Few things remind me of the holidays as much as roasted nuts and hearty herbs like rosemary and sage. This simple snack pairs both of those elements together: First, you fry the herbs in olive oil until they're nice and crisp, then you toss the roasted almonds with the infused herb oil to coat them in flavor.
After seasoning it all with a good amount of salt, some cayenne pepper and crushed cumin seeds, you have a fragrant, crunchy, savory snack that you'll want to serve well beyond the holiday season.
To learn more, read "Before Midnight."
Roasted Almonds with Crispy Herbs
Recipe from the Tasting Table Test Kitchen
Yield: 4 cups
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 10 minutes
Total Time: 20 minutes
Ingredients
¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil
20 large sage leaves
4 sprigs rosemary, leaves removed and reserved
1 pound raw skin-on almonds
1 teaspoon whole cumin seeds, toasted and crushed
Kosher salt and cayenne, to taste
Directions
1. Preheat the oven to 400°. Pour the olive oil into a 2-quart saucepan over medium-high heat. When the oil is hot, fry the sage until crisp, 20 to 30 seconds. Remove using a slotted spoon and transfer to a paper towel-lined plate. Season the sage with salt; set aside. Repeat the steps with the rosemary leaves. Reserve the frying oil.
2. Place the almonds on a parchment-lined sheet tray and roast until the almonds are fragrant, about 10 minutes. Remove the almonds from the oven and immediately toss with 2 tablespoons of the reserved frying olive oil, then season with the cumin, salt and cayenne. Add the fried herbs to the nuts and toss together. Let everything cool before serving.
