Green Almonds

 Fresh green almonds.

The first time I believe I saw green almonds was on an episode of Chopped, "One in a Hundred". I honestly don't recall what the chefs made with them, but when I saw them at a local store, I scooped up handfuls of the soft green fuzzy fruit and ran home to investigate and see what I could make with them.

Mostly it seems that green almonds, also called spring almonds and immature almonds, are eaten straight-up and lightly salted as a snack, mostly in the Middle East. There are other preparations from salads to stews and sometimes they more mature of the immature (if that makes sense) are sprinkled over ice cream and the like. Let me explain.

The center of very young almonds.

Very young almonds are edible as a whole. While mildly crunchy, they are pliable and very green in flavor with a slightly bitter finish. The very center, which would become the actual nut once fully mature, is a gelatinous mass. If the nuts are left to mature for even a few weeks' time the center becomes more nut-like though still softer and smaller than the usual nut we're all used to finding readily available in any corner market across the globe.

Gelatinous centers of green almonds.

The ones I bought were the very young variety, being fully fuzzy on the outside (a few still had leaves attached) and gel-like in the center. The first one I tried was as-is. I washed it well and took a bite. Green. I salted the other half lightly and noticed a slightly bitter finish to the fruit. I was still very unsure of what to make of, or with, them.

As part of a lovely Facebook group belonging to David Leite's, owner of Leite's Culinaria, I noted that one of the readers was making a stew she had found on a friend's blog ... the recipe is here. Stew sounded great, but I was still unsure of what to do with the almonds I had. The most common stew is heavy in spices and I couldn't reconcile the soft spring-green color of these almonds with so much spice. I had also read in several different places that heating them caused them to be more bitter. I can say I didn't encounter this in any way.

I decided on fennel, spring onions and pork for my stew. Fennel in its fresh state is deep in flavor, but stewed or braised, it becomes subdued and very delicious. With the green almonds being slightly lemony, I thought the pairing would go well, and I was right. I added to that new potatoes and flat-leaf parsley, which carries over the lemon theme, and a bit of cream to pull it all together. The end result was a very smooth and flavorful stew - the almonds still had a bit of crunch to them, which contrasted well with the sweet pork, tender potatoes and fennel.

I'm still undecided about these fuzzy little fruits, but as they're only available 8 weeks a year, I may buy them again and if I do, I'll share the recipes and results here.

Green Almond and Pork Stew

Green Almond and Pork Stew
Serves 6 - 8
Printable Recipe

2 Tablespoons olive oil
1 large fennel bulb
1 bunch spring onions (green onions)
2 pounds pork - cut into 1-inch cubes
4 cups chicken or vegetable stock
8 ounces green almonds - cleaned well and cut in half
2 pounds new potatoes, peeled and cut into 1-inch chunks
1 small bunch Italian flat-leaf parsley chopped
1 cup half and half
1/2 Tablespoon Kosher salt
freshly ground pepper to taste

1. Wash green almonds well and dry. Set aside until ready to use.
2. Heat oil in a large heavy bottomed pot and add fennel and onions. Saute briefly - do not brown.
3. Add pork and cook until no longer pink on the outside.
4. Cut the stem end from each almond and then cut almonds in half following the natural seam in each.
4. Pour stock into stew and add almonds. Simmer for 30 minutes.
5. Add potatoes and cook for another 20 minutes or until potatoes are tender.
6. Remove stew from heat and stir in parsley, salt and pepper and half and half. Serve hot.

Rich Meatball Stew

Stew is a favorite around here when the weather turns cooler and meatballs are a constant favorite, so this stew is well received. Any red wine can be used, but try not to get the store-bought 'cooking wine'. It's full of sodium and lacks the body of a good wine. Buy something you like to drink because this only uses a cup of wine and you'll want to put the rest to good use.

Rich Meatball Stew
Serves 6-8
Printable Recipe

2 lbs meatballs 2" in diameter each
2 lbs red potatoes, unpeeled and cut into quarters
1 lb baby carrots, peeled
1 medium onion, cut into large chunks
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper (I like a large grind)
2 cloves garlic - minced (if not already in the meatballs)
5 cups beef stock or broth
1 cup red wine
1 bay leaf
several sprigs of fresh thyme
flour and water to thicken, if necessary

Brown meatballs and drain well. Add remaining ingredients except flour and water and bring to a boil. Lower to a simmer and cover. Cook until vegetables are tender and meatballs are done, about 45 minutes to an hour. Remove bay leaf and thyme and thicken liquid with flour and water if needed.

Sunday Dinner

• Pork Stew
• Layered Salad
• Whole Wheat Bread with Honey
• Ice Cream Sundae Dessert

Pork Stew
Serves 6-8
Printable Recipe

2 lb pork stew meat-cubed
4-5 medium potatoes-peeled and cubed
4 medium carrots-peeled and cut into chunks
1 medium onion-peeled and cut into chunks
3 stalks celery cut into diagonal chunks
1 c frozen peas
1/2 c flour salt and pepper
1 garlic clove, minced
dry thyme
bay leaf


Toss pork cubes in flour that has been seasoned to taste with salt and pepper.
Fry pork in 2 T of oil until browned. Add vegetables (except peas) and seasonings and add enough water to cover all. Bring to a boil and reduce to a simmer. Simmer until vegetables are tender and pork is cooked through; about 30 minutes. Thicken if necessary and remove bay leaf before serving.


