Many Chefs know that the South is the home of peanuts. Afterall, Georgia alone produces over half of the peanuts in the US. (Peanuts are the State’s #1 cash crop.) But even chefs are surprised to learn that peanuts are one of the most sustainable, plant-based proteins in the US. This is important, because sustainability is one one of the hottest food topics today.
Chef Steven Satterfield is nationally-recognized voice on issues related to food sustainability, The James Beard “Best Chef Southeast” Winner and Executive Chef / co-owner of Miller Union in Atlanta, GA feels a natural connection to peanuts, being born and raised in Georgia. In this series of videos, he discusses how the peanut plant is one of the most sustainable sources of plant-based protein available. And while he’s at it, he also demonstrates three of his favorite peanut-related recipes. These are all from his book Peanuts, published in 2017. You’ll find a link to each video – along with the recipes that correspond to each – below.
As he demonstrates his recipe for his popular peanut & field pea salad, Chef Steven discusses how peanuts actually conserve water, using just a fraction of what other plants, especially other nuts, require.
Next up is Chef Steven’s crispy chicken thighs with spicy peanut sauce. While he’s showing us the how-to, he discusses how peanuts improve the quality of the soil, while minimizing the need for excess tilling and fertilizers.
For his last dish, Chef Steven demonstrates his snapper in peanut-tomato broth with coconut rice. In the process, he explains how peanuts are nature’s original zero waste crop, utilizing 100% of the plant for multiple applications that go well beyond food!
Steven Satterfield, executive chef/co-owner Miller Union
Steven Satterfield is the executive chef and co-owner of Miller Union, an award-winning, restaurant located in Atlanta. Since opening in 2009, the restaurant has received various honors on many national lists including Eater, Bon Appetit, Food & Wine and Esquire. In 2017, Satterfield released his second cookbook, the short stack edition titled Peanuts. Later that year he was named “Best Chef: Southeast” by the James Beard Foundation. Satterfield’s dedication to seasonal cooking and local, sustainable farming is the driving philosophy behind everything he does.
