Recipe Index


	Recipe Index We've gathered a delicious collection of pistachio recipes, including appetizers, entrees, side dishes and more. Enjoy! Appetizers This &That Entrées Salads & Side Dishes Sweet Snacks & Desserts APPETIZERS Burrata with Roasted Nectarines Goat Cheese and Pistachio Galette Sugared Curried Pistachios Roasted Cayenne Pistachios Spicy Pistachios Spiced Pistachios Spicy Toasted Pistachios Cherry Pistachio Spread Tomatillo Pistachio Salsa Pistachio Topped Brie Jeweled Brie Pistachio Onion Cheese Pistachio Stuffed Mushrooms Pistachio Chive Crisps Savory Cheese Pistachio Biscotti Cream of Potato and Pistachio Soup Pistachio Stuffed Dates Burrata with Roasted Nectarines and Pistachio-Herb Oil Serves 4 Ingredients 4 nectarines, halved and pitted ¾ cup plus 3 tablespoons olive oil Maldon salt ½ cup shelled Organic Santa Barbara Pistachios 2 tablespoons finely chopped fennel frond ½ garlic clove, finely chopped 8 large mint leaves, finely chopped 4-6 large basil leaves, finely chopped 2 lemons, zested; juice of 1 lemon ½ cup scallions, white and green parts, sliced into thin rings and slightly packed 2 balls burrata (about 1 pound total), halved Toasted baguette slices for serving Directions 1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. 2. Lightly brush cut side of nectarines with 1 tablespoon oil and season with salt. Place nectarines cut side down, in a baking dish just large enough to hold them snugly. Roast until they soften and caramelize in spots, about 15 minutes. Cut into smaller segments or leave whole. 3. Meanwhile, roughly chop pistachios. Add fennel frond, garlic, mint, basil, lemon zest and scallions and chop together to mix. Place chopped ingredients in a small bowl and add ¾ cup plus 2 tablespoons oil. Add salt and lemon juice to taste. 4. On each of four plates, place a burrata half and 3-4 nectarine segments (or 2 nectarine halves). Spoon 1-2 tablespoons pistachio-herb oil over cheese and fruit. Season with salt, to taste. Serve with baguette slices. Back to Top Back to Appetizer Index Goat Cheese and Pistachio Galette Makes 6 servings Ingredients 1 cup whole wheat pastry flour, plus more for rolling ½ cup Santa Barbara Pistachio Flour ¾ teaspoon salt 4 oz (1 stick) unsalted butter, in pieces 2 eggs, 1 separated 7 tablespoons ice water (or more, if needed) 1 clove garlic, peeled 2 scallions, trimmed and coarsely chopped ¼ cup flat-leaf parsley 12 oz plain goat cheese Black pepper ¼ cup chopped, shelled Organic Santa Barbara Pistachios Directions Heat over to 400 degrees. Place flour and salt in a food processor and pulse briefly to mix. Add butter and pulse until butter is cut to pea size. Separate 1 egg and mix yolk with 7 tablespoons ice water. Open food processor and drizzle over flour mixture. Pulse until dough started to come together. Add a tablespoon of water if needed. Roll dough on floured surface to make circle about 14 inches in diameter. Trim edges for a neat border. Place pastry on a backing sheet lined with parchment. Turn on food processor again (I don’t bother to wash it out) and drop garlic through feed tube to mince. Add scallions and parsley and process until freshly minced. Beat together remaining egg white and whole egg; add to processor along with goat cheese. Process until smooth. Season liberally with pepper. Spread filling in a 10-inch circle on pastry leaving about a 2-inch border all around, then fold border over the edges of the filling, pleating it as you go. Scatter walnuts on top. Bake about 30 minutes, until filling is set and pastry is lightly browned. Serve hot or at room temperature. Back to Top Back to Appetizer Index Sugared Curried Pistachios Makes about 5 cups. Hands-on time: 15 minutes. Total time: 1 hour, 15 minutes. *Ingredients* 1 pound (about 4 cups) shelled Organic Santa Barbara Pistachios 1 egg white ¾ cup sugar 2 tablespoons curry powder 1 tablespoon salt *Directions* Heat oven to 250 degrees. Arrange the pistachios on a cookie sheet and toast, stirring occasionally, until fragrant, about 10 minutes. Meanwhile, in a large bowl, whisk the egg white and 1 teaspoon water until frothy. Stir in the pistachios and sprinkle with the sugar, curry powder, and salt. Mix well. Lightly coat the cookie sheet with vegetable cooking spray. Spread the pistachios in a single layer on the sheet. Bake 1 hour or until pistachios are dry, stirring once or twice. Store at room temperature in an airtight container for up to 1 month or in the freezer for up to 4 months. Crisp the frozen pistachios on a cookie sheet in a 250 degrees oven for 5 minutes. You’ll have the pistachios on hand for drop-in guests or to give as hostess gift. Serve them with cheese and crackers at a cocktail party, or chop them, then sprinkle into a salad or on top of creamy tomato pasta sauce. Back to Top Back to Appetizer Index Roasted Cayenne Pistachios Serves 4 *Ingredients* 2 ½ tablespoons unsalted butter 1 ½ tablespoons chopped rosemary (or 2 teaspoons dried) ½ teaspoon salt ½ teaspoon cayenne pepper 2 cups raw shelled Organic Santa Barbara Pistachios *Directions* Melt butter and add rosemary, salt and cayenne. Stir mixture and pour over pistachios, tossing until coated. Bake nuts on a cookie sheet for 10 minutes at 300 degrees, or until you no longer can taste rawness. Back to Top Back to Appetizer Index Spicy Pistachios *Ingredients* 4 tablespoons unsalted butter ½ teaspoon cayenne pepper 2 teaspoon Cajun seasoning 2 teaspoon ground cumin 3 tablespoon sugar 1 pound white raw shelled Organic Santa Barbara Pistachios *Directions* In a large skillet over moderately high heat, heat the butter until it begins to foam. Add the spices and sugar and cook, stirring, until combined. Add the pistachios, cook, stirring, for 3 minutes until toasted. Transfer the pistachios to a wire rack set over a baking sheet and let cool. Back to Top Back to Appetizer Index Spiced Pistachios Makes 6 cups *Ingredients* 6 cups of assorted raw shelled Organic Santa Barbara Pistachios (not roasted or salted) ¼ cup pure maple syrup (be sure to use pure maple syrup and not “pancake” syrup) 2 tablespoons vegetable oil ¾ teaspoon regular salt or sea salt 1 ½ teaspoons ground ginger 1 teaspoon ground coriander 1 teaspoon ground cumin 1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper, or more to taste Cooking oil spray *Directions* Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Place the pistachios in a large mixing bowl. Add the syrup and oil, and toss. Sprinkle on the salt, ginger, coriander, cumin and cayenne pepper. Toss until the pistachios are evenly coated. Spray a large baking sheet that has a rim (such a jelly roll pan) with cooking oil spray. Pour the pistachios evenly onto the pan. Bake, removing the pan from the oven to stir the nuts after every 5 minutes, until the pistachios are toasted and fragrant and have absorbed the syrup, about 20 minutes. Back to Top Back to Appetizer Index Spicy Toasted Pistachios Makes 3 cups *Ingredients* 2 ½ tablespoons pure maple syrup 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar 2 teaspoons sweet paprika ½ teaspoons cayenne pepper ½ teaspoon salt ¼ teaspoon black pepper 3 cups raw shelled Organic Santa Barbara Pistachios *Directions* Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a large bowl, whisk together all ingredients except pistachios. Pour in pistachios; using hands, toss to coat completely. Spread on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Bake 10 minutes; stir well, then bake another 5 minutes. Remove from oven and cool completely. Break up any clumps. Back to Top Back to Appetizer Index Cherry Pistachio Spread Makes 2 1/3 cups spread *Ingredients* 2 cups cream style cottage cheese 2 tablespoon dairy sour cream 1 tablespoon packed brown sugar ½ cup chopped shelled Organic Santa Barbara Pistachios, toasted* ½ cup dried tart cherries, halved 1 teaspoon shredded lemon peel *Directions* To toast pistachios, preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spread pistachios in single layer on baking sheet. Bake for 5 to 7 minutes or until lightly toasted. Place cottage cheese in a blender jar or food processor container. Cover and blend or process until smooth, stopping blender and scraping down sides as needed (food processor results will be slightly less smooth than blender). Transfer blended or processed cottage cheese to a serving bowl. Stir in sour cream, brown sugar, pistachios, cherries, and lemon peel until combined. Serve immediately or cover and refrigerate up to 8 hours before serving. (Spread can be chilled up to 24 hours, but cherries will begin to stain the spread.) Spread on muffins, toasted English muffins, toast, or bagels. Back to Top Back to Appetizer Index Tomatillo Pistachio Salsa Makes about 1 to 2 cups *Ingredients* ½ lbs. fresh tomatillos 1 clove garlic 1 small onion, chopped ¼ cup raw shelled Organic Santa Barbara Pistachios Fresh lime juice to taste *Directions* Remove husks from tomatillos and wash them. Cut in half and put into a ¾ quart saucepan with just enough water to cover the tomatillos. Cover saucepan and bring to boil over high heat. Boil about 2 to 3 minutes. Using a slotted spoon put the tomatillos and onions into a food processor along with the garlic. Process to a chunky consistency. Add lime juice and salt, adjust to you personal taste. Add pistachios to processor and process only slightly until the nuts are slightly crumbled. Pour into a bowl and refrigerate until ready to use. Back to Top Back to Appetizer Index Pistachio Topped Brie *Ingredients* 7-8 oz. Brie or Camembert cheese ½ cup coarsely chopped shelled Organic Santa Barbara Pistachios French bread baguettes, sliced *Directions* Thickly spread wedge-shaped slices of French bread baguettes with soft, ripe Brie or Camembert cheese. Top with pistachios. Back to Top Back to Appetizer Index Jeweled Brie *Ingredients* 1 wheel of Brie (8 oz.) ½ cup hot pepper preserves (room temperature) 1 cup chopped shelled Organic Santa Barbara Pistachios *Directions* Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Place prepared Brie in a buttered shallow glass or ceramic baking dish. Bake until cheese is partially melted (5 to 8 minutes). Spread hot pepper preserves on top of the softened Brie and sprinkle with pistachios. Serve warm as an appetizer with crackers, bread toast, fresh bread, or apple or pear slices. Back to Top Back to Appetizer Index Pistachio Onion Cheese Makes 2 cups With cheese, the nuts make a flavorful spread *Ingredients* 1 ½ pounds (about 3 large) onions, chopped 1 package (8 oz.) Neufchatel (light cream) cheese 1 cup chopped roasted, salted shelled Organic Santa Barbara Pistachios About 1 ¾ cups regular strength chicken broth Crackers or baguette slices *Directions* In a 10 to 12 inch frying pan over high heat, boil onions and ¾ cups broth, uncovered, until liquid evaporates and onions start to brown; stir often. Stir in ¼ cup