SPICED TOASTED PECANS
3 tablespoons unsalted butter
1/2 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
1/2 teaspoon Tabasco
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt, or to taste
2 1/2 cups pecan halves (10 oz)
Put oven rack in middle position and preheat oven to 375. Melt butter in a 2-quart saucepan over moderate heat, then stir in the Worcestershire sauce, Tabasco, pepper, and salt. Remove pan from heat and add pecans, tossing to coat well. Spread in 1 layer in a shallow baking pan and bake until fragrant and a shade darker, 8 to 10 minutes. Serve warm or at room temperature.
Pecans can be baked 1 day ahead and cooled completely, then kept in an airtight container at cool room temperature. Makes 2 1/2 cups. This recipe can be doubled
ORANGE AND CINNAMON SPICED NUTS
2 cups whole blanched almonds
1 1/2 cups shelled pecan halves
1 1/2 cups shelled filberts (hazelnuts)
1 cup sugar
1/4 teaspoon ground allspice
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
2 egg whites
1 tablespoon grated orange peel
1/2 cup unsalted butter
Preheat oven to 325. Spread all three types of nuts on a rimmed baking pan. Bake, stirring occasionally, 15 minutes until lightly toasted. In a small bowl stir together sugar, allspice and salt. In a separate small mixer bowl beat egg whites at high speed until soft peaks form, gradually add sugar mixture and continue to beat until stiff peaks form. By hand, fold in nuts and grated orange peel. Melt butter in the oven on the original baking pan. Return the nut mixture to that pan and spread over the butter. Bake, stirring every 10 minutes or so, for 25–30 minutes until nuts are brown. Cool completely on the pan. Store up to two weeks in an airtight container at room temperature. Makes 5 cups