Yotam Ottolenghi’s recipe for lemon and sage roasted almonds
Serves 8, as a snack
lemon juice 70ml (ie, from 2 lemons), plus the skin of 1 lemon shaved off in about 8 thin strips
unsalted butter 30g
blanched almonds 400g
sage leaves 5g, roughly chopped
rosemary leaves 5g, finely chopped
maple syrup 1 tsp
flaky sea salt
olive oil 2 tsp
sumac 1 tsp
urfa chilli flakes 1½ tsp
Heat the oven to 130C fan/gas mark 2. In a small saucepan, reduce the lemon juice on a high heat for 3 minutes until only 1½ tablespoons remain, then tip into a bowl.
Melt the butter in a small saucepan on a high heat, then strain through a fine-mesh sieve into the lemon syrup bowl (discard the butter solids). Stir in the almonds, lemon strips, herbs, syrup and 1¼ teaspoons of salt, then spread out on a 30cm x 40cm oven tray lined with baking paper.
Roast for 18-20 minutes, stirring from time to time, until the nuts are golden-brown and the herbs and lemon are crisp. Stir in the oil, sumac and chilli, roast for 3-4 minutes, until a deep golden-brown, then leave to cool before serving.
Yotam Ottolenghi is a Guardian Feast columnist and chef/patron of Ottolenghi, Rovi and Nopi in London