broth to release browned bits, and boil dry again. Repeat until onions are rich brown, 2 or 3 more times; cool. Mix the onions with cheese and nuts. If made ahead, cover and chill up to 4 days. Spread on crackers. Back to Top Back to Appetizer Index Pistachio Stuffed Mushrooms 20 servings *Ingredients* 20 medium mushrooms 3 tablespoons onions, minced Butter or margarine 1/3 cup fine dried breadcrumbs ¼ cup chopped shelled Organic Santa Barbara Pistachios 2 tablespoons chopped parsley ¼ teaspoon dried marjoram ¼ teaspoon salt *Directions* Preheat broiler. Remove stems from mushrooms and chop finely. Reserve caps. Saute the stems and onion in ¼ cup butter or margarine until tender. Stir in the bread crumbs, pistachios, parsley, marjoram, and salt, mixing well. Remove from heat. Place the mushrooms caps, stem-side up, on a baking sheet. Fill the centers with the stuffing and sprinkle about 3 tablespoons melted butter. Broil about 6 inches from heat source for 5 minutes or until browned and heated through. Back to Top Back to Appetizer Index Pistachio Chive Crisps Makes 20 Crisps Preparation: 30 minutes Bake: 20 minutes Oven: 325 degrees *Ingredients* 1 cup all purpose flour 1/3 cup snipped fresh chives 3 tablespoons water 3 tablespoons olive oil 2 tablespoons chopped shelled Organic Santa Barbara Pistachios 2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese 1 recipe Caper Mustard, below *Directions* Preheat oven to 325 degrees. In a medium bowl combine flour, chives, ½ teaspoon salt, and 1/8 teaspoon pepper. In another bowl combine water and oil. Drizzle oil mixture into flour mixture, stirring constantly (dough will appear dry but will come together when gently worked with hands). Form dough in a ball. On a lightly floured surface roll dough in 12 X 7 ½ inch rectangle. Prick all over with fork. Sprinkle with pistachios and cheese; press in nuts. Using a pizza cutter, cut dough in 3 X 1 ½ inch rectangles. Transfer to large ungreased baking sheet. Bake 20 to 23 minutes or until crisps begin to brown. Transfer to wire racks. Cool. Serve crisps with Caper Mustard. Caper Mustard In a small bowl combine 1 tablespoon Dijon Style mustard; 1 tablespoon capers, drained; and 1 tablespoon snipped chives. Back to Top Back to Appetizer Index Savory Cheese Pistachio Biscotti Yield: About 60 biscuits Time: 1½ hours plus 20 minutes cooling *Ingredients* 2 ¼ cup flour, more for kneading 1 teaspoon baking powder 1 ½ teaspoons salt ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper 4 eggs plus 1 egg yolk 1 ¾ cups freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano 1 cup lightly toasted shelled Organic Santa Barbara Pistachios *Directions* Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment. In a bowl, whisk flour, baking powder, salt and pepper together. Using an electric mixer with whisk beaters beat whole eggs until tick, light and creamy, about 5 minutes. Stir in 1½ cups cheese. Fold in flour mixture and mix to form soft dough. Knead briefly, adding a little more flour if needed. Form into a flattened square. Press pistachios into dough. Fold dough over nuts and knead again, briefly, to distribute nuts. Divide dough in two and roll each piece into a log about 15 inches long. Beat egg yolk and brush on logs. Sprinkle with remaining cheese. Bake about 30 minutes, until lightly browned. Remove from oven and let cool about 20 minutes. Slice logs on an angle about ½ inch thick. Stand slices up, not touching, on baking sheet and return to oven. Bake until firm and lightly browned, about 30 minutes. Let cool. To make ahead: Biscotti made more than a day in advance can be stored in a plastic bag. They may soften slightly and can be refreshed at 300 degrees for 7 minutes. Back to Top Back to Appetizer Index Cream of Potato and Pistachio Soup Makes 4 to 6 servings. *Ingredients* 4 medium potatoes 1 small onion 4 cups water 2 tablespoon butter 2 tablespoon flour 1 teaspoon salt 2 cups milk ½ cup chopped shelled Organic Santa Barbara Pistachios 1 teaspoon chopped parsley *Directions* Boil potatoes and onion until tender in water. Remove potatoes and onion. Reserve water. Mash potatoes with butter, flour, and salt. Add milk to 2 cups of reserved water. Bring to boil. Stir in potatoes while boiling. Remove from heat. Add pistachios. Place pinch of parsley in each plate. Pour over parsley and serve. Back to Top Back to Appetizer Index Pistachio Stuffed Dates Ingredients 4 ounces soft goat cheese 1 Tablespoon chopped fresh chives, plus more for garnish 3 Tablespoons raw, shelled Organic Santa Barbara Pistachios Fresh ground pepper 8 plump soft, dried dates, pitted and sliced lengthwise Directions Stir together goat cheese, 2 Tblsp pistachios and chives in a small bowl until smooth. Season with pepper. Arrange the dates, cut side up on a platter. Fit pastry bag with a large round tip and fill with goat cheese mixture. Pipe mixture onto each date half to cover. Garnish with remaining pistachios and more chives. Back to Top Back to Appetizer Index THIS & THAT Pistachio Pesto Pistachio-Almond Butter Pistachio Pesto Ingredients 1/2 cup olive oil 2 garlic cloves 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese 1 cup raw, shelled Organic Santa Barbara Pistachios 1 grind black pepper Directions To make 1 cup of pesto, place about 2 cups of basil leaves, 2 garlic cloves, and 1 cup of Santa Barbara pistachio kernels in a food processor. Process until smooth, leaving just a bit of texture. With the motor running, slowly sprinkle in 1/2 cup olive oil through the feed tube. Add 1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese and a grind of black pepper. Process to combine and serve. Pesto will keep covered in the refrigerator for up to 2 days. Bring to room temperature before serving. Helpful Tip from Santa Barbara Pistachio Co. To store Pistachio Pesto for a later date or upcoming party, transfer pesto to an ice cube tray. Cover the tray and freeze. When frozen, pop out the cubes into a freezer-safe bag and seal. Store in freezer until ready for use. Thaw the night before use. Back to Top Back to This & That Index Pistachio-Almond Butter Ingredients 1/2 cup roasted salted SBPistachio kernels 2 tbsp honey 1/2 cup blanched almonds 1 tsp shredded orange peel 1/4 cup butter, cut into pieces 3 tbsp orange juice Apple or pear slices Directions Combine pistachio nuts, almonds, butter, honey, orange peel and orange juice in a food processor. Cover and process until the mixture is the consistency of butter. Serve at once or cover and chill. Serve with apple or pear slices. Back to Top Back to This & That Index ENTREES Stir-Fried Scallops with Pistachios Apricot Pistachio Rolled Pork Chicken Tagine with Raisins and Pistachios Pistachio Crust Curry Chicken Chicken with Pistachio Chicken Pistachio Roll-Ups Grilled Eggplant with Pistachio Pesto Party Pistachio Pasta Farfalle with Pistachio Cream Sauce Pennette with Pistachios and Gorgonzola Pistachio Pineapple Spareribs Pistachio Crusted Quail Pistachio Paella Barcelona Stir-Fried Scallops with Pistachios Makes 6 servings *Ingredients* 1 ½ pounds large sea scallops 4 shallots, finely chopped 1 sprig fresh thyme 1 small bay leaf, crumbled 1 cup fresh or bottled clam juice 1 cup fish fumet or chicken broth 1 bottle Chardonnay 1 large bundle chervil stems, chopped 12 large parsley stems, chopped Salt Freshly ground pepper 1 ½ cups whipping cream ¼ cup butter, or to taste Mashed anchovy or lemon juice, optional 2 tablespoon olive oil 2 tablespoon peeled sweet red pepper, diced 1/8 inch ¼ cup shelled and chopped Organic Santa Barbara Pistachios Chervil leaves for garnish *Directions* Rinse scallops under running water and blot dry. Remove small side muscles known as “feet” and place in sauté pan. Reserve scallops. Add shallots, thyme, bay leaf, clam juice, fish fumet, Chardonnay, chervil and parsley stems to “feet”. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Heat to simmer and reduce mixture to 2 cups. Strain into bowl. Heat whipping cream in skillet until reduced to ¾ cup. Add wine mixture and simmer until it coats spatula. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Whisk in s much butter as needed to balance acidity of reduce mixture. If desired, add small amounts of mashed anchovy or lemon juice. Heat olive oil in skillet and stir-fry scallops until no longer translucent. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Serve scallops lightly napped with sauce. Sprinkle each serving with 1 teaspoon diced sweet red pepper and 2 teaspoons chopped pistachios. Decorate plate with chervil leaves. Back to Top Back to Entrée Index Apricot Pistachio Rolled Pork 12 servings. Impressive for a dinner party with its unusual combination of flavors and crunchy topping. *Ingredients* 4 pound pork boneless top loin roast (single uncut roast) ½ cup chopped dried apricots ½ cup chopped shelled Organic Santa Barbara Pistachios 2 cloves garlic, finely chopped ¼ teaspoon salt ¼ teaspoon pepper ¼ cup apricot brandy ¼ cup apricot preserves Crunchy Topping *Directions* To cut pork roast into a large rectangle than can be filled and rolled, cut lengthwise about ½ inches from top of pork to within ½ inch of opposite edge; open flat. Repeat with other side of pork, cutting loose from the inside edge to the outer edge; open flat to form rectangle. Sprinkle apricots, pistachios, garlic, salt and pepper over pork to within 1 inch of edge. Beginning with short side, tightly roll up pork. Secure with wooden picks or tie with string. Pierce pork all over with metal skewer. Brush entire surface with brandy. Let stand 15 minutes. Brush again with brandy. Cover and refrigerate at least 2 hours. Heat oven to 325 degrees. Place pork, fat side up, on rack in shallow roasting pan. Roast uncovered 1 ½ hours. Brush preserves over pork. Sprinkle with Crunchy Topping. Roast 30 to 60 minutes longer or until meat thermometer registers 161 degrees. Crunchy Topping *Ingredients* 1 tablespoon margarine or butter ¼ cup coarsely crushed cracker crumbs 2 tablespoons chopped shelled Organic Santa Barbara Pistachios ¼ teaspoon garlic salt Directions Heat margarine in 2 quart saucepan over medium heat until melted. Stir in remaining ingredients. Cook and stir 1 minute; cool. Back to Top Back to Entrée Index Chicken Tagine with Raisins and Pistachios Makes 4 servings. Prep and cook time: about 40 minutes *Ingredients* 4 boned, skinned, chicken breast halves (about 1 ½ lb. total) 1 tablespoon olive oil 1 tablespoon butter or margarine 2 onions (about 1 lb. total) peeled and slivered lengthwise 1 tablespoon minced garlic 2 teaspoons ground cumin 2 teaspoons ground ginger ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon ½ teaspoon ground dried turmeric ½ teaspoon paprika ¼ cup dark raisins ¼ cup golden raisins ¼ cup shelled roasted, salted Organic Santa Barbara Pistachios 2 preserved lemons, drained and quartered 1 ½ cups couscous ¼ cup