SMOKY ROASTED ALMONDS
200 ml unpeeled almonds
100 ml water
2 - 4 tsp hickory smoked salt mixture *)
a few drops of peanut oil
Spread the almonds on a baking sheet covered with parchment paper. Roast the almonds in oven at 150 °C for about 5 to 10 minutes, or until they start to give off a nutty scent and are slightly browned from inside. Cut one almond in half to check, whether they have browned sufficiently.
Meanwhile, bring the water to the boil in a wide skillet. As soon as it starts to boil, add the salt, stir, and add the almonds. Mix for a while and add the oil. Let the mixture boil briskly, stirring frequently, until the water has evaporated and the salt has stuck around the almonds.
Pour the almonds on a baking sheet to dry. If they feel very moist, you can further dry them in cool oven (about 50 - 100 °C) for a few minutes, or until they are thoroughly dry and crisp.
Serve the salted almonds as a snack with drinks, like cocktails, smoky malt whiskey, etc.
*) I use The Cape Herb & Spice Company's sweet and smoky hickory salt mixture "Holey Sm(o)ke", found in their "Elements of Spice" product category.
This mixture is fairly sweet, so I used the maximum amount of it (four teaspoons). If the product you are using tastes very salty, use less of it.
Recipe source: adapted from "Suolamantelit", Helsingin Sanomat/Ruoka & Juoma, 2004.