Spiced Almonds
( or mixed nuts)
(Recipe from Gillian Duffy's cookbook , Hors d'Oeuvres)
2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp ground cumin
2 tsp ground ginger
1 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
1/4 C sesame seeds
3/4 C sugar
2 Tbls vegetable oil
3 C whole blanched almonds (or mixed nuts)
Mix the salt, cumin, ginger, red pepper flakes, and
sesame seeds together with 1/4 cup sugar in a large bowl.
Heat the oil in a heavy-bottomed sauté pan over medium
heat. Add the nuts and stir continuously until they start to smell fragrant,
taking care not to burn them, about 2 minutes. Sprinkle in 1/2 cup sugar and
shake the pan occasionally to keep the nuts from burning. Stir only when the
sugar starts to melt and caramelize. Remove the sauté pan from the heat when the
nuts are a dark golden brown and smoking slightly.
Add the nuts to the spice mixture and toss them quickly
to coat well. Spread them out on a nonstick baking sheet. Using two forks,
separate the nuts from one another while still hot. When cool enough to handle,
finish separating them by hand. This must be done quickly; once the nuts become
cool and the caramel sets, they are difficult to separate.
When they are cool, store in an airtight container. They
will keep for 2 to 3 weeks.
Makes 20 Servings.