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Warm Bar Nuts

Source of Recipe

From "The Home Cook" by Alex Guarnaschelli


Recipe Introduction

"I know it's hard to believe I had close neighbors when I was growing up in bustling and impersonal midtown Manhattan, but I did. My neighbor Francine Pascal, author of the famous Sweet Valley High book series, had an amazing apartment and put out the kinds of snacks I wished we would eat at home. She always had a bowl of nuts, some shelled and some not: crunchy Brazil nuts coated with salt, and hazelnuts and walnuts in the shell. I loved the textures, the taste of the nuts and their skins. This is my adult interpretation of that childhood memory: a mix of nuts tossed together with a fruity and herby note. Warming nuts with herbs, red pepper flakes, and crunch sea salt makes them even better. Simple yet special."

List of Ingredients

â—¦ 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
â—¦ Leaves from 12 sprigs fresh thyme
â—¦ 1 cup peanuts with the skin on
â—¦ 1 cup whole almonds with the skin on
â—¦ 1 cup pecan halves
â—¦ 1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
â—¦ 4 light grates of lemon zest
â—¦ 1 tablespoon Maldon sea salt


Recipe

Preheat the oven to 375° F.

Heat a large sauté pan over medium heat. Add the olive oil. When the oil begins to smoke lightly, remove the pan from the heat and add the thyme. The leaves will sizzle and fry a little. Immediately stir in the peanuts, almonds, pecans, and red pepper flakes. Mix to coat with the oil. Spread the nuts on a baking sheet and bake until browned, 5 to 8 minutes.

Transfer the mixture to a bowl, stir in the lemon zest and salt, and serve immediately—or let cool and then rewarm in a low oven.

Makes about 3 cups