The trick to making these almonds so very fragrant is to toast them in a bit of lard infused with fresh herbs. Culinary herbs release their volatile oils easily in fat - whether over a prolonged period of time as called of in making herbed olive oil, or in only a few moments in a hot pan. Once plucked from the pan, their flavor remains in the hot fat, infusing these almonds with their resonant aroma and taste. It's a technique I use often, in braising meats, or in making soups and sauces, too.
Sheila D says
This recipe is one of my favorites. The flavor is unbelievable. Most of the work is blanching and skinning the almonds, but it's worth it.
Sarah says
sounds delicious. I'm really happy that I can make my own lard as I don't know of anywhere I can get trustworthy lard. so glad I found this site 🙂
Kim says
On the question of blanching or no... I use truly raw, (i.e. unpasteurized) organic almonds to make almond milk. If I blanch the almonds, does this effectively pasteurize them? In other words, if you blanch, does using truly raw almonds become pointless? Would it make more sense to use the much cheaper pasteurized almonds when blanching? Thanks!
Amber says
I would like to make some of these ahead of time for Christmas gifts. How long would they be ok at room temp? Would they need to be refrigerated?
Jenny says
I would recommend refrigerating them to help them to stay longer, but you can also leave them at room temperature for about 2 weeks without degrading the flavor.