finely chopped fresh mint leaves ¼ cup finely chopped fresh cilantro Pepper About 1 cup fat-skimmed chicken broth About ½ teaspoon salt *Directions* Rinse chicken and pat dry; cut into 1 ½ to 2 inch pieces. Pour olive oil into a 10 to 12 inch frying pan over medium high heat; when hot, add chicken and turn pieces often to brown on all sides, 5 to 8 minutes total. With a slotted spoon, transfer chicken to a bowl. Add butter to pan; when melted, add onions and garlic and stir often until onions are limp and beginning to brown, 5 to 7 minutes. Return chicken to pan and spread level. Sprinkle cumin, ginger, cinnamon, turmeric, paprika, ½ teaspoon salt, dark and golden raisins, and pistachios over chicken. Add preserved lemons if using. Pour 1 cup broth evenly over all. Cover and bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer, stirring occasionally, until chicken is no longer pink in the center (cut to test), about 5 to 6 minutes. Meanwhile, in a 3 to 4 quart pan over high heat, bring 1 ½ cups water to boil; stir in couscous and return to a boil. Cove pan, remove from heat, and let stand until water is absorbed, about 5 minutes. Fluff couscous with a fork and stir in mint. Scoop couscous equally onto dinner plates or into wide bowls. If chicken tagine is drier than desired, thin with more broth. Spoon over couscous and sprinkle with cilantro. Add salt and pepper to taste. Back to Top Back to Entrée Index Pistachio Crust Curry Chicken Serves 4 *Ingredients* 2 whole boneless, skinless chicken breast (about 1 pound total) ½ cup Organic Santa Barbara Pistachios Flour/Meal 1 teaspoon curry powder –mild or hot, depending on preference 3 tablespoons dried breadcrumbs 1 tablespoon dried parsley 1 egg white, beaten with 1 tablespoon of water in a shallow bowl Small pot boiling water Cooking spray *Directions* Combine Pistachio Flour/Meal, curry powder, breadcrumbs, and parsley. Shake the bag to mix all ingredients and spread out on a plate or waxed paper. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Cut chicken into eight strips. Dip strips into egg white and coat all sides with nut-crumb mixture. Arrange on a cookie sheet that has been lightly oiled with cooking spray. Bake at 375 degrees for 25 minutes or until chicken is cooked through and nut crust is lightly browned. Serve with bottled chutney. Back to Top Back to Entrée Index Chicken with Pistachio Serves 4. Preparation Time: 15 minutes. Cooking Time: 80 minutes. *Ingredients* 1/3 cup chili seeds (available at specialty-food stores) ¾ cup sesame seeds 2 cups shelled Organic Santa Barbara Pistachios 1 teaspoon anise seeds 3 garlic cloves 4 peeled poblano chilies, charred, with seeds and membranes removed 3 serrano (or jalapeno) chilies 2 quarts chicken stock 4 chicken breasts, 6 ounces each *Directions* Place chili and sesame seeds on a tray in a 325 degrees oven, and toast until chili seeds are fragrant and sesame seeds are slightly puffed. Mix in a blender until smooth: pistachios, chili, sesame, and anise seeds; garlic; poblano chilies; serrano chilies; 1 ½ quarts of chicken stock. Pour into a heavy pot, and bring to a boil. Reduce to a simmer. Cook for 1 hour, adding stock so sauce is just thick enough to coat a spoon. Salt to taste. Sear chicken breasts in a large, oiled pan, skin-side down, until golden brown. Turn over, and cook for 5 minutes. Add pistachio sauce, cover, and let cook over medium heat until breasts are cooked through, about 15 minutes. Serve chicken on individual plates or family style. Spoon sauce on top. Back to Top Back to Entrée Index Chicken Pistachio Roll-Ups Makes 6 servings *Ingredients* 6 boneless, skinless half-breasts of chicken Pepper 1 bunch (12 oz) fresh spinach, washed and stems removed 2/3 cup part skim milk ricotta cheese 2 teaspoons Dijon style mustard 1/3 cup coarsely chopped, shelled Organic Santa Barbara Pistachios1 clove garlic, minced 2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil or 1 teaspoon dried basil leaves Cherry tomatoes, for garnish *Directions* Heat oven to 375 degrees. Loosen the fillet piece from each half breast; open up like a book so breast lays flat. Flatten each breast to ¼ inch thickness. Season with pepper. Cover and cook 3 cups spinach until wilted (refrigerate remainder for garnish). Drain. Rinse under cold water; drain again. Pat dry and flatten with paper towels. Place breast skinned side down. Cover each with an even layer of spinach. Mix remaining ingredients and spread evenly over spinach within ¼ inch of edges. Roll up jelly-roll style, starting from the shortest end. Arrange in a lightly oiled baking dish, seam down. Cover with foil. Bake until chicken is opaque, about 18 to 24 minutes. Refrigerate 3 hours. To serve, cut each roll in ½ inch thick slices; arrange on reserved spinach leaves. Garnish with cherry tomatoes. Back to Top Back to Entrée Index Grilled Eggplant with Pistachio-Cilantro Pesto Servings: 6. Total Time: 35 minutes. *Ingredients* ½ teaspoon dried red pepper flakes 2 teaspoons minced garlic, divided 1 ¼ cups olive oil, divided 1 cup shelled Organic Santa Barbara Pistachios½ teaspoon salt, plus up to ¼ teaspoon additional 1 teaspoon paprika 3 tablespoons chopped cilantro 2 tablespoons lemon juice 1 ½ pounds long thin eggplant *Directions* In a bowl, combine the red pepper flakes, half of the garlic and one-half cup of olive oil. Let stand until ready to grill the eggplant. Using a large mortar and pestle, crush the remaining garlic, the pistachios and ¼ teaspoon salt to a paste. Add the paprika, then slowly add ¾ cups olive oil, stirring it with the pestle. The sauce should have the consistency of a loose, coarsely ground peanut butter. Stir in the cilantro, grinding it with the pestle to release its oils. Stir in the lemon juice. Taste and adjust the seasoning. Be particularly careful with the salt; the sauce should not be overtly salty. Makes 1 cup sauce. Set aside until ready to use. Slice the eggplants about ½ inches thick, leaving the slices attached at the stem end. Brush the cut surfaces with the flavored olive oil and grill over medium heat. Turn the eggplant frequently so it cooks through without scorching. Before each turn, brush lightly with olive oil. You’ll know the eggplant is cooked through when it flops lazily when you turn it, about 8 to 12 minutes. Arrange the eggplants on a platter, spreading the cut slices slightly. Spoon over half of the pistachio sauce and pass the remainder at the table. Cilantro Pesto Makes 6 servings. Hands-on Time: 5 minutes. Total Time: 5 minutes. *Ingredients* 3 garlic cloves, peeled and coarsely chopped 2 cups fresh cilantro, lightly packed ¼ cup olive oil 2 tablespoons toasted sesame oil 2 tablespoons lemon juice ½ teaspoon salt ½ teaspoon ground black pepper *Directions* Place the garlic and cilantro in the work bowl of a food processor fitted with a metal blade. With the processor running, slowly add the oils, lemon juice, salt, and pepper. Process until smooth. Place the pesto in an airtight container and freeze for up to 4 months. To thaw, microwave on low for 2 to 3 minutes Fold the pesto into scrambled eggs and serve with sliced tomatoes and corn tortillas for New Year’s Day brunch. Spread it on toasted slices of Italian bread and top with sun-dried tomatoes. Or mix the pesto with 1 pound of cooked linguine and 1 slivered red pepper for an elegant dinner for 4. Back to Top Back to Entrée Index Party Pistachio Pasta Makes about 6 to 8 side dishes or appetizer servings *Ingredients* 1 clove garlic, minced ¼ cup chopped onion 2 tablespoons olive oil ½ cup coarsely chopped shelled Organic Santa Barbara Pistachios ¼ cup each chopped ripe olives and minced parsley 1 teaspoon lemon juice 1/8 teaspoon each pepper and basil, crushed 8 ounces spaghetti, cooked and drained 1/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese *Directions* Saute garlic and onion in oil until onion is tender. Add remaining ingredients except cheese. Toss together; heat 2 minutes. Toss with Parmesan cheese. Back to Top Back to Entrée Index Farfalle with Pistachio Cream Sauce Serves 4 as a first course *Ingredients* 8 oz. farfalle or penne pasta ½ medium white or yellow onion, chopped ¼ cup Organic Santa Barbara Pistachios Flour/Meal 2 tablespoons olive oil (plus a little extra) ½ - ¾ cup heavy cream (according to taste) Crushed red pepper Salt Fresh ground black pepper *Directions* Bring a pot of salted water to boil. In the meantime, chop onion and grind the pistachios until the pieces are very small but not completely uniform. Add pasta to water and boil according to package directions. While pasta is cooking, begin sauce: Heat olive oil in a medium sauté pan, add onion and cook until translucent but not browned. Add pistachios flour/meal and enough oil to moisten them (if needed). It should be a paste-like consistency. Cook, stirring, over medium heat for about one minute (do not let the pistachios take on any color). Add cream, stir until heated through, and then remove from heat. Add crushed red pepper, black pepper and plenty of salt to taste. When pasta is al dente, drain well then add to the sauté pan with the sauce. Toss well to coat and serve immediately with lots of fresh grated parmigiano reggiano. Back to Top Back to Entrée Index Pennette with Pistachios and Gorgonzola Servings: 8. Time: 25 minutes *Ingredients* Coarse sea salt ¾ pound pennette pasta 1 ½ tablespoons unsalted butter 2 leeks, white part only, washed well and very thinly sliced ¾ cup heavy cream 6 ounces Gorgonzola, cut into pieces ½ cup chopped, shelled Organic Santa Barbara Pistachios Freshly ground white pepper Freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano *Directions* Bring a large pot of salted water to boil to a rolling bowl. Cook pennette according to the package directions until al dente. While the pasta cooks, melt the butter in a large deep skillet over medium heat. Add the leeks and a dash of sea salt and cook, stirring, until very soft, about 4 minutes. Add the cream and heat to simmer. Drain the cooked pasta well in a colander and immediately turn it out into the skillet with the leek mixture. Add the Gorgonzola and toss until coated. Add the pistachios and salt and pepper to taste. Continue stirring until well mixed. Serve at once, with freshly grated Parmigiano-Regiano, if desired. Back to Top Back to Entrée Index Pistachio Pineapple Spareribs Makes 4 servings. *Ingredients* 2 pounds spareribs ½ cup flour 2 teaspoons salt 1/3 cup salad oil 1 can (1 pound 14 ounces) sliced pineapple 1 tablespoon vinegar 2 tablespoon brown sugar 2 tablespoons water 1 small onion 1 green pepper ½ cup water 2 tablespoons flour 2 teaspoons soy sauce 2 teaspoons ketchup ½ cup chopped shelled Organic Santa Barbara Pistachios *Directions* Cut spareribs into 1 inch sections, roll in flour and sprinkle with salt. Brown spareribs in hot oil. Pour off excess oil. Drain juice from