Caramelized & Spiced Nuts

[kirra]

Caramelized & Spiced Nuts

These fancy flavored nuts require almost no effort. Prepare 'em in advance, store 'em in a well-sealed container, and when the time is right, let your salads, desserts, and cheese plates go nuts with sugar or spice or both. To only "caramelize" the nuts, skip the cayenne and black pepper, which make them "spiced."

Ingredients:

2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 tablespoon sugar
Pinch of cayenne and freshly ground black pepper (for spiced nuts
1 cup pecans or walnuts

Preparation:

In a small saucepan melt the butter over moderate heat, add the sugar (and spiced if you wish), and stir until the sugar's dissolved. Add the nuts, stirring until golden, 2 to 4 minutes.