Ingredients

• 1 pound shelled almonds, preferably unsalted
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 2 teaspoons sea salt, preferably gray salt
• 3 tablespoons Toasted Spice Rub, recipe follows

Directions

Toasted Spice Rub:

1/4 cup fennel seeds

1 tablespoon coriander seeds

1 tablespoon black peppercorns

1 1/2 teaspoons red pepper flakes

1/4 cup (1-ounce) pure California chili powder

2 tablespoons kosher salt

2 tablespoons ground cinnamon

Toast the fennel seeds, coriander seeds, and peppercorns in a small, heavy pan over medium heat. When the fennel turns light brown, work quickly. Turn on the exhaust fan, add the red pepper flakes, and toss, toss, toss, always under the fan. Immediately turn the spice mixture out onto a plate to cool. Put in a blender with the chili powder, salt, and cinnamon and blend until the spices are evenly ground. If you have a small spice mill or a coffee grinder dedicated to grinding spices, grind only the fennel, coriander, pepper, and chili flakes. Pour into a bowl and toss with the remaining ingredients.

Toasting freshens spices, releases their oils, and makes them more fragrant, as well as adding a new dimension of flavor. Keep the spice mix in a glass jar in a cool, dry place, or freeze.

Taste your chili powder and, if too spicy and hot, cut back the amount. California chiles are almost sweet, not hot.