pineapple and mix with vinegar, brown sugar, and the 2 tablespoons water; add to spareribs. Cut each pineapple slice into 8 pieces, quarter the onion, and cut green pepper into 1 inch squares. Add these to spareribs, cover, and simmer 45 minutes. Make a smooth paste of the ½ cup of water, flour, soy sauce, and ketchup. Remove spareribs from pan, stir flour paste into drippings and cook until slightly thickened. Pour over spareribs and sprinkle with chopped pistachios. Back to Top Back to Entrée Index *Pistachio Crusted Quail* Servings: 8 as an appetizer, 4 as a main course. Total Time: 25 minutes *Ingredients* 1 cup Organic Santa Barbara Pistachios Flour/Meal 2 tablespoons flour 1 teaspoon sea salt Big pinch cayenne ½ cup milk 1 egg white 1 teaspoon dry mustard 4 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil, divided 8 quails, backbone and breastbone remove, rinsed 1 cup demi-glace or very rich stock 1 tablespoon green peppercorns, drained, rinsed and crushed with mortar and pestle *Directions* Heat the oven 400 degrees. Line a large baking sheet with paper towels and set it aside in a warm spot. Combine the pistachios, flour, salt and cayenne in a shallow dish and mix well. Whisk the milk, egg white and mustard together in a second shallow dish. Heat 2 tablespoons of oil in each of two large nonstick, ovenproof skillets over medium-low heat. Dip the skin side of each quail into the milk mixture, and then lay into the pistachio mixture to coat, pressing the quail in so that nuts adhere, especially to both sides of the legs. Carefully lay the quail crust side down into the hot oil and cook for 3 minutes, until lightly browned. Using tongs, carefully turn the quail over. Transfer the skillets to a hot oven. Roast until juices run clear when the legs are pierced with a skewer, 3 to 5 minutes depending on the size of the quail. (Cook less time if you like pinker quail, longer for well done.) Carefully remove the quail to the prepared baking sheet and keep warm. Return the skillets to the stove top over medium high heat and divide the demi-glace and crushed peppercorns between them. Bring to a simmer, stirring. Spoon a little of sauce onto each of 4 to 8 serving plates and lay the quail on top. (Pass any remaining sauce on the side.) Serve at once. Note: The sauce is optional. Partially boned quail can be ordered in advance through selected butchers or selected supermarkets meat departments. Back to Top Back to Entrée Index Pistachio Paella Barcelona Serves 4-6 *Ingredients* 2 tablespoons safflower oil 1 small onion, diced 2 cloves garlic, minced 1 3 pound chicken, cut up 3 hot sausage links, cut up 6 clams, mussels or oysters, thoroughly washed 6 medium shrimp, shelled and deveined, or other type shellfish 2 small tomatoes, chopped (optional) 1 bell pepper, chopped (optional) 3 cups chicken stock or water 2 tablespoons unsalted butter 1 ½ cups long grain white rice 2 tablespoons salt 1 tablespoon lemon juice 1 tablespoon black pepper ¼ oz. saffron threads 6 oz. shelled Organic Santa Barbara Pistachios, chopped *Directions* Over medium heat in paella pan or 12 inch skillet cook garlic and onions in oil until fragrant. Brown chicken pieces on all sides and remove oil. Repeat with sausage pieces. Bring chicken stock, butter, saffron, salt and pepper to a boil; add to remaining onion mixture and stir in rice; bring back to boil, and place cut up chicken pieces, sausage links, shrimp, clams, optional vegetables and pistachios in broth. Cover and steam for 20-30 minutes over medium heat until moisture is absorbed. Back to Top Back to Entrée Index SALADS & SIDE DISHES Grilled Asparagus Salad with Pistachios Sweet Rice with Carrots and Pistachios Mache Salad with Blood Oranges, Pistachios, and Pomegranate Persian Rice with Savory Pistachio Sauce Pistachio & Potato Mold Swiss Chard with Raisins & Pistachios Summer Salad Arugula Salad with Pistachios Green Salad with Pistachios and Almond Butter Vinaigrette Pistachio Fruit Gelatin Salad Persimmon or Apricot, Candied Pistachio and Goat Cheese Salad Beet and Goat Cheese Salad with Pistachios Pistachio Brussel Sprouts Garden Fresh Pistachio Pasta Salad Seared Paneer Patties with Pistachios Pistachio Rice Stuffing Grilled Asparagus Salad with Pistachios Serves 8 Ingredients 1 ½ pounds asparagus, ends trimmed 1 ½ tablespoons mustard 4 tablespoons olive oil (or to increase the pistachio goodness, use 2 tablespoons olive oil and 2 tablespoons Organic Santa Barbara Pistachio Oil) 1 tablespoon vinegar Pinch of salt Black pepper 10 oz arugula Zest of 1 lemon 1/3 cup shelled Organic Santa Barbara Pistachios, roasted Directions Place the asparagus on a baking sheet and drizzle with a little olive oil, a pinch of salt and some pepper. Shake the pan so that all the asparagus is evenly coated with a thin film of oil. Set aside. Place the mustard, 4 tablespoons olive oil (or olive oil and pistachio oil) and vinegar in the bottom of a large salad bowl and whisk together well. Place serving utensils on top of the vinaigrette. Add in the arugula, lemon zest and roasted pistachios. Set aside. Place a cast-iron griddle pan on the stove and heat until hot. Place the asparagus on the pan and cook for 2 minutes, roll the asparagus over so that the other side grills for another 1-2 minutes. They should just be al dente. If the asparagus are very thick you may need to cook them a little bit longer. Once cooked, place the asparagus on a cutting board and cut them into 1 ½ inch long pieces. Add those pieces to the salad. When ready to serve, remove the utensils and toss the salad so that all the ingredients are well combined with the vinaigrette. Back to Top Back to Salads & Side Dishes Index Sweet Rice with Carrots and Pistachios Serves 6 Ingredients 2 cups white basmati rice, soaked in cold water for 1 hour 3 cups water Sea salt 2 tablespoons butter or unrefined coconut oil, at room temperature 3 tablespoons unrefined coconut oil 1 yellow onion, finely diced 2 scant cups grated carrots (about 3 large carrots) ½ cup slivered or coarsely chopped almonds, toasted 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon 1 teaspoon ground cardamom ¼ teaspoon ground turmeric ½ cup shelled Organic Santa Barbara Pistachios, chopped, plus 1 tablespoon for garnish Grated zest of 1 large orange ½ cup honey ½ teaspoon saffron, ground and steeped in 1 tablespoon hot water Directions Drain the rice and rinse under cold water until the water runs clear. In a stockpot, combine the waer and a inch of salt and bring to a boil. Add the rice, return to a boil, then turn down the heat to its lowest setting. Cover and cook for 20 minutes. Turn off the heat and let the rice rest for 5 minutes, then dot with the butter and fluff with a fork. The rice should be dry and fluffy. While the rice cooks, heat a small skillet over medium heat and sauté the onion in the coconut oil for about 15 minutes, until lightly browned. Add the carrots, almonds, cinnamon, caradamon, and tumeric and cook stirring often for about 10 minutes, until the carrots are tender. Add ½ cup pistachios, the orange zest and the honey and cook for about 2 minutes,until heated through. Season with salt. Scoop the rice into a large bowl. Add the carrot misture and drizzle in the faffron. Mix gently and season with salt. Garnish with the remaining the remaining 1 tablespoon pistachios. Back to Top Back to Salads & Side Dishes Index Mache Salad with Blood Oranges, Pistachios, and Pomegranate Makes 4 servings. Using blood orange juice in the dressing means less oil is necessary, which lowers the fat in this dish. Mache, sometimes called lamb's lettuce, can be found in four-ounce packages in the produce section of many supermarkets. Ingredients 2 tablespoons fresh blood orange juice or regular orange juice 1 tablespoon unseasoned rice vinegar 1 tablespoon minced shallot 1/2 teaspoon honey 3 tablespoons Santa Barbara Pistachio Oil 2 blood oranges or regular oranges 1 4-ounce package mache 1/4 cup shelled natural pistachios, toasted 1/4 cup pomegranate seeds or dried cranberries Directions Whisk orange juice, vinegar, shallot, and honey in small bowl. Gradually whisk in pistachio oil. Season dressing to taste with salt and pepper. Using small sharp knife, cut off peel and white pith from oranges. Working over small bowl, cut between membranes to release orange segments. Divide mache among 4 plates. Divide orange segments, pistachios, and pomegranate seeds among plates. Drizzle dressing over salad and serve. Back to Top Back to Salads & Side Dishes Index Persian Rice with Savory Pistachio Sauce Ingredients Rice 1 ½ cup (355 ml) Basmati brown rice 3 ¾ cup (894 ml) water 1 ½ teaspoon salt 1/3 cup (79 ml) currants Pistachio Sauce 1 cup (237 ml) raw shelled Organic Santa Barbara Pistachios 3 cups (717 ml) unsweetened soy milk 1 ¼ teaspoon salt Freshly ground pepper to taste Vegetables 2 large carrots, coarsely grated 2 large zucchini squashes, coarsely grated 1 small onion, chopped 2 cloves garlic, thinly sliced ½ teaspoon each oregano, basil, marjoram ¾ teaspoon salt Freshly ground black pepper 2 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil 2 tablespoon water ¼ cup (59 ml) raw whole Organic Santa Barbara Pistachios Garnish Chopped Organic Santa Barbara Pistachios Currants *Directions* First start rice cooking by combining the rice, water, and salt in a 2 quart (2 liter) saucepan. Cover, and bring to a boil over high heat. Turn head down and steam for 35 to 45 minutes, or until tender. Put currants in a small bowl and cover with hot water to plump them while preparing remaining ingredients. Next prepare sauce by grinding the pistachios in an electric coffee grinder in small batches. Pour ground nuts into a small bowl and set aside. Combine soy milk, salt, and pepper in a 2 or 3 quart (2 or 3 liter) saucepan, and boil to a boil over medium high heat. Watch carefully that it does not boil over. Slowly, add ground pistachios to the bubbling sauce, stirring constantly with a wire whip until sauce thickens, about 1 to 2 minutes. Turn off heat and set aside. Sauce gets thicker as it sits. Combine carrots, zucchinis, onions, herbs, seasonings, olive oil, and water in a deep 12” (30 cm) skillet. Saute over high heat until vegetables are soft, about 5 to 7 minutes. Drain water from currants and add to skillet along with the ¼ cup (59 ml) raw whole pistachios. Mound rice onto a large serving platter, either round, oval, or square. Top with sautéed vegetables, leaving a 1” border of rice around the edges. Then top with some of the pistachio sauce. Garnish with chopped pistachios and currants. Serve the remainder of the sauce in a gravy dish and bring to the table. An alternative suggestion is to make up individual plates in the same pattern as described above. Back to Top Back to Salads & Side Dishes Index Pistachio and Potato Mold Makes 6 to 8 servings. *Ingredients* 1 envelope unflavored gelatin ¼ cup cold water 1 3ounce package lemon-flavored gelatin ¼ teaspoon salt 2 tablespoons vinegar 1 ½ cups hot water 2 cups cooked diced cold potatoes 1 ½ teaspoons salt 1 tablespoon minced onions 3 tablespoons chopped pimiento-stuffed olives ½ teaspoon celery seed Pepper to taste ½ cup mayonnaise or salad dressing 1 cup shelled Organic Santa Barbara Pistachios *Directions* Soften unflavored gelatin in cold water. Dissolve lemon gelatin, ¼ teaspoon salt, vinegar and softened unflavored gelatin in very hot water. Chill until partially congealed. Meanwhile toss together lightly the potatoes, 1 ½ teaspoon salt, onions, olives, celery seed and pepper. Fold in mayonnaise and pistachios. Turn chilled gelatin mixture into a deep bowl and whisk until smooth and fluffy. Fold in potato mixture. Pour into 5 cup mold or individual molds. Chill overnight or until very firm. Unmold on serving plate. Garnish with parsley or chicory sprays. Back to Top Back to Salads & Side Dishes Index Swiss Chard with Raisins and Pistachios Serves 4 to 6 as a side dish *Ingredients* 1 bunch (about 1 pound) Swiss chard, any variety 2 tablespoons olive oil 3 tablespoons minced shallots 2 tablespoons water ¼ cup raisins ½ cup toasted shelled Organic Santa Barbara PistachiosGrated zest of 1 lemon Coarse (kosher) salt and freshly ground pepper to taste Directions Rinse the chard and cut the ribs off the leaves. Cut the ribs into ½ inch dice and set aside. Stack the leaves and cut them into ½ inch strips. Set the leaves aside separately. Heat the oil over medium heat in a large, heavy pot or large, deep skillet (preferably nonstick) with tight-fitting lid. Add the shallots and chard ribs. Cook, uncovered, until soft, about 5 minutes. Add the chard leaves and cook, stirring frequently, about 1 minute. Add the water, most of the lemon zest, and the raisins. Cover the pot and cook stirring occasionally, until the chard is tender and the water has almost evaporated, 4 to 8 minutes. If the water evaporates before the chard is tender, add an additional splash of water. Remove the pot form the heat. Stir in the pistachio kernels and season with salt and pepper to taste. Garnish with the remaining lemon zest and serve immediately. Back to Top Back to Salads & Side Dishes Index Summer Salad Yield: 2 servings Ingredients Salad 2 boneless chicken breast halves ¼ teaspoon salt 4 cups mixed baby greens ¼ ounce Manchego cheese, very thinly sliced 6 pitted black olives, halved 2 anchovy fillets, chopped 1 avocado, halved, pitted 2 eggs, hard-boiled, peeled, quartered or sliced 6 cherry tomatoes, halved ¼ cup roasted shelled Organic Santa Barbara Pistachios, coarsely chopped Freshly ground pepper Vinaigrette 1 tablespoon sherry wine vinegar 1 shallot, peeled, chopped 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard 3 tablespoons olive oil *Directions* Heat grill to high. For vinaigrette, whisk together vinegar, shallot and mustard in a medium bowl; whisk in oil. Set aside. Season chicken breast with salt and pepper to taste. Grill, turning once, until golden and cooked through, about 18 minutes. Remove from grill; cool. Meanwhile, toss together lettuce, cheese, olives and anchovies in a large bowl. Divide mixture between two plates. Remove avocado flesh from shell; slice thinly. Slice chicken into strips. Garnish salad evenly with avocado, egg, tomatoes and pistachios; top with chicken slices. Whisk dressing to blend together; drizzle dressing evenly over both salads. Back to Top Back to Salads & Side Dishes Index Arugula Salad with Pistachios *Ingredients* 4 teaspoons Balsamic Vinegar ¼ cup Calolea Extra Virgin Olive Oil 3 bunches of arugula, torn into bite size pieces 1/3 cup garlic onion pistachio kernels Sea salt and fresh ground pepper to taste 1 ½ tablespoons chopped fresh chives or green onion *Directions* Combine vinegar, salt and pepper in a small bowl. Slowly whisk in oil in thin stream. Adjust seasoning. Toss vinaigrette with arugula in medium bowl. Divide among plates. Sprinkle with pistachio kernels and serve. Back to Top Back to Salads & Side Dishes Index Green Salad with Pistachios and Almond Butter Vinaigrette Serves 6 *Ingredients* 6 cups arugula or mixed greens ¾ cup fresh pomegranate seeds ¾ cup chopped, roasted shelled Organic Santa Barbara Pistachios Dressing: ½ cup extra-virgin olive oil 1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon raspberry vinegar ¼ cup smooth almond butter, room temperature Salt and pepper to taste *Directions* Place greens in a large salad bowl. Whisk together olive oil, almond butter and vinegar in a small bowl until smooth; season with salt and pepper. Toss with greens. Divide greens among four salad plates and top with pistachios and pomegranate seeds. Back to Top Back to Salads & Side Dishes Index Pistachio Fruit Gelatin Salad Makes 6 servings *Ingredients* 1 3 ounce package pineapple-flavored gelatin ¼ teaspoon salt 1 ½ cups hot liquid (drained pineapple juice and boiling water) 2 teaspoons lemon juice 1 3 ounce package cream cheese, softened ½ cup mayonnaise or salad dressing 1 cup crushed pineapple drained ½ cup maraschino cherries, sliced 1/3 cup finely chopped shelled Organic Santa Barbara Pistachios *Directions* In a bowl dissolve pineapple gelatin and salt in combined hot water and pineapple juice. Add lemon juice, cream cheese and mayonnaise. Whisk until well blended. Chill until partially congealed. Whisk again until fluffy. Fold in well-drained pineapple, cherries and pistachios. Pour into 1 quart mold or individual molds. Chill overnight or until very firm. Unmold on crisp lettuce or watercress. Back to Top Back to Salads & Side Dishes Index Persimmon or Apricot, Candied Pistachio, and Goat Cheese Salad Serves 10 to 12. Preparation Time: 10 minutes Total Time: 30 minutes Ingredients Salad ½ cup whole shelled Organic Santa Barbara Pistachios ¼ teaspoon extra-virgin olive oil 2 tablespoon sugar ¾ pound escarole, washed and spun dry 4 ounces dried persimmons or apricots, thinly sliced 8 ounces fresh goat cheese ¾ pound endive, trimmed, leaves separated Kosher salt Freshly ground black pepper Vinaigrette ¼ cup Champagne vinegar 1 small shallot, finely minced ½ cup extra-virgin olive oil Kosher salt Freshly ground black pepper *Directions* Whisk together vinegar, shallot, and olive oil for the vinaigrette; season to taste with salt and pepper. Set aside. Toss pistachios with olive oil in a medium sauté pan over medium heat until they begin to pop. Sprinkle with sugar and stir. Add ¼ teaspoon salt and a few grinds of pepper; remove pan from heat. Continue to toss pistachios until sugar hardens. Cool and chop coarsely. Cut the escarole leaves into thin strips and toss in a large bowl with ¼ cup vinaigrette and the persimmons. Add more vinaigrette to taste. Sprinkle pistachios and crumble goat cheese over the top. Place a spoonful of salad into the endive leaves and serve. Back to Top Back to Salads & Side Dishes Index Beet and Goat Cheese Salad with Pistachios Makes 8 servings. Active time: 30 minutes Start to finish: 2 ½ hours *Ingredients* 3 large red beets (1 2/3 lbs without greens) 2 large golden beets (1 lb without greens) ¼ cup minced shallot 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice ¾ teaspoon salt ¼ teaspoon black pepper ¼ cup pistachio oil 4 oz soft mild goat cheese 3 tablespoons salted shelled shelled Organic Santa Barbara Pistachios, coarsely chopped 1 oz mache (also called lamb’s lettuce), trimmed (4 cups) 2 ½ inch round cookie cutter (without handle; at least 2 inches high) *Directions* Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Separately wrap red and golden beets tightly in double layer of foil in middle of oven until tender, 1 to 1 ½ hours. Unwrap beets. While beets are cooking, whisk together shallot, lemon juice, salt and pepper in a small bowl, then add oil in a stream, whisking. When beets are cool enough to handle, slip off and discard skins. Separately cut red and golden beets into ¼ inch dice and put in separate bowls. Add 1 ½ tablespoons dressing to each bowl and toss to coat. Place cookie cutter in center of 1 of 8 salad plates. Put 1/8 of red beets in cutter and pack down with your fingertips. Crumble 2 teaspoons goat cheese on top, then 1/8 of golden beets, packing them down. Gently lift cutter up and away from stack. Make 7 more servings in same manner. Drizzle each plate with 1 teaspoon dressing and scatter with some pistachios. Toss mache with just enough remaining dressing to coat and gently mound on top of beets. Serve immediately. Notes: Beets can be roasted and diced 1 day ahead and chilled, covered. Bring to room temperature before using. Molded beet salad (without mache) can be assembled 45 minutes ahead and kept, covered, at cool room temperature. Back to Top Back to Salads & Side Dishes Index Pistachio Brussels Sprouts Servings: 8 Time: 30 minutes *Ingredients* 2 pints (4 cups) very fresh Brussels sprouts 1 teaspoon coarse sea salt 1 tablespoon fresh lime juice 6 to 8 tablespoons pistachio oil ¾ cup salted shelled Organic Santa Barbara Pistachios, chopped Freshly ground black pepper *Directions* Rinse the brussels sprouts well to remove any grit. Trim the bottoms and peel off as many leaves from each sprout as you can, trimming a little more to release more leaves. Slice the inner cores into fine shreds. Add the salt and sprouts to a pot of boiling water; cook until tender, 3 to 5 minutes. Drain the sprouts well; transfer to a serving bowl lined with paper towels and pat dry. Remove and discard the towels. Toss with lime juice; add the pistachio oil and pepper to taste. Sprinkle with the pistachios; serve warm or at room temperature. Back to Top Back to Salads & Side Dishes Index Garden Fresh Pistachio Pasta Salad Makes 8 servings *Ingredients* 6 oz. rotini or shell macaroni Salted water Oregano dressing, recipe follows 2 cups torn fresh spinach 1 cup each chopped tomato and blanched pea pods ¼ cup chopped, shelled Organic Santa Barbara Pistachios Pepper Grated Parmesan cheese, optional *Directions* Cook rotini in boiling water according with package directions; drain. Add drained pasta to Oregano Dressing; cool at room temperature and marinate. To serve, combine pasta and marinade with spinach, tomato, pea pods, pistachios and pepper to taste. