Anyone going to or giving a party in the next while? These nuts got more than their share of attention at a Christmas party in December and I’ll roast another trayful for a family party later this month.
Story goes, the recipe has lofty provenance! My introduction came from Kim O’Donnel but it may have originated with my favorite famous food person of all time, the late Laurie Colwin who called them “The Nuts” or “The Rosemary Walnuts;” such a signature dish, they were served at her funeral. Later Nigella Lawson published the recipe; the famed Union Square Café in New York City serves them as Bar Nuts.
Now I’ve adopted these not-too-sweet and not-too-spicy nuts as my own. In time, my friends will learn to expect them and walking in the door will think, “Oh good, Alanna made Those Good Nuts.”
And now? They’re yours too.
Over Christmas, I cooked like crazy for an entire day for my annual cookie swap, this year a champagne and hors d'oeuvres affair for a few women friends. (Aside: Does anyone else get stuck on "Horse Devours" and have to look up the spelling each time?)
All that effort and what got all the attention?
The nuts. I kid you not. The simplest easiest roasted ten-minute nuts.
“What is IN these nuts?” was the question of the night, one fingerful following another. The rosemary was familiar and yet unexpected, warmed with just a touch of sweetness and a tiny smidge of heat.
Next time, nuts to them. I’d best make a double batch.
Nuts are perishable, especially after roasting: extend their shelf-life by storing in an airtight container in the refrigerator. By accident, I once omitted the oil or butter, not a good idea, it's what makes the sugar-spice mixture adhere to the nuts.
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Time to table: 20 – 30 minutes
Makes 1 pound nuts
- 1 pound (about 2-1/2 cups) mixed nuts – pecans, walnuts, cashews, almonds, filberts, hazelnuts, etc. (see TIPS)
- 2 tablespoons fresh rosemary leaves (no skimping)
- 2 teaspoons brown sugar
- 1/4 teaspoon or to taste cayenne pepper
- 2 teaspoons kosher salt (omit if nuts are pre-salted)
- 1 tablespoon olive oil (for vegan and longer storage) or melted butter
Preheat oven to 350F.
Spread nuts on a rimmed baking sheet. Toast until aromatic and dark, longer for unroasted nuts, shorter for pre-roasted nuts.
Meanwhile, in a small food processor, chop the fresh rosemary until it’s chopped fine, it will take several pulses (add the sugar if it helps to “grab” the rosemary). Once the rosemary is ground, combine with the remaining ingredients.
Toss with the warm nuts, give them a few good stirs to really distribute the rosemary, letting the oil or butter adhere it all to the nuts.
Fills a home with a welcoming aroma! Best served warm or “recently” warm.
MAKE-AHEAD PARTY NUTS Combine and chop everything except the nuts. Just before guests arrive, roast the nuts, then toss with the rosemary mixture.
WEIGHT WATCHERS Old Points 3/3.5, PointsPlus 4 Yes, nuts are a calorie-dense food, but I provide the comparison to see how 90% of the calories are coming from the nuts themselves. This Week, Years Past 2002 - 2011
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Today you said the magic words that prompted a response... Laurie Colwin. I have her books, refer to them regularly, and piles of magazine articles that I clipped over the years. I'm surprised more food writers don't invoke her name!
Recipes? Well, my new favorite dish is the Mediterranean Vegetables you posted a couple of weeks ago ... only I'm calling it Instant Ratatouille!
Love your blog. Thank you for doing it.
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Thank you for taking a moment to write! I read each and every comment, for each and every recipe. If you have a specific question, it's nearly always answered quick-quick. But I also love hearing your reactions, your curiosity, even your concerns! When you've made a recipe, I especially love to know how it turned out, what variations you made, what you'll do differently the next time. ~ Alanna