Chez Panisse Herbed Almonds
from Alice Waters' book, The Art of Simple Food

Chez Panisse is Alice Waters' acclaimed restaurant in Berkeley, CA. These almonds are served as a starter to the meal.

Preheat oven to 375F. Lightly oil a baking dish or sheet with olive oil.

1 1/2 teaspoons hot water
1/2 teaspoon salt

Stir to dissolve the salt. Add and toss together:

1 1/2 cups [raw, whole] almonds
3 thyme sprigs, leaves only
1 winter savory sprig, leaves only

Pour into a cast-iron skillet or baking dish large enough to hold the almonds in mostly a single layer. Roast for 15 to 20 minutes, stirring every 5 minutes or so, until the insides are golden brown. (Cut one open to see.) Once nuts start to brown they can burn very quickly. Watch out! Remove from the oven and pour into a mixing bowl. While still warm, toss with:

2 teaspoons olive oil

Taste and add more salt if needed.

makes 1 1/2 cups