Serves: 6
Total Calories: 620

1 recipe

vegetable shortening or vegetable oil for deep-frying
1 pound walnuts halves, preferably extra-fancy
1/2 cup sugar
fine sea salt or iodized salt for sprinkling

1. TO MAKE THE SPICE MIXTURE: Finely grind all the spices in a spice grinder or electric coffee grinder. Set aside.

2. Place an empty baking sheet next to the stove. Line a second baking sheet with paper towels. In a deep Dutch oven, melt shortening over high heat to a depth of 2 to 3 inches and heat it to 365°F.

3. Meanwhile, bring a medium saucepan of water to a boil over high heat. Add the walnuts and cook for 1 minute only. The water does not have to return to a boil. (This removes excess bitterness.) Drain in a large colander. Do not rinse. Immediately toss the walnuts with the sugar in the colander until the hot water clinging to the walnuts melts the sugar to form a thin glaze.

4. In two batches, deep-fry the walnuts until golden, about 3 minutes. Using a wire-mesh skimmer, transfer the walnuts to the unlined baking sheet (the hot walnuts would stick to paper towels) and let cool completely. When cooled, transfer the walnuts to the paper towels and pat with more towels to drain excess oil.

5. Put the walnuts in a bowl. While tossing the nuts, sift the spice mixture through a fine-meshed sieve over them. Discard the hulls left in the sieve. Season the walnuts with the salt. (The walnuts can be prepared up to 1 week ahead, stored in an airtight container at room temperature.)

NOTE: For gift-giving, use the very best extra fancy walnut halves. They are available at nut shops and bakery suppliers, or by mail order from A. L. Bazzini Co., 339 Greenwich Street, New York, NY 10013, (212) 334-1280.

NOTE: To remove the flavor of coffee from a coffee grinder before grinding spices-or conversely, to absorb spice flavor to use the grinder again for coffee--place 1/4 cup granulated sugar in the grinder, process it until powdery, and discard.

Nutritional Facts:

Serves: 6
Total Calories: 620
Calories from Fat: 480

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