from The Vibrant Caribbean Pot
This book would not be complete if I didn’t share one of my dad’s favourite snacks. Roasted with a wonderful glaze to give you that crunchy texture and spiced up with some lovely Caribbean elements, this mosaic of nuts is simply outstanding. I must warn you though that you, or anyone who samples it, won’t be able to stop at just a handful. So, if you serve it at your next party, be prepared for the bowl to disappear in front of your eyes as your guests zero in. This snack is very similar to beer or honey roasted peanuts but has more flare!
You’ll Need
Glaze
2 tablespoons butter
1/2 cup sugar
1/4 cup water
1 cup unsalted peanuts
1 cup raw pecan halves
1 cup unsalted, dry roasted almonds
1 cup unsalted, dry roasted cashews
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/4 teaspoon cumin
1/4 teaspoon scotch bonnet pepper, very finely chopped
1/4 teaspoon curry powder
Directions:
Glaze
In a saucepan, place the butter, sugar and water. On medium heat, bring to a boil then lower to a simmer, whisk and cook for 1 minute.
Empty the nuts into a large metal bowl and toss in the dry other ingredients, mixing well. Pour in the glaze and toss well again. The idea is to coat each nut with the glaze and spices.
Prepare to use your oven’s middle rack then preheat the oven to 350 F. Line a cookie sheet with tin foil and spray with cooking spray or brush on some vegetable oil. Pour the now coated nuts onto the lined sheet and spread evenly in one layer.
Place in the oven for 10 minutes then remove and toss well. There will be melted glaze on the lined cookie sheet so you want to pick it up as you move the nuts around. It will take a couple minutes and you will notice that the nuts may start to clump together and form a coating at the same time.
Place back in the oven for an additional 6 minutes. Allow to cool then transfer to a serving bowl and enjoy. Your kitchen will have the lovely scent of freshly roasted nuts, and the spices you used will only enhance this captivating aroma. Store in an airtight container.
Heat Control: The scotch bonnet pepper will give this snack a subtle kick. Don’t include any of the seeds from the pepper, as the heat will be very intense. If you’re still overly concerned, you can tame things with a touch of paprika and cayenne instead.
Safety First: When chopping the scotch bonnet pepper, wear gloves or coat your hands with a bit of oil.
Nada’s Tips & Tricks: OMG – these are SO addictive…much better than any commercial-bought flavoured nuts. Buy 4 cups unsalted mixed nuts in the bulk section of the grocery store: cheaper! We went the paprika & cayenne instead of scotch bonnet route and it worked well. Taste the final mix before putting it in the oven – not hot enough? Add some heat. Too hot? Add some sugar – but be careful as this will burn if you use too much. Pack them into the kids’ lunches or add them to your Thanksgiving or party charcuterie boards – so versatile and amazingly good!
Content and images used with permission by Chris De La Rosa, Vibrant Caribbean Pot https://chrisdelarosa.com/
