Warm Marcona Almonds with Rosemary and Flaky Salt

By Sprig Originals ✓ · cooked up in Sprig

The tapas-bar snack that takes five minutes and three ingredients. Marcona almonds — plumper, sweeter and softer than California almonds — get warmed in good olive oil with a rosemary sprig until the oil turns fragrant, then finished with flaky salt and a whisper of orange zest. Serve them in a small bowl while still warm, with sherry or a cold beer.

Ingredients

• 2 cup raw Marcona almonds (blanched, unsalted if you can find them)
• 3 tbsp good Spanish extra-virgin olive oil
• 2 sprig fresh rosemary, plus 1 tsp finely chopped leaves
• 1 clove garlic, peeled and smashed (optional)

• 1 tsp flaky sea salt, such as Maldon
• 1/4 tsp smoked paprika (pimentón dulce)
• 1/2 tsp finely grated orange zest
• pinch of sugar (optional, if your almonds are on the plain side)

Instructions

1. Line a plate or small sheet pan with paper towels and set it next to the stove. Crush the flaky salt lightly between your fingers into a small bowl and stir in the smoked paprika, orange zest and the optional pinch of sugar. Have this within arm's reach — the almonds get seasoned the second they come out of the oil.
2. Pour the olive oil into a 10-inch skillet and add the whole rosemary sprigs and the smashed garlic clove, if using. Set over medium-low heat and let the oil warm for about 90 seconds, until the rosemary sizzles faintly and smells strongly resinous. Do not let the garlic brown past pale gold; fish it out if it starts to color hard.
3. Add the almonds in a single layer. Raise the heat to medium and stir or shake the pan almost constantly for 3 to 4 minutes. Marconas are soft and high in oil, so they go from blond to burnt fast — pull them when they are a shade or two darker than raw and smell toasted, like warm marzipan. Total time in the pan should not exceed 5 minutes.
4. Immediately tip the almonds and rosemary onto the paper-towel-lined plate, spreading them into a single layer. Discard the garlic. Sprinkle the salt-paprika-zest mixture over the hot almonds from about a foot up so it lands evenly, then toss with a spatula. Add the 1 teaspoon chopped rosemary and toss again.
5. Let the almonds sit for 2 minutes to firm slightly, then transfer to a small serving bowl — leaving most of the excess oil behind on the towel — and tuck the fried rosemary sprigs on top. Serve warm, with a chilled fino or manzanilla sherry.

Chef's tips

Nutrition (per serving, estimated)

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