Two new peanut butter cookbooks provide ample ideas

By J.M. Hirsch
Associated Press

If I didn’t really love peanut butter, I’d question whether we need two new cookbooks dedicated to the ingredient. Two cookbooks that have nearly identical covers, at that.

But it is peanut butter, after all. And while my own master recipe is no more complicated than eating it by the spoonful, I’m always open to consider new ways to work it into my cooking.

The slimmer of the volumes (though few of these recipes are anything close to slimming) is Lee Zalben’s “The Peanut Butter & Co. Cookbook,” (Quirk, $16.95), which is drawn from his so-named sandwich shop in New York.

The second is Bruce Weinstein and Mark Scarbrough’s latest entry in their “ultimate” cookbook series (thus far covering everything from potatoes to brownies), “The Ultimate Peanut Butter Book” (William Morrow, $16.95).

Both cover similar ground, a smattering of sandwiches, including the ever popular lunchbox PB&J, Elvis’ famed peanut butter, banana and bacon sandwich, and oodles of peanut butter-infused savory dishes and desserts.

Zalben’s book is deliciously illustrated with lush photography. I was particularly won over by the peanut butter and jelly French toast, though peanut butter granola was a close second.

But what really grabbed me was the grilled cheese with peanut butter.

“The idea of a grilled cheese and peanut butter sandwich may not seem very appealing at first,” Zalben writes. “But go to almost any vending machine in America and you’ll find little packets of orange, cheese-flavored sandwich crackers filled with peanut butter, and who doesn’t love those?”

Weinstein and Scarbrough take a somewhat more serious (and seriously good) approach.

With a healthy serving of irony, the authors open with two recipes for peanut butter sandwiches, one with strawberry jam and the other with marshmallow spread. But these recipes are not for the novice.

Everything from the bread to the jam to the peanut butter itself is made from scratch. It made me smile, but it’s also way more work than I’m willing to put in for a PB&J. Onward.

A chapter on breakfasts tempts with items such as peanut butter coffee cake ring, peanut butter granola, peanut butter-stuffed French toast (I’m starting to feel like a teacher correcting tests obviously copied off one another) and even peanut butter sticky buns.

Also intriguing is the peanut butter gingerbread. The authors explain that rather than muddle the crisp flavors of ginger and cinnamon, peanut butter actually heightens them in this bread.

But Weinstein and Scarbrough really shine with their savory offerings, such as angel hair pasta with a spicy Thai peanut sauce, cold peanut noodles, African ground nut soup and Senegalese peanut stew.

Then the authors get funky.

In the snacks chapter, they give us recipes for hummus with peanut butter and even a list of the “ultimate” snack foods on which to spread peanut butter — including on a finger (now we’re talking).

And while I’ve heard of adding peanut butter to smoothies (especially with chocolate), I’d never heard of peanut butter cocktails. The chocolate peanut butter raspberry freeze with brandy and raspberry liqueur spoke to me.

Don’t forget the cookies. And cakes. And peanut butter caramel corn. And cheesecake. And… OK, you get the idea.

Senegalese peanut stew
2 tablespoons peanut oil
2 medium onions, roughly chopped
1 large sweet potato (about 1 pound), peeled and cut into 1/2-inch cubes
2 carrots, thinly sliced
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 tablespoons minced peeled fresh ginger
3/4 teaspoon ground cloves
1/2 teaspoon salt (optional)
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper (or to taste)
4 cups vegetable broth (preferably no-salt)
1 cup creamy natural peanut butter

Heat a large saucepan over a medium flame. Pour in the oil, wait a second or two, then add the onions and cook, stirring frequently, until softened and golden, about 2 minutes.

Add the sweet potatoes, carrots and garlic. Cook, stirring, for 30 seconds.

Add the ginger, cloves, salt and cayenne. Cook for 10 seconds, then add the broth. Bring the mixture to a simmer, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the pan with a wooden spoon.

Stir in the peanut butter until smooth. Cover, reduce heat to low and simmer until the sweet potato is tender and the soup is quite thick. Stir often to prevent scorching. Cool for 5 minutes off the heat before serving.

Makes 8 servings. Recipe from Bruce Weinstein and Mark Scarbrough’s “The Ultimate Peanut Butter Book.”

Chocolate peanut butter raspberry freeze
1 cup ice
2/3 cup chocolate ice cream
1/4 cup (2 ounces) raspberry liqueur, such as Chambord
2 tablespoons (1 ounce) brandy
2 tablespoons chocolate syrup
2 tablespoons milk
1/4 cup creamy peanut butter

Place the ingredients in a blender in the order listed. Blend until smooth, making certain the ice is completely crushed. Pour into two glasses and serve immediately.

Makes 2 servings. Recipe from “The Ultimate Peanut Butter Book.”

Grilled cheese with peanut butter sandwich

1 tablespoon unsalted butter, softened
2 slices white bread
2 tablespoons peanut butter
3 slices of American cheese, preferably yellow or orange

Preheat a grill pan or griddle over a medium flame.

Spread the butter on one side of each slice of bread. Spread the peanut butter on the other side of one slice of bread. Set the cheese over the peanut butter, then top with the other slice of bread, butter side up.

Cook the sandwich for about 2 minutes on each side, or until golden brown. To serve, slice in half.

Makes 1 sandwich. (Recipe from Lee Zalben’s “The Peanut Butter & Co. Cookbook.”)

login to post comments