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese. *Oregano Dressing: Combine ¼ cup each Calolea Extra Virgin olive oil and red balsamic vinegar, ¾ teaspoon crushed oregano and 1/8 teaspoon garlic powder. Makes ½ cup Back to Top Back to Salads & Side Dishes Index Seared Paneer Patties with Pistachios* Makes 16 patties *Ingredients* 1 tablespoon cumin seeds 4 tablespoons chopped shelled Organic Santa Barbara Pistachios2 disk Fresh Paneer Cheese, crumbled 1 ½ tablespoons grated ginger root 2 fresh hot green chiles, such as jalapeno, seeded and minced ½ teaspoon each, salt and pepper, or to taste 1 cup loosely packed chopped cilantro, fresh basil or thyme can be substituted for cilantro, if desired. ½ cup farina or cream of wheat 2 cups leafy greens Cooking spray or vegetable oil *Directions* Heat a large heavy skillet over medium heat and toast cumin seeds and pistachios until fragrant, shaking skillet occasionally to prevent burning, 1 or 2 minutes. Remove from heat. In a large mixing bowl, combine paneer, ginger, chiles, salt, pepper, cilantro, pistachios, and cumin seeds, and mix with fingers until evenly distributed. Sprinkle in a little water or whey, if necessary, to help dry mixture hold together when squeezed tightly. Moisten hands with water and from mixture into 16 balls. Set aside on a plate. Lightly spray or oil toasting skillet and heat over medium heat. Press one cheese ball firmly between your palms, squeezing tightly, to make a patty. Dip fingers into farina and pat to lightly coat both sides of patty. Place a few patties into hot skillet (Don’t crowd the pan –patties are very delicate until cooked). Brown slowly, on each side, about 5 minutes per side, until crust is golden and crispy. Repeat with remaining patties, spraying or brushing skillet lightly with oil, as necessary. Line a platter with greens. Transfer patties, as they are finished, to platter. Serve warm or at room temperature. Serve with lime wedges and ketchup at a tea time or for snacks. Back to Top Back to Salads & Side Dishes Index Pistachio Rice Stuffing Makes 6 cups stuffing. *Ingredients* 1 cup uncooked wild rice, washed and drained 1 cup uncooked white rice 1 large onion, chopped 1 cup sliced celery 2 tablespoons butter or margarine 1/3 cup chopped shelled Organic Santa Barbara Pistachios 1/3 cup finely chopped parsley ½ teaspoon curry powder ½ teaspoons dried sweet basil 1 ½ teaspoons salt ½ teaspoon pepper *Directions* Cook wild rice and white rice according to package directions. While rice is cooking, sauté onion and celery in butter or margarine until tender; then combine with the cooked wild rice and white rice. Add pistachios, parsley, curry powder, basil, salt and pepper. Mix together well. Back to Top Back to Salads & Side Dishes Index SWEET SNACKS & DESSERTS Pistachio Gelato Cardamom and Pistachio Cake with Orange Syrup Pistachio Cake with Berry Sauce Pistachio Cake Pistachio Custard Cake Pistachio Brittle Cheesecake Pistachio Halva Pistachio Cranberry Icebox Cookies Pistachio Cranberry Cookies Pistachio Butter Cookies Super Sugar Cookies Pistachio Nut Stars of India Pistachio Biscotti Lemon-tipped Pistachio Biscotti Orange Chocolate Pistachio Biscotti Rosemary Biscotti Lemon, Black Pepper, and Anise Biscotti Pumpkin Cheesecake with Gingersnap Crust Cherry Pie with Pistachios Pistachio Pie Pineapple Pistachio Pie Pistachio Caramel Roll Pistachio Ice Cream Pistachio “Salami” Pistachio Cookies Chocolate Pistachio Cookies Pistachio Nut Praline Cookies Pistachio Florentines Carrot Pistachio Cake and Cupcakes Pistachio Cupcakes with Raspberries Pistachio Semolina Honey Cake A Terrine of Chocolate with Pistachio Sauce Pistachio Fudge Pistachio Madeleines Pistachio Lemon Macaroons Pistachio Diamonds Pistachio Lemon Bars Pistachio Lemon Logs Pistachio Tassies Pistachio and Grape Caramel Tart Apple Tart in Pistachio Pastry Caramel Pistachio Brownies Pistachio White Chocolate Chip Cookies Pistachio White Chocolate Mousse Cake Chocolate Pistachio Torte with Warm Chocolate Ganache Sicilian Pistachio Pound Cake Cornmeal Pistachio Rusks Chocolate Pistachio Phyllo Rolls Pistachio and Sesame Phyllo Rolls Pear Clafouti with Pistachios Pistachio Clafouti (Daniel Boulud’s) Pistachio Stuffed Baked Apples Baked Nectarines with Pistachios Honey Roasted Peach Croustade with Pistachios and Honey Sweetened Greek Yogurt The Ultimate Pistachio Pudding Homemade Pistachio Pudding Pistachio Crème Brulee with Sour Cherry Sauce Pistachio Jack Meltaways Pistachio Gelato *Ingredients* 4 cups whole milk 1 cup sugar 3 tablespoons cornstarch 1 ¼ cup Organic Santa Barbara Pistachios Meal/Flour *Directions* Bring 3 cups of the milk to a simmer medium saucepan over medium heat; remove from heat. Meanwhile combine remaining 1 cup of milk, sugar and cornstarch in a bowl, then stir into hot milk. Return pan to heat and cook, stirring until mixture thickens slightly for 8-10 minutes. Put pistachio meal into a bowl, and then stir in hot milk mixture. Allow cooling, then covering with plastic and refrigerating overnight. Strain mixture through a fine sieve into a medium bowl, pressing on ground pistachios with the back of a wooden spoon. Out 2-3 tablespoons of left over mixture from the sieve into the bowl as well. Process mixture in an ice cream maker according with manufacturer’s direction. Back to Top Back to Sweet Snacks & Desserts Index Cardamom and Pistachio Cake with Orange Syrup Makes 8 servings Ingredients Cake ¼ cup flour ¼ cup cornmeal 1 tablespoon baking powder ½ tablespoon ground cardamom ½ tablespoon salt ½ tablespoon ground cloves ½ cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, at room temperature 1 ½ cups firmly packed dark brown sugar 3 large eggs 1 tablespoon grated orange rind 2/3 cup milk 2/3 cup shelled unsalted shelled Organic Santa Barbara Pistachios finely chopped Orange Syrup ¼ cup sugar 2 tablespoon honey ¼ cup orange juice *Directions* Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Generously grease an 8” x 8” baking pan. For the cake, in a medium bowl stir together flour, cornmeal, baking powder, cardamom, salt, and cloves. In a large bowl, beat butter and sugar with a mixer until light and fluffy. Beat in eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in orange rind. Alternately fold in the flour mixture and milk, beginning and ending with flour mixture. (Mixture may appear curdled; don’t worry.) Fold in nuts. Spoon batter into prepared pan, smoothing top. Bake 35 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center of the cake comes out clean. Cool in pan on a wire rack. To make the syrup, in a small sauce pan stir together sugar, honey, and orange juice. Bring to a boil, reduce to a simmer, and cook 3 minutes. Cool to lukewarm. Spoon warm syrup over cool cake. Cool completely before serving. Recipe by Sandra Rose Gluck Back to Top Back to Sweet Snacks & Desserts Index Pistachio Cake with Berry Sauce Servings: 8 to 10 Total time: 1 hour 15 minutes plus 30 to 60 minutes for maceration Ingredients Butter for cake pan 1 cup shelled Organic Santa Barbara Pistachios 6 large eggs, separated, at room temperature 1 cup plus 1 tablespoon sugar, divided 4 tablespoons lime juice, divided ½ cup panko or fine dry bread crumbs ½ teaspoon cream of tartar ½ teaspoon kosher salt 1 pint strawberries, hulled and rinsed 1 tablespoon Cointreau of Grand Marnier Crème fraiche or whipped cream for garnish Directions Heat the oven to 325 degrees. Butter the bottom of a 10 inch springform pan. Line with baking parchment cut to fit and butter the paper. Set aside. In a blender, grind the almonds to make a fine meal. Set aside. Using a mixer or whisk, beat the egg yolks with one half cup of the sugar until very light and lemon colored. Beat in 3 tablespoons of the lime juice. Fold in the ground almond and panko. In a clean bowl with clean beaters, whip the egg whites until frothy, then add the cream of tartar and salt. Gradually beat in one half cup of sugar. Continue beating until stiff peaks form. Gently but thoroughly fold into the almond mixture. Spread into the prepared pan. Bake 45 to 55 minutes, until the cake is a rich golden color and the top springs back when touched lightly. Cool in a rack before unmolding and removing the paper. Loosen the edges so the cake will settle evenly as it cools. For the sauce, combine the strawberries, the remaining 1 tablespoon sugar and the remaining lime juice in a glass bowl and let stand 30 minutes to an hour. Drain and puree in a blender. Stir in the liqueur. Serve over cake slices, with crème fraiche or whipped cream for garnish. Note: you can use raspberries for the sauce; strain it before serving. Back to Top Back to Sweet Snacks & Desserts Index Pistachio Cake Makes 8 to 10 servings *Ingredients* 8 ounces raw shelled Organic Santa Barbara Pistachios Genoise 3 ounces semisweet chocolate 3 tablespoons unsalted butter 1/3 cup unsifted cake flour 1 tablespoon granulated sugar ¼ cup granulated sugar ¼ teaspoon baking powder 2 large eggs, room temperature 2 eggs yolks, room temperature 1 teaspoon vanilla Pistachio Bavarian Cream 4 ounces Organic Santa Barbara Pistachios (from above) 2 cups milk 3 tablespoons water 2 teaspoons gelatin 1 cup heavy cream ¼ teaspoon almond extract 4 large egg yolks ¼ cup granulated sugar 1 tablespoon cocoa powder, optional *Directions* Pistachios Bring 1 ½ cups water to boil, pour in the pistachio nuts (4 ounces from the recipe for Bavarian cream and 4 ounces from the ingredients for the decoration), and bring just to the boil. Immediately pour the nuts into a sieve and shake to remove as much moisture as possible. The skins slip off easily while the nuts are moist and warm. Set aside half the nuts. Place half the blanched nuts on a baking sheet and allow them to air dry for 3 hours or as long as overnight. Then place in a preheated 300 degrees oven to roast them slightly, enhancing their flavor but without coloring them (about 5 to 10 minutes). Remove from oven. When the nuts are cool, grind them to the consistency of cornmeal. Set aside until time to decorate the dessert. Genoise Position rack in lower third of oven; preheat oven to 350 degrees. Using a paper towel, grease the bottom and sides of the springform pan with solid shortening. Dust generously with all purpose flour, tilt to coat, tap out excess, and insert a parchment or waxed paper liner. Chop the chocolate into matchstick size pieces and place them with the butter in a 1 ½ quart mixing bowl that fits snugly over another bowl half filled with hot water (140 degrees). (The water temperature can be this high because the addition of butter reduces the risk that the chocolate will scorch.) Stir occasionally until the mixture is melted and smooth; remove from the water; set aside to cool slightly. Pour the flour, 1 tablespoon sugar, and baking powder in that order into a triple sifter. Sift onto a sheet of waxed paper to distribute the ingredients evenly; set aside. Place the eggs and egg yolks in the bowl of a heavy duty mixer. Add the ¼ cup sugar and whisk ingredients by hand to combine. Rest the bowl in a shallow pan, such as 10 inch skillet, filled with 1 inch of hot tap water (120 degrees). To prevent the eggs from setting, whisk them continuously for about 30 seconds, or until the mixture has warmed to body temperature, taking care that the temperature doesn’t exceed 110 degrees. Rub little of the mixture between your thumb and forefinger; it should feel smooth, not granular. Place the bowl on the mixer, and with the whisk attachment, whip