Slivered Almonds
When it comes to preparing almonds, creating slivered almonds is considered one of the most challenging techniques to learn. There are no kitchen appliances or special tools that can sliver your almonds for you—in many cases it's simply a matter of either slicing them with a knife or buying slivered almonds at the baking section of your local grocery store. However, as these are expensive, if you'd like to save a bit of money slicing them yourself, here are a few handy tips.
First, be sure to blanch your almonds. This is the process of removing their brown skins. This involves you soaking your almonds for about a minute in roiling water. Be sure not to soak them any longer than that, or your almonds will lose their distinctive crispness. Once you've patted your almonds try, removing the skins is a simple matter of pulling them off. Throw the skins away, as they are much too bitter and acidic to be of much use in recipes.
Once you've blanched your almonds, it's time to try slicing. As always, be very, very careful. Try using a paring knife if possible and cut away from yourself as much as you possibly can. The key is to go slow and steady throughout. It may seem like it's taking forever, but soon you will have a small pile of slivered almonds to sprinkle on vegetables, give your salad an extra kick, or lend texture to cakes and cupcakes. If you're having trouble holding on to your almonds, a common tip is to heat them up briefly. Once they're warmer, you will be able to feel the bumps in their texture much easier.
The important thing, when making slivered almonds, is not to give up. Slicing these hard, tiny little seeds can be an exercise in frustration, but the more you do it, the easier the act will become. Don't rush by any means—taking shortcuts or speeding through could result in you splitting the almond or cutting your finger.
In serving slivered almonds with your meals, you are doing more than just creating a lovely new look or improving the food's taste. You are also providing your family with a delicious, healthy garnish that contains significant amounts of vitaman E, calcium, magnesium, selenium, fiber, protein, and much more. Even in small amounts, almonds are known to be incredibly healthy. Learn more today about how eating slivered almonds with your meals can improve your health significantly. Act now!