Catalan almond thickening paste (Picada)

1. Toast the almonds, hazelnuts and pine nuts in a dry frying pan over medium heat for 3-4 minutes until golden and fragrant; rub the skins off the hazelnuts.

2. In the same pan fry the slice of bread in the olive oil until golden on both sides, then fry the garlic cloves for 1 minute too.

3. Toast the saffron threads in the cooling pan for 20 seconds so they become crumbly.

4. Put the garlic, saffron and a pinch of salt in a mortar and pound to a paste; add the nuts and the broken-up bread, then the parsley, and pound to a thick, grainy paste (you can loosen it with 1-2 tablespoons of water).

5. Stir the picada into a stew, fish or chicken dish in the last 5-10 minutes of cooking: it thickens the sauce and gives it a deep, nutty flavour.

6. Use fresh, or keep covered in the fridge for 1-2 days.

Tip: The "secret weapon" of Catalan cooking: sofrito starts a dish and picada finishes it – try it in a simple chicken stew.