Cajun Spiced Nuts Recipe

Cajun Spiced Nuts Recipe

Ingredients

Makes 6 To 8 Servings

• 2 tablespoons canola, soy, or peanut oil
• 1 tablespoon butter
• 2 tablespoons ground cumin
• 1 tablespoon powdered ginger
• 1 tablespoon chili powder
• 1 teaspoon dried thyme
• 1 pound (about 4 cups) unsalted walnuts, pecans, cashews, or peanuts
• ½ teaspoon salt (possibly more)
• 1/3 cup (packed) brown sugar (light or dark)
• ¼ cup cider vinegar

Method

1. Place a large (10-to 12-inch) heavy skillet over medium-low heat and add the olive oil
2. Let it heat for about 30 seconds, then add the butter and swirl until it melts
3. Sprinkle in the cumin, ginger, chili powder, and thyme, and slowly stir the spices into the buttery oil with a wooden spatula or a wooden spoon
4. Keep the heat steady while you stir for about 2 minutes, or until the spices are fragrant
5. Add the nuts, spreading them out in the pan
6. Sprinkle in the salt, and continue cooking and slowly stirring for about 2 minutes
7. Sprinkle in the brown sugar, and continue to cook and stir for another 2 to 3 minutes, or until the sugar begins to melt and is just starting to adhere to the surface of the pan
8. Scrape as you go, and if necessary use a table knife to scrape off the soft sugar coating that will likely have adhered to your wooden stirrer
9. Pour the vinegar into the pan
10. It will sizzle dramatically
11. Don’t inhale near the pan at this moment
12. Keep stirring for another 30 seconds, and you will see that the vinegar is deglazing the pan, loosening up all the tasty stuff that has stuck to its surface
13. Turn off the heat, and wait about 5 minutes for the nuts to absorb the vinegar
14. Transfer the nuts to a bowl and let cool until they are at a comfortable tasting temperature
15. Taste to see if you think they need more salt, and adjust accordingly
16. Serve right away, or allow to cool and then transfer to a resealable plastic bag for storage

Full List of Cajun Recipes
Full List of Chili Recipes