Green Almond Salad

Green almonds have the most fleeting of a season in the spring before their shells harden and start looking and tasting more like the almonds we know and love. They are tart and crisp and surprising if you've never had one.

Green almonds consist of both the fuzzy green outer hull and the soft inner nut — it’s that soft inner part that will eventually grow and harden into an almond. You can eat the entire green almond at this point, fuzzy outside and all. The whole almond has a crisp, watery texture and a tart flavor, like a cross between a green apple and a green grape.

Ingredients

1c Green Almonds, Sliced
1c Purslane
1/3c Sundried tomatoes
1/2 c Lupini beans
Lemon juice
EVOO
S&P
Aleppo pepper or Espellete Pepper

 Instructions

*DO NOT, DO NOT, DO NOT prepare Lupini beans yourself. Buy them already prepared
*Green almonds oxidize easily, toss with lemon juice after sliced
*Arugula can be substituted for Purslane
*Pickled chickpeas can be substituted for Lupini Beans (though they are worth the hunt)
*All ingredients can be found at Latin or Middle Eastern Markets

1.  Place all ingredients in a large bowl.
2.  Season with S&P
3.  Drizzle lemon juice and EVOO
4.  Toss Gently.
5.  Sprinkle with Aleppo or Espellette Pepper
6.  Dig in!

 Pair with Martian Ranch Grenache Blanc