the mixture on medium speed (# 5) until it has cooled and thickened, appears paler in color and resembles a whole egg meringue, and has tripled or more in volume (about 3 minutes). Add the vanilla toward the end of whipping. Test if it’s time to fold in the flour by lifting the whisk. If some of the mixture falls back into the bowl in ribbons and remains on the surface, proceed. But if it sinks back into the batter right away, continue whipping for a few more minutes, or until the desired consistency is achieved. Remove the whisk and bowl from the mixer. With the aid of a flexible metal icing spatula, scoop 1/3 of the flour mixture and sprinkle it over the top. Using a rubber spatula, fold into the batter just until incorporated. Fold the remaining flour in 2 more additions. With the aid of a rubber spatula, gently pour 1/3 of the batter onto the chocolate mixture, and fold until combined. Now pour the rest of the batter onto the chocolate mixture and fold together until combined. Gently pour the batter into the prepared pan, taking care not to deflate the foam structure you’ve created. With the rubber spatula, level and smooth the surface. Bake for 20 to 23 minutes, or until the top springs back slightly when lightly touched and the sides begin to contract the pan. Do not overbake. Place the cake on a rack to cool for 5 to 10 minutes. With mitts, tilt the pan, and gently tap it to see that it has contracted from the sides. If not, or if in doubt, run a small metal spatula or the thin blade of a table knife between the outside cake edge and the metal rim, freeing the sides and allowing air to get under the layer as it is rotated. Then release and remove the outside of the springform pan. Allow to cool completely on rack. When the cake is cool, cover it with another cooling rack, invert it onto the rack, and carefully remove the springform bottom from the cake. Slowly peel off parchment liner, turn it over so that the sticky side faces up, and reposition it on top of the cake. Cover with the first rack, invert the layer right side up, and remove the top rack. Bavarian Cream Rest the sieve on top of a ¾ quart mixing bowl to strain the filling after it has been cooked. Combine the milk and ground pistachios in a 1 ½ quart saucepan and bring just to a boil over medium heat. Remove from the heat and let steep for 10 to 15 minutes. Pour through a second sieve to strain; extract milk form the nuts by pressing them against the sides of the sieve with a rubber spatula. Discard the nuts (their flavor is now in the milk) and measure the flavored milk, adding more milk if needed to make 1 ½ cups. Pour the water into a small bowl, sprinkle the gelatin over it, and set aside until softened. Pour the cream and almond extract into a 1 ½ quart deep mixing bowl, and with an electric hand mixer, whip the cream on medium to high speed (# 8 to # 10) until peaks barely form. Refrigerate until ready to use. Whisk the egg yolks in a 1 quart mixing bowl to combine, add half the sugar, and whisk until completely incorporated. Return the pistachio flavored milk with the other half of sugar to medium heat and bring just to a boil. Remove from heat and pour about half into the egg mixture, whisking until blended. Pour mixture back into saucepan, whisk, and return to medium low heat. Cook the mixture, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon until it registers 165 to 170 degrees on the candy thermometer and is tick enough to coat the back of the spoon (about 45 to 60 seconds). Immediately remove from the heat and pour the mixture through the sieve into the mixing bowl. Add the gelatin; stir to dissolve; then set over a large bowl of ice water. Stir the mixture occasionally to distribute the cold and prevent any lumpiness. When the mixture is syrupy and cooler than room temperature (about 8 to 10 minutes), fold in the chilled, lightly whipped cream with a rubber spatula until combined. If it goes beyond the syrupy stage and develops more body than desired, remove from the cold water and whisk partially setting mixture until smooth. Then fold in the cream. Pour into a container and refrigerate for at least 4 hours or until cold and set. Assemble the Cake Lightly oil the inside rim of the springform pan to facilitate the dessert’s removal. Trim ½ inch from the cake’s edge, using a small paring knife. Place round of parchment or waxed paper inside the pan and the center the genoise on it (this will make it possible to remove the dessert from the metal disk to a serving plate later). The springform pan may leak, so place it on a baking sheet. (Once assembled, the dessert will go into the freezer for a short time to hasten to setting of the cream, so be certain the baking sheet fits in your freezer.) Pour Pistachio Bavarian Cream into the springform pan, being certain that the gap between the trimmed cake and pan is filled, thus completely covering the genoise. The filling will come 1 inch below the springform’s top rim. Place the dessert in the freezer for 30 minutes to hasten the chilling and setting of the Bavarian cream. Cover the top of the pan with foil. Then refrigerate for a least 6 hours preferably overnight. Serving the Cake Up to 6 hours before serving, remove the dessert from the refrigerator and pat a damp sponge all around the outside of the pan. The moisture from the sponge will begin to loosen the Bavarian cream from the inside of the pan. Carefully and slowly release the springs on the pan to unmold. If the springs are stubborn, coax them with a thin bladed knife around edges. Place the reserved ground dried pistachios on a baking sheet. Hold the dessert in one hand directly over the nuts. Tilt the cake slightly. With the other hand, pick up the ground nuts, and gently press them onto the sides and top of the Bavarian cream. Rotate the cake as you work until all the cream is covered. Press lightly with the side of a c lean flexible metal icing spatula to ensure that the nuts adhere neatly. Alternately, coat only the sides of the Bavarian cream with the ground nuts. Optional Decoration Preparation (If desired, make a template for a finishing touch: Buy acetate from an art supply store. (The joy of an acetate template is that it is reusable. To clean, run under water and pat dry.) Trace the letter P from an art book, newspaper, etc., with a pencil or felt pen. Cut it out, using a utility knife. The thinner the acetate, the easier it is to cut. The thicker it is, the easier it is to lift it from the cake after using.) If using the P template, center it on top of the cake. Pour the cocoa into a sieve. Using the palm of your hand for better control of the powder’s flow, gently tap the sieve to sprinkle it evenly over the P. Carefully lift the template. Then slip under the paper a large, wide spatula and transfer the dessert onto a serving plate. Refrigerate until 15 to 30 minutes before serving. By Flo Braker from “The Simple Art of Perfect Baking” (Chronicle, 2003) Recipe © 2003 by Flo Braker. All rights reserved. © 1999-2004 David Leite & Leite’s Culinaria, Inc. All rights reserved. Back to Top Back to Sweet Snacks & Desserts Index Pistachio Custard Cake Serves 8 *Ingredients* 1 ½ sticks unsalted butter, softened, plus more for pan 1 ½ cups plus 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting ½ cup Organic Santa Barbara Pistachios Meal/Flour 1 ½ teaspoon baking powder ¼ teaspoon salt 1 ¾ cups plus 2 tablespoon granulated sugar 7 large egg yolks 3 tablespoons sweet dessert wine, such as Sauternes or Beaumes-de-Venise 1 teaspoon pure almond extract 1 vanilla bean, halved lengthwise, and seeds scraped to loosen 1 ¾ cups whole milk Freshly grated zest of 1 orange 1 tbsp heavy cream 2 tbsp sliced blanched almonds Confectioners’ sugar, for dusting Strawberry-Rhubarb Sauce (recipe follows) *Directions* Cut a 9-inch round of parchment paper to line the bottom of a 9x2 inch round cake pan. Butter and line pan. Butter lining, then flour pan, tapping out excess; set aside. Make dough: Whisk together 2 ¼ cups flour, the pistachio flour, baking powder, and salt in a medium bowl; set aside. Put butter and 1 ½ cups granulated sugar in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Mix on medium speed until pale and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Add 3 egg yolks, one at a time, mixing well after each addition and scraping down sides of bowl. Add wine, extract, and half the vanilla seeds; mix until combined, about 15 seconds. Add flour mixture in two additions, mixing until just combined (do not over mix). Divide dough in half, and flatten each piece into a disk. Wrap disk in plastic wrap. Refrigerate 1 hour. Make custard filling: Prepare an ice water bath; set aside. Fit electric mixer with the whisk attachment. Put 3 eggs yolk and remaining 6 tablespoons sugar in a clean mixing bowl; beat on medium speed until pale yellow and thickened. Add remaining 5 tablespoons flour; beat on low speed until combined. Bring milk, remaining vanilla seeds, and zest to boil in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Pour ½ cup hot-milk mixture into egg mixture, and beat on medium-low speed until combined. Stir mixture into remaining milk in saucepan. Bring to a simmer over medium heat, stirring to reach bottom and sides of pan. Cook until thickened, 1 to 2 minutes. Set pan in ice water bath; stir occasionally until cool, about 20 minutes. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Press 1 piece of dough onto bottom of prepared pan and 1 ½ inches up sides. Spoon custard on top, and spread into an even layer. On a lightly floured surface, roll remaining dough into an 11-inch circle. Drape over pan; trim edges flush with pan. Gently press edges to top crust to meet bottom crust; crimp to edges with a fork to seal. Refrigerate cake 30 minutes. Beat remaining egg yolk and the cream in a small bowl. Brush top of cake with egg wash; sprinkle with almonds. Bake until golden brown, about 35 minutes. Let cool completely in pan on a wire rack. Invert cake to unmold; peel off parchment, and reinvert. Just before serving, dust with confectioners’ sugar. Serve with strawberry-rhubarb sauce. Strawberry-Rhubarb Sauce Makes 2 ½ cups This sauce can be made two days ahead and refrigerated in an airtight container. Reheat over medium-low heat or bring to room temperature before serving. 