Layered Salad
Serves 6
Printable Recipe

3 c shredded greens
1/2 c celery cut diagonally
1/2 c diced green pepper
1 c shredded carrots
10 oz frozen peas
1 c shredded cheddar cheese
1 c. mayo
2/3 c. sour cream
1/2 t. garlic powder
pinch dry basil
5 strips turkey bacon cooked and crumbled

In a clear salad bowl, layer greens, celery, pepper, carrots, peas and cheddar. Combine mayonnaise, sour cream, garlic powder and basil. Mix well and pour on top of salad. Top dressing with bacon and refrigerate, covered, overnight. Mix well before serving.


Whole Wheat Bread with Honey
three small or two large loaves
Printable Recipe

3 Tablespoons butter
3 Tablespoons honey
1 pint milk
1 T salt
2 pkgs dry yeast
6 c whole wheat flour (King Arthur white whole wheat is great)

Proof the yeast in 1/2 cup of milk that has been warmed to 110-115 degrees F.
Melt butter and honey in the remainder of the milk in a saucepan over low heat. When lukewarm add the yeast and salt. Stir while adding flour until the dough is stiff enough to knead. Knead on a floured board for 6 to 8 minutes. Put into a greased bowl and let rise until doubled in bulk.
Turn out onto a floured surface and punch down. Divide into 3 small or 2 larger loaf pans and let rise again. Bake in a preheated 350-375 degrees F oven about 50 minutes or until the loaves sound hollow when tapped on the bottom.


Ice Cream Sundae Dessert Serves 12-16
Printable Recipe

2 cups (12 oz) semisweet chocolate chips
1 can (12 oz) evaporated milk
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 package (12 oz) vanilla wafers, crushed
1/2 cup butter or margarine, melted
2 quarts vanilla ice cream or other flavor, softened

In a saucepan over medium heat, melt chocolate chips with milk and salt; cook and stir until thickened, about
25 minutes. Remove from the heat; set aside. Combinewafer crumbs and butter; set aside 1 cup. Press
remaining crumbs into a greased 13-in. x 9-in. x 2-in. pan. Chill for 10-15 minutes. Pour chocolate over
crumbs. Cover and freeze for 10-15 minutes or until firm. Spread the ice cream over chocolate. Sprinkle with
reserved crumbs. Freeze at least 2 hours before serving.

Gumbo in Honor of NOLA

My next-door neighborbbrought me some beautiful okra last night that was grown by a friend of hers. My immediate thought was gumbo. I'll be making it today and sharing it with her and her husband.

Of course, one can hardly think of gumbo without being reminded of the devastation from Hurricane Katrina; at least I can't. The losses to life and property there are horrendous, and the culinary losses significant. The American Culinary Federation has many members affected by Katrina and you can read about it at their page: ACF Disaster Relief Information.

This is the recipe that is a variation on what I was taught in culinary school. Many people prefer it spicier~I recommend added cayenne if that is your choice. Gumbo, to those in Louisiana, is like Marinara to Italians; everyone has their own recipe, and everyone's own recipe is "the only way to make it". This is how I like it-right or wrong. The photo shows added sausage, which is perfectly delicious, about 1/2 a pound does the trick.

Anne's Chicken Gumbo
Printable Recipe

1/2 cup butter or oil
1/2 cup flour
1 large onion - medium dice
4 stalks celery - medium dice
2 large green peppers - medium dice
1 red pepper - medium dice
1 yellow pepper - medium dice
8 cups chicken stock
1 cup tomato puree
4 tomatoes concasse (peeled seeded diced)
2c. okra cut in 1" slices
1 pound boneless skinless chicken (breast or thigh) cooked and diced
2 cloves garlic - minced
1/2 Tablespoon dried basil
1/2 Tablespoon dried oregano
pinch Thyme
1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/2 Tablespoon filé powder (ground sassafras leaves)
1 Tablespoon dried parsley
1 bay leaf
cooked rice for serving

1. Heat butter or oil in a large pot - add flour and cook until mixture is the color of a copper penny - not a new penny - an old one - nice and dark.
2. Add onion, celery and peppers - cook for several minutes until they begin to 'weep'.
3. Add stock slowly while stirring and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer until vegetables are tender - about 20 minutes.
4. Add all tomato products and simmer for another 10 minutes.
5. Add chicken, okra and all seasonings except filé powder.
6. Bring to a boil - reduce heat and simmer 15 min.
7. Turn heat off and add filé powder - stir well, remove bay leaf and serve.

For seafood gumbo:

Use 1/2 pound shrimp and 1/2 pound scallops in place of
chicken. Add during the last 15 minutes of cooking.
Use fish stock if available (otherwise chicken is fine) and replace parsley with chervil and add 2 teaspoons Old Bay Seasoning.