Thursday 20 December 2012

Going Nuts at Christmas

At fig1.co.uk we're looking forward to the Christmas Eve shut down. The team here has been working extra hard to dispatch the last few of the Christmas orders and serve all the shop customers, and after we shut on Christmas Eve we'll be celebrating with a few drinks and bite to eat at my house. I've been putting together this recipe for rosemary and honey nuts as part of the celebrations. It is a variation of a recipe my mum made us all for Christmas last year. They make a good small gift for people too and I am going to jar some of them up for friends. With a cool gift tag and ribbon they make an alternative to the classic Christmas card.

Sticky Rosemary and Honey Nuts

200g almonds
200g walnuts
200g hazelnuts
2 tsp whole fennel
1 tbsp whole cumin
200g pumpkin seeds
4 tbsp runny honey
2 tbsp olive olil
4 tsp rosemary, finely chopped
1/2 tsp clove powder
1 tsp allspice
1 tsp smoked paprika
Sea salt and black pepper

Preheat oven to 190C
  • Line a baking tray with foil or baking parchment. Roast the almonds, walnuts and hazelnuts for 5-8 minutes on the tray. The tray should be large enough for the nuts to be spread out in a thin layer so they toast evenly. They should turn a pale golden colour
  • Lower the oven to 140C
  • Toast the fennel and cumin seeds in a dry frying pan over a medium heat, tossing occasionally, until they start to brown. Be careful not to burn them as they go bitter. Roughly grind them in a pestle and mortar.
  • Put the pan back on the heat. Toast the pumpkin seeds for a few minutes until they too start to brown and pop. 
  • Making sure the heat isn't too high, add all the ingredients to the pan including the toasted nuts. Stir them really well to make sure the nuts and seeds are coated. The honey should start to caramelise. Season with sea salt, tasting until they are of your liking. Personally I like a salty-sweet combination  but if you are trying to be healthy or are serving them to children hold back a little.
  • Put the mix back on the lined baking sheet and pop them back in the oven for a further 5 minutes. The mix should start to dry and set, but be careful not to overcook them.
  • Remove from the oven and cool. Store them in air tight containers. 
Picture above: presented as a gift in this lidded French jar by Bloomingville