Marcona Almonds! A gift for yourself and some for your friends. What could be better than that? Any time you make a treat in a big batch, there’s always enough for your family and to share or give as a gift to others. And with the holidays right around the corner, these Marcona almonds are a perfect hostess gift or a great little nibbly bit to give with a bottle of port, wine or a favor beer selection. Giving is so much fun!
The spiced almonds you keep for yourself can be used as a simple appetizer served along with a bowl of mixed olives so your guest don’t fill up on snacks before dinner. (think Thanksgiving) Another thing I like to do with seasoned nuts is toss them in a salad for a spicy crunch. They add that special touch you don’t usually get in your every day salads.
Spain is the only source of Marcona almonds in the world. Spaniards covet them for their crunchy, smooth and juicy texture and their buttery, sweet delicate taste. Marcona almonds are shorter, rounder and a little plumper than California almonds. In recent years the rest of the world has caught on to what a special almond this is. They are available in a very limited supply for the rest of the world and that is one of the reasons they tend to be rather pricey! If you have never tried Marcona almonds, then you must treat yourself and friends very soon to these tasty little morsels!
What makes Marconas even more precious is the trees are early bloomers, making them especially vulnerable to late spring frosts. The small groves are found along the Mediterranean coasts of Spain, from the southern coast of Málaga, up the Mediterranean coast to Tarragona. Unlike California almonds, with their light brown porous shells, Marcona almonds have a protective hard shell that resists insects. Because of this they may be grown naturally with no need for herbicides.
If, by chance, you have any leftover spiced almonds, pop them in a freezer bag and save them for your next party. I freeze all my nuts, before or after I give them a special treatment. They will last so much longer if you freeze them. Ever had a bag of peanuts at the ball park and you get that random nasty one you just want to spit out? That’s a rancid nut! Nothing is worse than the taste of a rancid nut in your mouth!
Spiced Spanish Almonds
Preheat oven to 275°F. Coat a large rimmed baking sheet with cooking spray. Mise en Place your goodies!
Whisk brown sugar, cumin, paprika, thyme, salt and cayenne together in a medium bowl.
Whisk the egg white and water in a small bowl until foamy. Don’t over whip them or you will be on your way to meringue!
Add the almonds to the egg white and stir to coat.
Drain the almonds through a sieve to remove any excess egg white. Don’t skip this step or you will have some scrambled like eggs in your nuts. Kind of gross!
Transfer the almonds to the sugar and spices bowl and stir well to coat.
Spread the almonds in an even layer on the prepared baking sheet. The almonds need room to dry and brown so try to get as many as you can from laying on top of each other.
Bake the almonds for 30 minutes. Toss to stir, reduce the oven temperature to 200° and bake until the almonds are dry and golden; about 30-40 minutes more. Let the spiced almonds cool before serving.
Make Ahead Tip: Store in an airtight container up to 1 week. These are great gifts for the holidays too! Salty and sweet, laced with some smoky heat—these almonds are perfect for a party or hostess gift. I like to toss them on a salad of mixed greens, sliced pears and Goat Cheese or shaved Manchego cheese with a light vinaigrette.
Mixed Green Salad:
Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. Place the Spanish Serrano ham or Italian prosciutto in a single layer on a sheet pan and roast for 7 to 10 minutes, until crisp. It will crisp up more after it’s removed from the oven, so don’t over cook it.
Crumble the prosciutto in the foil, pour into a small dish and set aside. A quick way to crumble the prosciutto , keep your hands clean and then toss the foil.
Make the salad as big or small as you would like! Slice the pears thinly and set aside.
To assemble the salad, put the mixed greens in a bowl and drizzle a small amount of dressing around the edge of the bowl, not directly on the greens. Toss to coat. Lightly dress the leaves with dressing. No drowning of the leaves or all of the wonderful flavor of the greens will be lost in the dressing.
Add a handful of almonds and the goat cheese to the greens. Toss again.
Place the greens on individual salad plates or all the greens on one large platter. Arrange the pear slices on top of the greens and sprinkle with crumbled prosciutto.
This is a high end restaurant quality salad you’ll be proud to serve to company, yet easy enough for a family meal. Nuts to Salad…..The gift that keeps on giving!
- 1/4 cup dark brown sugar
- 2 teaspoons ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/4 heaping teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 1 large egg white
- 1 tablespoon water
- 1 pound (about 3 cups) Marcona or raw whole almonds
- Preheat oven to 275°F. Coat a large rimmed baking sheet with cooking spray.
- Whisk brown sugar, cumin, paprika, thyme, salt and cayenne together in a medium bowl.
- Whisk the egg white and water in a small bowl until foamy. Add the almonds to the egg white and stir to coat. Drain the almonds through a sieve to remove any excess egg white.
- Transfer the almonds to the sugar and spices bowl and stir well to coat.
- Spread the almonds in an even layer on the prepared baking sheet.
- Bake the almonds for 30 minutes. Toss to stir, reduce the oven temperature to 200° and bake until the almonds are dry and golden; about 30-40 minutes more.
- Let the spiced almonds cool before serving.
- Make Ahead Tip: Store in an airtight container up to 1 week. These are great gifts for the holidays too! Salty and sweet, laced with some smoky heat—these almonds are perfect for a party or hostess gift. I like to toss them on a salad of mixed greens, sliced ripe pears and Goat Cheese or shaved Manchego cheese with a light vinaigrette.
- 1/4 cup red wine vinegar
- 2 tablespoon chopped shallots
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 1/2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
- 1/4 teaspoon pepper
- 1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 Bartlett, Bosc or d'anjou pear, thinly sliced
- Mixed greens
- Spiced Spanish Almonds
- Goat Cheese
- 4-6 thin slices Spanish Serrano ham or Italian prosciutto, crumbled
- Vinaigrette:Combine vinegar, shallots, salt, Dijon mustard, and pepper in a jar. Add olive oil and shake vigorously until incorporated. I love to use mason jars or any old leftover jar for salad dressings. Make it and store it in the same container!
- Salad:Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. Place the Spanish Serrano ham or Italian prosciutto in a single layer on a sheet pan and roast for 7 to 10 minutes, until crisp. It will crisp up more after it's removed from the oven, so don't over cook it.
- Make the salad as big or small as you would like!
- To assemble the salad, put the mixed greens in a bowl and drizzle a small amount of dressing around the edge of the bowl, not directly on the greens. Toss to coat. Lightly dress the leaves with dressing. No drowning of the leaves or all of the wonderful flavor of the greens will be lost in the dressing.
- Add a handful of almonds and the goat cheese to the greens. Toss again.
- Place the greens on individual salad plates or all the greens on one large platter. Arrange the pear slices on top of the greens and sprinkle with crumbled prosciutto.
- Make the salad as big or small as you would like!
