Rosemary Chipotle Roasted Almonds

Morita chiles are red, fully mature Chipotles. This gives them a unique, medium – hot smokey flavor which is popular in many Southwestern dishes. These can be added to sauces (including Mole) to add smokey flavor and maintain the red color of the sauces. These peppers are about 2-4 inches in length, 1 inch in width, and have a deep brick reddish brown color. The word Chipotle translated to smoked chile. Consider the Chipotle a 6.5 on a scale of 1-10 (10 being the hottest). Scoville heat units 7,000-25,000.

Suggested Use:
Use Morita in enchilada sauces, chili, stews, barbecue ribs, and corn bread. Their smoky quality combines well with poultry, meats and fall squash.

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Ingredients:

1 tbsp olive oil
1 tsp chipotle chile powder (grind dried chile in coffee grinder till a fine powder)
1 tbsp fresh rosemary, finely chopped + pinch more after roasting
pinch cayenne or chili powder, to taste
pinch salt, to taste
pinch black pepper, to taste
1 c almonds (I used smoked but raw, roasted, salted, plain, smoked. Use what you have and prefer)

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 325F. Combine all ingredients except for the almonds in a bowl and mix. Add the almonds to the oil and spice mixture, and toss to combine. Spread almonds in a single layer on a parchment, foil, or Silpat-lined cookie sheet (for easier cleanup) and roast for 15-20 minutes until lightly toasted, or until desired toasting and browning level is reached. Allow to cool slightly and serve. Top with a pinch more of finely chopped rosemary after roasting, if desired. Will keep in an airtight container or jar for week(s).

Adapted from loveveggiesandyoga.com Double, triple, or quadruple recipe as desired if making for a party or making extra in advance for leftovers, snacks and lunch boxes, for gifts, etc.