Lunch: Chorizo-Stuffed Fried Olives

Ingredients

1/4 cup smoked almonds
2 ounces cured Spanish chorizo, finely diced
4 ounces cream cheese, softened to room temperature
Kosher salt
60 large green Sicilian olives, pitted (about 1 quart)
Vegetable oil, for frying
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
2 large eggs, beaten
1 cup panko breadcrumbs

Instructions

In a food processor, pulse the almonds and chorizo until very finely chopped. Add the cream cheese, season with salt, and pulse to combine. Using a pastry bag, or a resealable bag with one corner cut off, fill each olive with as much of the filling as possible. Fill a heavy-bottomed pot with 2 inches of vegetable oil and heat to 350 degrees F. Set up three bowls. Put the flour and cayenne in one, the beaten egg in another, and the panko in the last. Roll each olive in the flour to coat completely, shaking off any excess; then dip in the egg to coat; and, finally, roll in the panko. Carefully add the olives, about 10 or so at a time, to the oil. Fry the olives until golden brown, about 3 minutes. Transfer to a paper-towel-lined plate to absorb any excess oil, and season with salt as they come out of the fryer. Repeat until all of the olives are fried. Serve warm.

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