In the world of cooking, there are some nuts that possess a flavor profile that is so distinct, so profound, it can be identified the moment it touches your tongue. Seconds before that, even your nose detects the distinct aroma first. Toasted warm pecans, almond-scented flavoring in a rich pound cake, and the slight bitterness in a roasted black walnut are a few of these nuts with such a recognizable flavor.
The pistachio nut is not one of those. The flavor of the pistachio is rich, tender, but oh so mellow. The scent is almost undetectable while the neon-green color of the nut is quite noticeable. These yin and yang characteristics of the pistachio nut are what make it so versatile in recipes. The subtleness lends itself with ease in ice creams, chocolates, salad dressings, crusted meats, pasta sauces, coffees, and lattes. It can be sweet, salty, or savory moving effortlessly with the desires of the cook. It is a beautiful nut, probably one of my favorites. I can go back to the days in my childhood where the pistachios were salted, roasted, and dyed bright red for eye appeal and nothing more. These were imported nuts back then and now almost all of what we consume are grown in California, so the practice of dying pistachios bright red has long been retired.
Grab a bag or a handful of pistachios to nibble on (they are very healthy) or cook with. They are readily available, and you don’t have to have red-stained hands to enjoy them. Happy summer y’all!
Homemade Pistachio Butter
2 cups shelled pistachios
1 teaspoon olive oil
Sea salt to taste
Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Spread nuts in an even layer on a baking sheet. Roast the pistachios for 5 to 10 minutes or until nuts are fragrant. In bowl of a food processor fitted with a blade attachment, process nuts until smooth and creamy, adding a bit of oil if needed. Taste and sprinkle with sea salt to taste. Transfer to a jar with a tight-fitting lid. Store at room temperature for up to a month or may be frozen.
Yield: 1 cup
Dubai Chocolate Pistachio Butter Bars
This recipe varies according to taste, using dark chocolate, milk, or white. Always use high quality chocolate to ensure a glossy bar. You will need a silicone candy bar mold readily available at cooking or kraft stores.
4 tablespoons unsalted butter
4 cups thinly shredded phyllo pastry or chopped Kataifi
1 cup pistachio cream (available online or gourmet cooking stores)
2 tablespoons Tahini
½ teaspoon salt
16 ounces dark chocolate, melted
2 ounces white chocolate, melted and tinted with food coloring (optional)
Finely chopped pistachio nuts for garnish (optional)
In a large frying pan over medium heat, melt butter. Add shredded phyllo to pan and cook until golden in color. Remove from pan and set aside. In a bowl, mix pistachio butter or cream with the tahini and salt until well combined. Add toasted phyllo shreds and stir gently to combine. Set aside. If decorating bars with tinted white chocolate or chopped nuts, drizzle chocolate over candy bar mold or sprinkle bottom of mold with chopped pistachios. Place mold in refrigerator for 5 to 10 minutes to set tinted chocolate. Remove mold from refrigerator and pour most of melted chocolate into mold, tilting to completely cover all sides and bottom of each bar. Return to refrigerator for at least 10 minutes, or until chocolate is set. Fill each mold with crunchy pistachio filling, pressing with a spoon to fill all corners and surface is flat. Pour remaining melted chocolate over top. Using a pastry scraper or knife, remove excess chocolate. Return to refrigerator for 10 to 20 minutes or until chocolate is completely set. Remove bars from mold and trim any rough edges.
Yield: 2-6 bars, depending on mold size
Brown Butter Pistachio Madeleines
½ cup unsalted butter
2/3 cup sugar
½ cup shelled pistachio nuts, roasted and salted
1 cup flour
2 large eggs, room temperature.
