Rosemary Almonds

I love almonds.  They’re one of my favorite nuts, next to cashews, pistachios and hazelnuts.  I love almonds, not only for their flavor and crunchy texture, but also because they’re a great source of protein.  I read somewhere that eating 5-10 almonds a day gives you all the protein you need for that day.  Great news for me… because I rather eat almonds than beans any day of the week.

I wanted to treat the mothers in my life with something I made… instead of something bought.  I read this recipe in the Barefoot in Paris Cookbook where Ina uses cashews to re-create these bar nuts she ate at Union Square Café in New York.   I decided to go with almonds instead of cashews because I needed to make a large batch and almonds tend to be less expensive than cashews. 

I loved the results…  and as Ina says in her book, these taste best when they’re still warm.

 

ROSEMARY ALMONDS

3 cups peeled raw almonds

2 tbs minced fresh rosemary

½ teaspoon freshly cracked black pepper

2 tsp brown sugar

1 tbs kosher salt

1 tbs unsalted butter, melted

 

1. Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees.  Spread thee almonds on a baking sheet and toast for about 10-15 minutes, particularly if you soaked the almonds to peel them.  If you prefer to keep the almonds with their skin, toast them for a shorter time to avoid burning them.
2. While the almonds are in the oven, combine the rosemary, salt, pepper, sugar, and butter in a large bowl.
3. Add the toasted almonds to the large bowl with the salt/sugar/rosemary mixture.  Toss well to combine.
4. Serve warm if possible.

 

These are great as a snack, as a hostess gift… you name it.  They’re super delicious.