Nut-in but the Best (Candied Cocktail Nuts)
This would not be the first post I have written on nuts. I’m nutty bout’ nuts. What shrimp was to Bubba in Forrest Gump is what nuts are to me. Roast them, toast them, caramelize them, boil em’-put em’ in salads, cookies, cakes, granola, gosh, just about anything.
There are “nibble nuts” (that sounds weird), which I love, found at bars, ballgames, and cocktail parties. Every Christmas I look forward to my cousin Bonnie’s jar of addictively delicious Candied Spiced Pecans. Another one of my favorites is Union Square Cafe Bar Nuts, a wonderful combination of spices and rosemary. Nibble Nuts make great gifts. I will package them in cellophane bags tied with a cute little ribbon or fill canning jars and slap a festive tag on, perfect. Nothing like a gift of nuts to say I’m nuts about you, lol.
Right after the midterm election, I went up to The City for another cookbook signing. Once again, Dorie Greenspan was going to be at Omnivore Books, this time talking about her latest book, Everyday with Dorie (in the 3jamigos shop). Did I mention she is one of my favorites? The last time I saw her was right after the 2016 elections (if there was ever a time I needed a distraction-oy), she was making the rounds for her Cookie book. Her cookbooks are reliable, accessible, and written in an easy, warm style.
So, of course, I hopped in my car, drove up to the City with Sammy in tow, and patiently waited for her to show up. I was early, which if you know me, you are slapping your forehead right now in disbelief. Hey, it was Dorie, what can I say?
Dorie’s husband Micheal was there and I love talking to him as much as Dorie. We talked about their son “The kid” and his beautiful, fairytale wedding in Paris this past year. I mean, when Pierre Herme creates your wedding cake, it’s going to be epic (link to wedding cake on Instagram). Must be nice, sigh.
Ah, but I digress, I flipped through Dorie’s new book, which includes a smattering of everything, not just desserts. “Stuff” she likes to make and eat, and whaddya know, in the very first section, there is a recipe for Candied Cocktail Nuts. A girl can never have too many recipes for nuts. Nope, never, and this one looked super-user friendly.
The recipe starts with 1/2 pound of mixed whole nuts, I doubled it right off the bat. President Obama has the willpower to eat only 7 almonds a day? That’s fake news, come on. I buy unsalted roasted nuts at Costco. It’s a good deal and perfect for this and the Spiced Nut recipe.
Her original recipe calls for thyme, but I could easily see using rosemary or another herb. Next time I might add a bit of smoked paprika. Yums.
So keep Dorie’s Candied Cocktail Nuts in mind for those stocking stuffers, hostess gifts, or when you are sitting at your desk or kitchen counter working, these nuts are the perfect companion.
Candied Cocktail Nuts
Ingredients
- 1/2 pound Mixed Nuts-pecans, cashews, almonds 1.5 cups approximately, unsalted
- 2-3 sprigs fresh thyme or rosemary
- 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
- 1 tablespoon maple syrup
- 1 teaspoon brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon fleur de sel or sub 1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
- 3/4 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon cayenne
Instructions
- Adapted from Everyday with Dorie
- Place rack in the middle of the oven and preheat to 350 degrees.
- Spread nuts on a sheet lined with parchment or a silicone mat. Scatter thyme over nuts and roast for 5 minutes.
- While nuts are roasting, place remaining ingredients in a medium saucepan and cook over medium heat stirring, until butter has melted and the mixture is smooth.
- Add warm nuts to pan and continue to cook and stir for 2-3 minutes until well coated by the sauce.
- Return nuts to baking pan, making sure to spread the nuts out. No clumps, please.
- Bake for 10 minutes, stirring the nuts midway through. If they seem a little too light, continue to bake for another couple of minutes.
- Take pan out and let the nuts cool completely. Sprinkle with additional Fleur de Sel.
Notes