blue artichoke

You tell me your nuts is mighty fine,
But I bet your nuts isn't hot as mine.
Sellin' nuts, hot nuts, you buy 'em from the peanut man.
That, of course, is from the song Hot Nuts, by Doug Clark and the Hot Nuts.

Finally, the much-anticipated (by the Kosher Gentile) recipe for the Hot Nuts (or Chile-Roasted Almonds):

Chile-Roasted Almonds
Rich and crunchy, these almonds are prepared like Spain's Marcona variety: cooked in oil and generously salted.

· 3 tablespoons peanut oil or canola oil
· 1 1/2 teaspoons dried crushed red pepper
· 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
· 1 pound whole natural almonds with skin (about 3 cups)
· Coarse kosher salt

Heat oil in heavy large skillet over medium heat. Add crushed red pepper and black pepper and stir to distribute evenly in skillet. Add almonds and stir to coat with oil-pepper mixture. Cook until almonds begin to darken slightly and mixture is fragrant, stirring frequently, about 8 minutes. Transfer mixture to rimmed baking sheet; sprinkle generously with coarse salt. Cool completely.

DO AHEAD: Chile-roasted nuts can be made 2 days ahead. Store in airtight container at room temperature.

Makes about 3 cups.

Recipe from Bon Appetit, December 2008

And, just because I'm feeling nutty (oh, stop!), here's a recipe for my favorite homemade nuts:

Rosemary Almonds

It’s easy enough to pop open a can of nuts when entertaining, but those canned nuts often taste stale, as if they’ve sat on the shelf too long. Freshly toasted nuts have a much better, fresher flavor. But nuts can be delicate and will burn easily if improperly cooked. How do you toast almonds?

· Toast raw, skin-on almonds in a skillet with a little oil or butter, salt, and pepper. Stir frequently to ensure even toasting and prevent spotty burning.
· Keep the heat gentle to prevent the nuts from burning. Medium-low should suffice.
· Toast dried rosemary along with the nuts. The oil or butter provides a tacky surface onto which the herb can cling.

1 tablespoon olive oil or unsalted butter (I use oil)
2 cups skin-on raw almonds
1 teaspoon table salt
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/2 teaspoon dried rosemary (I grind the rosemary in a coffee/spice grinder because I don't like biting into dried rosemary needles)

Heat olive oil or unsalted butter in a 12-inch nonstick skillet. Add almonds, salt, pepper, and rosemary. Toast the almonds over medium-low heat, stirring often, until they are fragrant and the color deepens slightly, about 8 minutes. Transfer to a plate lined with paper towels and allow to cool before serving. The almonds can be stored at room temperature, wrapped tightly in plastic wrap, for up to 1 week.

Makes about 2 cups

Recipe from Cook’s Country, 2/2005.