Serves:
Makes About 1 Cup
Active Time:
5 Minutes
Start to Finish:
40 Minutes Smoky Peanuts
The subtle smokiness of these nuts comes from Lapsang souchong, a smoky black tea from China’s Fujian Province. although tea might sound like an exotic embellishment, many chefs use it as a natural flavoring agent for everything from red meats to fish to beans.
Ingredients
1 tablespoon lightly beaten egg white
1 teaspoon sugar
3⁄4 teaspoon Lapsang souchong tea leaves (see Sources), crushed with side of a large heavy knife if coarse
1⁄4 teaspoon salt
1 cup salted cocktail peanuts
SPECIAL EQUIPMENT: parchment paper
Instructions
PUT A RACK IN MIDDLE OF OVEN and preheat oven to 350°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
Whisk together egg white, sugar, tea, and salt in a small bowl. Stir in peanuts and spread in one layer on baking sheet.
Bake, stirring occasionally, until nuts are dry, about 7 minutes. Cool on baking sheet on a rack. (Nuts will crisp as they cool.)
COOK’S NOTE
The smoky peanuts can be kept for up to 5 days in an airtight container at room temperature.