Spiced Almonds For The Tapas Bar Food

SPICED ALMONDS

Steps:

• Toast the almonds in a dry skillet over a medium heat, stirring frequently, until fragrant, about 3 minutes. Transfer the almonds to a bowl.
• In a small bowl, stir together the cumin, garlic, cayenne pepper and salt. Heat the oil in the skillet over medium heat. Stir the spices into the oil and cook, stirring until warm, about 30 seconds. Add the almonds and cook, stirring frequently, until the nuts are warm and the spices are evenly distributed. Add the hot pepper sauce and stir to distribute. Remove the almonds from the pan and allow them to cool before serving.

SPANISH SPICED ALMONDS (ALMENDRAS FRITAS)

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 400°F.
• Spread the almonds on a baking sheet and toast in the oven for 8 - 10 minutes until aromatic and slightly darker in colour.
• Meanwhile, combine the smoked paprika and sea salt in a small dish.
• Remove almonds from the oven and place in a medium bowl.
• Toss with olive oil and sprinkle with the paprika - salt mixture. Serve warm.

ALMOND SPICE BARS

Steps:

• Line an 8-inch square baking dish with parchment paper, leaving a 2-inch overhang; coat with cooking spray. Bring the honey and granulated sugar to a simmer in a small saucepan over medium heat, stirring to dissolve. Remove from the heat and transfer to a large bowl. Stir in the cinnamon, cloves and nutmeg; let cool slightly, 10 minutes.
• Whisk the flour, baking powder and salt in a medium bowl. Quickly stir the beaten egg into the honey-sugar mixture with a rubber spatula, then add the almonds, orange peel, vanilla, lemon zest and 1 tablespoon liqueur. Stir in the flour mixture until combined (the dough will be stiff and dry). Scrape into the prepared pan. Lightly coat a piece of plastic wrap with cooking spray and use to press the dough into an even layer. Set aside 1 hour.
• Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Bake the bars until golden brown and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out with only a few crumbs, 25 to 30 minutes.
• Make the glaze: Whisk the confectioners' sugar, orange juice and remaining 1 tablespoon
• liqueur in a bowl until smooth. Brush the warm bars with some of the glaze; cover the remaining glaze and set aside. Let the bars cool 10 minutes in the pan, then remove to a cutting board. Cut into 1-by-2 1/2-inch bars and let cool completely on a rack.
• Drizzle the bars with the remaining glaze; top with candied orange peel.

SPICED SPANISH ALMONDS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 275°F Coat a large rimmed baking sheet with cooking spray.
• Whisk brown sugar, cumin, paprika, thyme, salt and cayenne in a large bowl.
• Whisk egg white and water in a medium bowl until foamy.
• Add almonds to egg mixture and stir to coat; pour through a sieve to drain off excess egg white.
• Transfer the almonds to the bowl of spices; stir well to coat.
• Spread evenly on the prepared baking sheet.
• Bake the almonds for 30 minutes.
• Stir, reduce the oven temperature to 200F and bake until almonds are dry and golden, about 30 minutes more.
• Let cool before serving, 15 to 20 minutes.
• Store in an airtight container for up to 1 week.
• NOTE: Spanish Marcona almonds have recently become more popular and more available. They're a little flatter than ordinary almonds, with a richer flavor. Always skinned, most Marcona almonds have already been sauteed in oil and lightly salted when you get them. For this recipe, select unsalted and oil-free nuts if you can, though either will work well. You can find them in specialty stores.

GARLIC TOMATOES - FOR THE TAPAS BAR

Steps:

• preheat oven to 425.
• Place tomatoes cut side up on a large pan in a single layer.
• Place sprigs of thyme and the cloves of garlic in between the tomatoes.
• Pour oil over the tomatoes.
• Bake for 45 minutes. Tomatoes will char slightly.
• discard thyme.
• Season with salt and pepper.
• Squeeze meat from cloves over tomatoes before eating them warm.
• Garnish with fresh thyme.

SPANISH SPICED ALMONDS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 300*F.
• Warm the oil in a small saucepan over low heat. Add paprika dn cumin, and stir 1 minute to mix and release flavors. Remove from heat when mixutre just begins to bubble. Move to a medium bowl, and stir in the almonds.
• Transfer almonds to parchment lined baking sheet, and bake 10 minutes.
• Sprinkle right away with salt, and move to wire rack. Let dry at least 2 hours before serving. Enjoy!

SPICED ALMONDS

Steps:

• Beat egg white in small bowl until frothy.
• Add sugar, garlic salt,pepper sauce, ground cumin, chili powder, and almonds.
• Stir to coat almonds evenly and place almonds in single layer in greased, shallow baking pan.
• Bake in 275F oven 40 minutes, stirring every 10 minutes.
• Remove from oven and set aside to cool.
• Store in airtight container up to 3 weeks.