Cooking with almonds: Versatile nut adds extra bite

ALMONDS are one of my favourite nuts, both as a snack food and as an additive to a whole range of dishes from soups, to fish and desserts.

Healthy filler: Almonds add protein and flavour to these carrot and oat bliss balls. Picture: Andy Rogers

ALMONDS are one of my favourite nuts, both as a snack food and as an additive to a whole range of dishes from soups, to fish and desserts.

Homemade almond butter is healthy, affordable and even more delicious than store-bought. It’s easy to make, too. You’ll just need a good food processor or blender.

Almond butter is a great component in these simple bliss balls, melding together plump raisins and oats with small nibbles of carrot and a hint of cinnamon.

Makes 20

CARROT AND OAT BLISS BALLS

2 cups matchstick shredded carrots

1 cup raisins

1 cup rolled oats

½ cup almond butter (see recipe following)

½ tsp cinnamon

Put all the ingredients in the food processor and pulse until coarsely ground and well-blended. Use your hands to roll the mixture into 2-3cm balls and arrange the balls on a tray lined with baking paper. Refrigerate for 30 minutes.

ALMOND BUTTER

Makes 1 cup

450g raw almonds

¼ tsp salt

¼ tsp ground cinnamon

½ tsp vanilla extract

2 tbsp honey

Preheat the oven to 180C (160C fan). Spread the almonds across a large, rimmed baking tray and toast them for 10 minutes, stirring halfway. Let the almonds cool until they’re just warm (not hot), about 10 minutes.

Transfer the almonds to a high-speed blender or food processor. Blend until creamy, pausing to scrape down the sides as necessary. Be patient — the almonds will go from flourlike clumps, to a ball against the side of the food processor (keep scraping down the sides and breaking up the ball), and finally, it will turn creamy. If the mixture gets hot through the friction of the blades, stop and let it cool for a few minutes.

Once the almond butter is
very smooth and creamy, blend
in the remaining ingredients until they are evenly dispersed, stopping to let the mixture cool if it gets too hot, and then blend a few additional minutes, to make it creamy again.

Let the almond butter cool to room temperature, then transfer the mixture to a jar with a lid. Store in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks.

Variation: You can create a mixed nut butter by substituting raw cashews, walnuts or pecans for some of the almonds. Just roast them all on the tray together.

HOW TO SELECT AND STORE ALMONDS

1. Almonds that are still in their shells have the longest shelf life. If purchasing these, look for shells that are not split, mouldy or stained.

2. Shelled almonds that are stored in an hermetically sealed container will last longer than those that are sold in bulk bins since they are less exposed to heat, air and humidity.

3. If purchasing almonds in bulk bins, make sure that the store has a quick turnover of inventory and that the bulk containers are sealed well in order to ensure maximum freshness.

4. Look for almonds that are uniform in colour and not limp or shrivelled.

5. Smell the almonds — they should smell sweet and nutty. If their odour is sharp or bitter, they are rancid.

6. If you want almonds with a roasted flavour and texture, choose those that have been dry roasted as they are not cooked in oil like their regular roasted counterparts. But when purchasing dry roasted almonds, it is important to read the label to be sure that no additional ingredients, such as sugar or preservatives, have been added.

7. Since almonds have a high fat content, it is important to store them properly in order to protect them from becoming rancid. Store shelled almonds in a tightly sealed container, in a cool dry place away from exposure to sunlight. Keeping them cold will further protect them from rancidity and prolong their freshness.

8. Refrigerated almonds will keep for several months. If stored in the freezer, almonds can be kept for up to a year. Shelled almond pieces will become rancid more quickly than whole shelled almonds. Almonds still in the shell have the longest shelf life.

PREPARING ALMONDS

Whole shelled almonds can be chopped by hand or can be placed in a food processor. If using a food processor, it is best to pulse on and off a few times, instead of running the blade constantly, as this will help ensure that you end up with chopped almonds rather than almond butter.

SOME QUICK SERVING IDEAS

ADD extra punch to plain yoghurt by mixing in some chopped almonds and dried fruit.

ADD some sliced almonds as a finishing touch to a saute of lightly curried vegetables.

ADD some almond butter to a breakfast shake to boost its taste and protein content.

TRY them in a cold rice salad with fresh garden peas and currants.

ADD sliced almonds to chicken or beef salad.