and watercress leaves. Sriracha on table for added heat. Gorgeous Granddaughter Sofia (very hungry) returned to New Mexico from Christmas in Rhode Island. Joined HG/BSK in devouring the chicken and noodle dish. Not a smidgen left. Tonight, BSK will season and grill some thin pork cutlets. Serve them with some left over peanut butter sauce (for dipping) and a crisp green salad. Peanut butter rules.

Yes, HG has never outgrown the pleasure of peanut butter and jelly. However, HG has found other splendid uses for peanut butter. One is a Chinese concoction that’s great as a sauce for linguine or spaghettini, chicken or a combo of chicken and pasta. It’s the sauce for the popular hot and spicy dish–Dan Dan Noodles. HG is not going to give you exact proportions for the sauce. Figure it out. Make it your own. Here are the ingredients: smooth organic peanut butter, sesame oil, peanut oil, soy sauce, rice vinegar, chopped Szechuan preserved vegetables, finely chopped garlic, hot sauce (Sriracha, Thai, Indonesian or other); chopped scallions. Try it with the pasta alone (room temperature or slightly chilled). Poach some chicken, get rid of the skin and bones, shred and mix with the pasta. Or, have the sauced chicken alone with scallions and romaine lettuce (which you can use as a wrap). Also nice as a topping for a crisp, room temperature sauteed skinless chicken breast paillard. Warning: This peanut butter sauce is addictive.

The De Gustibus Report in The New York Times noted the growing popularity of the peanut butter and pickle sandwich. Many claim that this unlikely combination is superior to the traditional peanut butter and jelly sandwich, the staple of children’s lunchboxes. This is old hat for BSK. She grew up in Ohio munching on peanut butter, pickle, lettuce and mayo sandwiches. Now a purist, BSK insists upon Bubbie’s Bread and Butter Pickles as an ingredient in this sandwich. BSK manages to get down a lot of peanut butter. Spreads it on slices of apple and dips carrot spears in a jar of peanut butter. However, BSK does not indulge in an Elvis Presley favorite sandwich: bacon, sliced bananas and peanut butter. HG is not a big peanut butter fan. But, there is an exception. HG likes to mix peanut butter with dark soy sauce, vinegar, sesame oil, Szechuan preserved vegetables, pungent Chinese chile-garlic paste. Pours this over shredded cold chicken or room temperature linguine. Showers it with sliced and shredded scallions plus some crushed Szechuan peppercorns. Great summer dinner.