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
Pinch of sea salt
1 tablespoon pure honey
For glaze:
1 tablespoon unsalted butter, melted
Pinch of sea salt
2 tablespoons cream
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
¾ cup sifted powdered sugar
Chopped pistachio nuts for topping
4 ounces dark chocolate, melted (optional)
In a heavy saucepan over low-medium heat, melt butter, stirring constantly until the butter begins to foam. Continue to swirl pan until golden brown, about 5 minutes. Do not burn. Pour melted butter into a glass measuring cup and let cool. Meanwhile, in a food processor, combine sugar and pistachios, pulsing for a minute or so until pistachios are finely ground. Transfer to a bowl and whisk in flour. In a separate bowl, combine eggs, vanilla, and salt. Whisk until frothy. Gently fold flour mixture into egg mixture with a large spatula until just combined. Add cooled butter and honey and stir just until incorporated. Cover and refrigerate for one hour. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter and flour a non-stick or silicone madeleine pan. Using a small cookie dough scoop or 2 spoons fill molds with a generous tablespoon of batter. Bake for 12 to 14 minutes, until cookies are puffed and golden and edges spring back to touch. Remove from oven and immediately turn out onto a wire cooling rack. For glaze, in a small bowl, whisk together melted butter, salt, cream, vanilla, and powdered sugar until smooth. Set wire rack with madeleines over wax paper. Dip each madeleine in glaze or melted chocolate if using, shaking off excess, and sprinkle with chopped nuts. Let glaze set completely before serving.
Yield:12-14 madeleines
Pistachio Pesto Pasta
1 pound fettuccine
1 cup roasted and shelled pistachios
¾ cup fresh basil leaves
½ cup extra-virgin olive oil
½ cup grated parmesan cheese
3 cloves garlic, minced
Juice and zest of 1 lemon
Salt and freshly ground pepper
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add pasta and cook until pasta is a la dente. Reserve 1 cup pasta water and drain. Keep warm. While pasta is cooking, in the bowl of a food processor, combine pistachios, fresh basil, olive oil, parmesan cheese, garlic, lemon juice, lemon zest, salt and pepper. Pulse until well combined. Toss pasta with pistachio sauce, adding pasta water by spoonfuls to thin as needed to achieve desired consistency. Check seasonings, adding more salt and pepper. Divide pasta between plates and serve with extra parmesan cheese. Garnish with fresh basil leaves if desired.
Yield: 4-6 servings
Honey and Pistachio Crème Brulee
2 cups heavy cream
¼ cup honey
1 teaspoon pure vanilla
5 egg yolks
¼ cup sugar or more (for topping)
¼ cup finely chopped pistachios
Flaky sea salt (optional)
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a small saucepan over medium heat, add cream and honey, stirring to dissolve honey. Allow cream and honey to come to a low simmer, then add vanilla and stir. Remove pan from heat and cool for 10 to 15 minutes. In a medium-size bowl, whisk egg yolks. When yolks are fluid, begin slowly adding cream using a ladle. Whisk constantly when adding cream to prevent yolks from curdling. When cream has been incorporated, mixture should be thick and smooth. Carefully pour through a fine sieve to remove any lumps. Place ramekins in a baking dish and fill each cup halfway. Place baking dish on an oven rack pulled out, and carefully pour hot water in pan, enough to come to halfway up sides of ramekins. Close oven and bake for 20 to 25 minutes. Add additional time if using larger ramekins. Custard should appear set but slightly jiggly in center. Remove ramekins from baking pan and allow to cool. Once cool enough to handle, cover with plastic wrap and chill for at least 4 hours. Sprinkle baked custards with a teaspoon or more of sugar. Using a kitchen torch, torch sugar until molten and browned. May also place ramekins on a baking sheet and place on the highest rack and brown under broiler. Sprinkle with sea salt if desired.
Yield: 4-6 servings
Pistachio Tiramisu
5 pasteurized egg yolks, room temperature
¾ cup sugar
8 ounces Mascarpone cheese
¼ teaspoon kosher salt
1 cup cream
2 tablespoons pistachio butter
1 cup cold brewed espresso
2 tablespoons coffee liqueur
2 tablespoons pistachio liqueur
8 ounces purchased lady finger cookies, sponge cake, or golden pound cake
Cocoa powder for dusting
½ cup finely chopped pistachios
In bowl of a mixer using whisk attachment, beat egg yolks and sugar together until pale and thick, about 5 minutes. Add mascarpone cheese, salt, and pistachio butter. Continue whipping and add cream. Whip until mixture is light, creamy, smooth, and can hold a soft peak. In a small bowl, mix espresso and liqueurs together. Cut cake into rounds to fit a serving dish or glass. Dip 1 round of cake into coffee mixture and place in bottom. Top with 1 to 2 tablespoons mascarpone-cream mixture. Add another piece of coffee-soaked cake and continue layering until each serving glass is filled, ending with cream layer. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for several hours or overnight. When ready to serve, dust top cocoa powder and sprinkle with chopped pistachios. Serve immediately.
Yield: 4 servings