Salsa de cacahuate is one of many recipes Chef Pyet DeSpain taps to tell the story of her Native American and Mexican American heritage through food, and sharing this with her clients and broader audiences through platforms like Gordon Ramsay’s “Next Level Chef,” where she was the show’s first winner. Paying homage to ancestral ingredients is at the root of her culinary approach. In her hands, peanuts play a vital role in the storytelling of authentic culture and flavors.

At the National Peanut Board’s recent Next Gen Food Summit, DeSpain showcased salsa de cacahuate as the highlight of her Tortilla & Peanut-Crusted Salmon dish. Toasted peanuts make up the base of the salsa de cacahuate that crowns the salmon. Roasted ancho chiles, garlic and onion round it out. While the salsa can be blended, DeSpain prefers the molcajete for authentic flavor and texture. The resulting salsa delivers a depth of flavor that can elevate any dish, while demonstrating peanuts’ power as a high-impact flavor-maker capable of transforming a wide range of menu items.

Peanuts have such a beautiful, robust flavor. I really love to keep them in their true form. But when I’m wanting to use peanuts in a sauce, they marry really well with spice and acidity.

—CHEF PYET DESPAIN

In particular, the combination of peanuts and chiles represents tremendous opportunity for menu developers. Just look at the growth of salsa macha on menus—up 339% in the past four years, according to Datassential. And the functional aspect of peanuts in these recipes is not to be overlooked: The good fats in peanuts help neutralize chiles’ heat, broadening the palate and potential for peanut-based chile sauces and condiments.

Click here for more ways to incorporate peanuts into modern menu trends, courtesy of the National Peanut Board’s annual Next Gen Food Summit.