We celebrated the birthday of one of our friends this past weekend. This birthday gathering might best be described as an adult birthday party complete with a destination activity. Before we sat by the fire indulging ourselves in bottles of (my new favorite) Italian prosecco, some appetizers, a simple dinner, and of course, the birthday girl's favorite combination of flavors cake (peanut butter and chocolate), we spent two hours at the 'barre'. Depending on one's perspective, this was either two hours of 'pure' joy or two hours of being semi-permanently traumatized looking at yourself close-up in the mirror. But in all seriousness, doing any form of exercise with a group of friends, for however long or however challenging, is always so much more fun than doing it alone. There are an infinite number of reasons why we all love this collective friendship. Encouraging each another to be physically healthy and active is just one of them. Celebrating important life events together is another. I could go endlessly listing the mutual benefits everyone gets from this posse's friendship.
Being one of the Type A personalities in the group, I love when I get to host any of our gatherings here at my house. What I love even more is how generous everyone contributes, how comfortable everyone seems to feel when they are here as well as witnessing them experience a dish for the 'first' time. Whether it's a lox platter, a Dutch Baby, tomato jam, an Elderflower cordial, or these Rosemary Roasted Cashews, their reactions always make my heart happy.
I thought I had already shared my version of Ina Garten's Rosemary Roasted Cashews with you, but apparently I had only shared my variation of her Chipotle and Rosemary Roasted Nuts recipe. There are similarities and differences between the two so you need to have both of them. The Rosemary Roasted Cashews are made only with cashews, while the Chipotle and Rosemary Roasted Nuts recipe is made with cashews, walnuts, and walnuts. While most of the other ingredients between the two are similar, one uses maple syrup and one doesn't. This is the version that doesn't.
This is a six ingredient appetizer. Depending on where you live or whether or not you have the uncanny ability to keep your herbs alive indoors during the winter months, fresh rosemary is available year round in most grocery stores. In spite of what you may read, dried rosemary isn't always a substitute for the fresh stuff. If there was ever a dish to prove that 'theory bordering on fact', it would be this one. In a pinch you probably could swap out the dark brown sugar for light brown sugar, but your Rosemary Roasted Cashews might suffer from a depth of sweetness. For optimal eating pleasure and presentation, splurge on whole cashews.
From start to finish, these Rosemary Roasted Cashews take about 20 minutes. They are one of those no fuss, simple appetizer that everyone will go nut for (please forgive the pun). In a preheated 375 degree (F) the cashews are roasted for approximately 10 minutes or until heated through.
The roasted cashews are stirred into the rosemary/chipotle chile/dark brown sugar/kosher salt/rosemary/melted butter mixture until they are coated. Making these Rosemary Roasted Cashews could not be easier. Once you taste them, you will think twice about serving 'naked' cashews.
These Rosemary Roasted Cashews are highly addictive. It is almost impossible to eat only a few. Even for those who boast of having incredible will power. Recommended to be served warm, they are also sinfully delicious served at room temperature. The taste of the chipotle chile is detectable but subtle. They are definitely not like the 'hot' version I once made for a golf outing an extremely hot, humid, sunny day. When combined with the rosemary, brown sugar and kosher salt the cashews are transformed in a most savory, flavorful bite. They paired perfectly with prosecco, but these cashews are wine, champagne, cocktail, and beer friendly. In other words, serve them with your favorite beverages. When you make these Rosemary Roasted Cashews, your house just might become the one everyone wants to come to or come back to.
Rosemary Roasted Cashews (slight adaptation to Ina Garten's Roasted Rosemary Cashews recipe)
Ingredients
1 1/4 pounds whole cashews
2 Tablespoons fresh rosemary, coarsely chopped
1/2 teaspoon ground chipotle chile spice (or cayenne) Note: I use this one made by Spice Islands.
2 teaspoons dark brown sugar
2 teaspoons kosher salt
1 1/2 Tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
Directions
1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees (F).
2. Combine the rosemary, chipotle chile, brown sugar, kosher salt, and melted butter in a large bowl. Stir to combine. Set aside.
3. Place cashews on an ungreased baking sheet. Bake for 10 minutes or until they are warmed through.
4. Toss the warm cashews with the rosemary mixture until they are completely coated.
5. Transfer to a serving bowl. Serve warm or at room temperature.
6. If making ahead, allow to cool before transferring to a tightly sealed container.
Notes: (1) In spite of the use of kosher salt in the coating, I use roasted and salted whole cashews instead of raw (unsalted) cashews as the rosemary coating doesn't adhere to the raw cashews. (2) I have made these Rosemary Roasted Cashews using both chipotle chile and cayenne. The ones made with the chipotle chile are my favorite. (3) For the most flavorful nuts, use fresh rosemary. Don't even think about using dried rosemary.
Sunrise views from the cottage. Little Compton, Rhode Island (2017)
