Chinese Crackerjacks

Total Time: 15 mins Preparation Time: 10 mins Cook Time: 5 mins

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1 tablespoon kosher salt
• 1 tablespoon fresh ground black pepper
• 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1 1/2 whole star anise, broken into points
• 6 whole cloves
• 2 teaspoons szechwan pepper
• 2 cups mixed nuts, toasted

Recipe

• 1 blend the sugar, salt, pepper and cinnamon in a bowl.
• 2 finely grind the star anise, cloves and szechwan peppercorns in a spice grinder.
• 3 strain through a fine mesh sieve to eliminate the husks, the combine with the sugar mixture.
• 4 heat a large heavy skillet, preferably cast iron, over high heat until hot enough to evaporate a bead of water on contact.
• 5 add the nuts and toss until they are hot to the touch, about a minute.
• 6 reduce the heat if needed to prevent scorching.
• 7 sprinkle the nuts with half the seasoning mixture and shak the pan until the sugar melts and turns a dark caramlized brown, about a minute.
• 8 add the remaining mixture and continue shaking the pan until the sugar melts again and coats the nuts.
• 9 (do not use a spatula or a spoon for this process because the sugar wil caramelize onto it instead of the nuts.) immediately turn the nuts onto a foil-lined baking sheet.
• 10 use yoru fingers to separate the nuts when cool enough to handle, then let them cool completely.
• 11 store in a tightly sealed, clean, dry glass jar.