RECIPE: Spiced Spanish Almonds

Salty, sweet and laced with smoke—the perfect kind of almond for a party. If any remain the next day, savor them over a salad topped with sliced ripe pears and shaved Manchego cheese.

Contributed by: EatingWell.com

Ingredients

• 1/4 cup light brown sugar
• 2 teaspoons ground cumin
• 1 teaspoon hot paprika
• 1 teaspoon dried thyme
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 1 large egg white
• 1 tablespoon water
• 1 pound (about 3 cups) Marcona or raw whole almonds, (see Tip)

Preparation

1. Preheat oven to 275°F. Coat a large rimmed baking sheet with cooking spray.
2. Whisk brown sugar, cumin, paprika, thyme, salt and cayenne in a large bowl. Whisk egg white and water in a medium bowl until foamy. Add almonds and stir to coat; pour through a sieve to drain off excess egg white. Transfer the almonds to the bowl of spices; stir well to coat. Spread evenly on the prepared baking sheet.
3. Bake the almonds for 30 minutes. Stir, reduce the oven temperature to 200° and bake until the almonds are dry and golden, about 30 minutes more. Let cool before serving, about 20 minutes.

Tips & Notes

• Make Ahead Tip: Store in an airtight container for up to 1 week.

• Tip: Spanish Marcona almonds have recently become more popular and more available. They’re a little flatter than ordinary almonds, with a richer flavor. Always skinned, most Marcona almonds have already been sautéed in oil and lightly salted when you get them. For this recipe, select unsalted and oil-free nuts if you can, though either will work well. Find them in specialty stores or online at tienda.com.

Nutrition

Per serving: 245 calories; 19 g fat ( 1 g sat , 12 g mono ); 0 mg cholesterol; 12 g carbohydrates; 8 g protein; 5 g fiber; 99 mg sodium; 5 mg potassium.

Nutrition Bonus: Vitamin E (30% daily value).