Episode 8: Two for Cocktails
(Roasted Almonds and Spiced Olives)

Click here to watch it on YouTube

Ingredients (Roasted Almonds)

• 2 cups whole blanched almonds
• 1 egg white
• 1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt

Preparation

1. Preheat oven to 400º
2. Season the egg white with the salt and beat until frothy but not stiff.
3. Add almonds and fold under until evenly coated.
4. Spread the mixture on a sheet pan lined with parchment paper.
5. Place the sheet pan in the oven and roast the almonds for 8-10 minutes, until golden brown. Be careful not to burn them or they will turn bitter.
6. After they have cooled down, break them up and fill into a serving bowl.

Ingredients (Spiced Olives)

• 2 cups of olives of your choice
• Fresh garlic (to taste)
• Fresh Rosemary
• 1/2 Lemon Chilli flakes
• Extra Virgin olive oil

Preparation

1. Peel, then finely chop the garlic
2. Strip leaves off the branch of Rosemary. Chop them finely.
3. Cut lemon into thin, quartered slices
4. Toss everything together with the olives, chilli flakes to taste and a bit of olive oil. Leave to marinate for an hour.

Notes

• Blanched almonds are preferred for the simple, salted version because the dark almond skin can be bitter and overshadow the pure almond flavor.
• For a more robust version, get unskinned almonds and add spices to the egg white mix, such as smoked paprika, ground cumin, or cinnamon.
• Green olives were picked unripe, black olives were harvested ripe. Green olives tend to be slightly bitter; black olives are more intense and concentrated in flavor. Experiment with different kinds, but don't use pitted or stuffed almonds. Their flavor has been diluted in the brine that conserves them.
• Use any herbs or spices you like to enhance olives. Bear in mind that chopped raw garlic turns rancid and sharp-tasting within a few hours.

For any questions regarding this or other recipes, contact the FOODCOMMANDER at info@foodcommander.com