12 oz. rhubarb (6 to 8 stalks), trimmed and cut into 1-inch pieces 6 tablespoons sugar 1 ½ cups strawberries (8 ounces), hulled and halved ½ teaspoon pure vanilla extract Bring rhubarb, sugar, and ¼ cup water to a simmer in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally. Cook until liquid is reduced by half, about 8 minutes. Stir in strawberries and vanilla; cook until berries are softened, about 3 minutes more. Serve the sauce warm or at room temperature. Back to Top Back to Sweet Snacks & Desserts Index Pistachio Brittle Cheesecake Makes 10 to 12 servings Ingredients Crust 1 5 ½ ounce package shortbread cookies ½ cup shelled Organic Santa Barbara Pistachios ¼ cup sugar ¼ cup (1/2 stick) chilled unsalted butter, diced Filling and Topping 3 8 ounce package cream cheese, room temperature 1 ¼ cups sugar 1 teaspoon ground cardamom 4 large eggs, room temperature 2 ¼ cups sour cream ½ cup pear nectar 2 tablespoon all purpose flour 2 teaspoon vanilla extract 5 ounces good quality white chocolate (such as Lindt or Baker’s) finely chopped *Directions* Crust Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Blend shortbread, pistachios and sugar in processor until nuts are finely ground. Add butter; process until moist clumps form. Press onto bottom of 9 inch diameter springform pan with 2 ¾ inch high sides. Wrap outside of pan with foil. Bake crust until golden, about 15 minutes. Cool crust. Filling and Topping Beat cream cheese, sugar and cardamom in a large bowl until smooth. Beat in eggs 1 at a time. Add 1 cup sour cream, pear nectar, flour and vanilla and beat until blended. Pour filling over crust. Bake cheesecake until puffed at edges and softly set in center, about 1 hour 5 minutes. Transfer cheesecake to rack; let cool 10 minutes. Meanwhile, stir chocolate in top of double boiler set over barely simmering water until smooth (do not allow bottom to touch water). Cool chocolate to lukewarm; whisk in remaining 1 ¼ cups sour cream. Spread topping over warm filling. Refrigerate cake uncovered overnight. Cut around pan sides; release pan sides. Place cake on platter. Stand brittle pieces on edge in topping on cheesecake. Back to Top Back to Sweet Snacks & Desserts Index Pistachio Brittle Makes approximately 36 pieces *Ingredients* 1 cup Organic Santa Barbara Pistachios 1 cup sugar ½ cup butter or margarine, melted 2 tablespoons water 1 tablespoon light corn syrup 1/8 teaspoon lemon extract or vanilla *Directions* Place pistachios on baking sheet; bake in 300 degrees oven to keep warm while preparing candy. Combine sugar, butter, water and corn syrup in saucepan. Cook, without stirring, to soft crack stage (275 degrees) on candy thermometer. Add lemon extract and pistachios. Pour onto foil lined baking sheet. Cool. Break into serving size pieces. Back to Top Back to Sweet Snacks & Desserts Index Pistachio Halva Makes approximately 20 squares *Ingredients* 1 cup shelled Organic Santa Barbara Pistachios (unsalted) 1 cup boiling water 2 tablespoons milk 1 cup sugar 4 teaspoons butter Few drops vanilla essence or some ground cardamom powder *Directions* In a bowl, pour the boiling water over the pistachios, let soak for 30 minutes. Grease and line the bottom of a 7 inch square tin. Drain nuts, process in blender or food processor. Add milk and process until finely chopped. Stir in sugar. Melt butter in a large non stick frying pan. Add nut paste. Cook for 15 minutes stirring, mixture will get very tick. Add vanilla essence or cardamom powder to taste. Spread evenly into prepared tin. Leave to cool, cut into small squares. Will keep 2 to 3 weeks in fridge. This is based on an Indian dessert recipe, it can be eaten on its own like fudge, or it can be rolled into balls and served with cream. Wonderful dessert after a spicy curry. If using the cardamom powder, rosewater can be added as an additional flavoring, add approximately 1 tablespoon at the same time as the cardamom. Back to Top Back to Sweet Snacks & Desserts Index Pistachio Cranberry Icebox Cookies Makes about 3 dozen cookies. Active time: 20 minutes. Total time: 2 ½ hr. *Ingredients* 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour ½ teaspoon cinnamon ¼ teaspoon salt ¾ cup (1 ½ sticks) unsalted butter, softened ¼ cup plus 2 tbsp granulated sugar ½ teaspoon finely grated fresh orange zest ½ cup shelled shelled Organic Santa Barbara Pistachios 1/3 cup dried cranberries (1 ¼ oz) 1 large egg, lightly beaten ¼ cup decorative sugar (preferably coarse) Parchment paper *Directions* Stir together flour, cinnamon, and salt in a bowl. Beat together butter, granulated sugar, and zest in a large bowl with an electric mixer at medium-high speed until pale and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Reduce speed to low and add flour mixture in 3 batches, mixing until dough just comes together in clumps, then mix in pistachios and cranberries. Gather and press dough together, then divide into 2 equal pieces. Using a sheet of plastic wrap or wax paper as an aid, form each piece of dough into a log about 1 ½ inches in diameter. Square off long sides of each log to form a bar, then chill, wrapped in plastic wrap, until very firm, at least 2 hours Put oven racks in upper and low thirds of oven and preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line 2 large baking sheets with parchment paper. Brush egg over all 4 long sides of bars (but not ends). Sprinkle decorative sugar on a separate sheet of parchment or wax paper and press bar into sugar, coating well. Cut each bar crosswise into ¼-inch-thick slices, rotating bar after cutting each slice to help keep square shape. (If dough gets too soft to slice, freeze bars briefly until firm.) Arrange cookies about ½ inch apart on lined baking sheets. Bake cookies, switching position of sheets halfway through baking, until edges are pale golden, 15 to 18 minutes total. Transfer cookies from parchment to racks using a slotted spatula and cool completely. Dough bars can be chilled up to 3 days or frozen, wrapped in plastic wrap and then foil, 1 month (thaw frozen dough in refrigerator just until dough can be sliced) Cookies keep in an airtight container at temperature 5 days. Back to Top Back to Sweet Snacks & Desserts Index Pistachio Cranberry Cookies Servings: about 3 dozen cookies Time: 30 to 40 minutes *Ingredients* 1 ¾ cups flour 1 teaspoon baking powder ¾ teaspoon baking soda ½ teaspoon kosher salt ¾ cup (1½ sticks) unsalted butter, softened 1¼ cups packed light brown sugar 1 large egg 1 teaspoon vanilla 1 cup shelled salted Organic Santa Barbara Pistachios, coarsely chopped ½ cup sundried cranberries (or dried cherries or diced dried apricots) *Directions* Stir together the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt and set aside. Cream the butter and brown sugar together with a wooden spoon until smooth. Blend in the egg and vanilla. Gradually blend in the dry ingredients until well mixed. Stir in the nuts and cranberries. Drop the dough by tablespoons onto ungreased baking sheets, leaving about 2 inches between each. Bake the cookies in a 375 degree oven until light golden brown (centers should be soft), about 10 minutes. Remove from oven and let stand 2 minutes, then transfer to a rack to cool completely. Back to Top Back to Sweet Snacks & Desserts Index Pistachio Butter Cookies Serving: 7 dozen Total Time: 1 hour, 10 minutes *Ingredients* 2 cups flour ½ teaspoon salt ½ teaspoon baking powder 1 ¾ cups raw, shelled and unsalted shelled Organic Santa Barbara Pistachios, finely ground in a food processor (scant 2 cups ground) or Organic Santa Barbara Pistachio Butter ¾ pound (3 sticks) butter 1 cup granulated sugar 1 teaspoon vanilla extract 1 large egg *Directions* Heat the oven to 350 degrees. In a large bowl, sift together the flour, salt and baking powder, then add the ground pistachios and set aside. Using a electric mixer with paddle attachment, cream together the butter, sugar and vanilla until the mixture becomes pale yellow and creamy, 2 to 3 minutes. Add the egg and continue to mix. The batter should be very light and fluffy. Add the flour mixture to the butter mixture all at once and mix just to incorporate. Fill a pastry bag fitted with a large star tip, pipe the dough into small rosettes onto parchment lined baking sheets. Bake until lightly golden and just lightly browned around the edges, about 14 to 15 minutes. Remove to a wire rack to cool. Back to Top Back to Sweet Snacks & Desserts Index Super Sugar Cookies Yields 3 dozen *Ingredients* 1 cup shelled Organic Santa Barbara Pistachios or 1 cup Organic Santa Barbara Pistachio Flour/Meal 1 cup all purpose flour 1 cup whole wheat flour 1 teaspoon tablespoon baking powder ½ teaspoon tablespoon salt ½ teaspoon tablespoon ground cinnamon ¾ cup granulated sugar ½ cup canola oil 1 large egg 2 teaspoons tablespoons honey 1 teaspoon tablespoon vanilla extract All natural colored decorators’ sugar *Directions* Finely chop pistachios in a food processor. Whisk the all purpose flour, whole wheat flour, pistachios, baking powder, salt and cinnamon in a bowl. In a separate bowl, combine the sugar and canola oil and beat on medium speed until well blended, about 1 minute. Add the egg, honey and vanilla, and continue to beat until smooth, about 1 minute. On low speed, gradually beat in the dry ingredients until just combined. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and place in the refrigerator to chill until firm, at least 1 hour. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Generously coat two large baking sheets with nonstick cooking spray and set aside. On well-floured surface, with floured rolling pin, roll out a quarter of the dough 1/8” tick. Keep the rest of the dough refrigerated. With a cookie cutter (dreidel, star, etc.), cut dough into shapes. Use a spatula to place the cookies on a prepared baking sheet; sprinkle well with decorator’s sugar. Bake about 7 minutes or until golden brown. Cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes. Transfer cookies to a wire rack and cool completely. Repeat with remaining dough. Back to Top Back to Sweet Snacks & Desserts Index Pistachio Nut Stars of India Makes 36 *Ingredients* 1 cup butter ½ cup granulated sugar ¼ cup packed brown sugar 2 tablespoon vanilla yogurt 1 egg 2 ½ cups all purpose flour 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon ¼ to ½ teaspoon ground cardamom ¼ teaspoon salt 2 cups finely chopped pistachio nuts 2 lightly beaten egg whites ½ cup orange marmalade ¼ cup powdered sugar *Directions* In a large mixing bowl beat first 4 ingredients with an electric mixer on medium to high speed till creamy. Add whole egg; beat well. Beat in flour, cinnamon, cardamom, and salt. Stir in nuts. Divide dough in half. Cover; chill for 2 hours. On a floured surface, roll each half of dough 1/8 inch thick. Using a 3-inch star cookie cutter, cut out 36 stars from each half of the dough, rerolling scraps as needed. Place on lightly greased baking sheets. With a small star shaped cutter, cut stars from centers of half of the stars. Brush all cookies with egg whites. Bake cookies in a 375 degrees oven for 8 to 10 minutes or until lightly browned. Cool on wire racks. To assemble cookies, spread dull side of each whole star with ½ teaspoon marmalade. Top each with a cut out cookie, shiny side up. Press cookies together gently. Sift powdered sugar lightly atop. Back to Top Back to Sweet Snacks & Desserts Index Pistachio Biscotti Makes 18 cookies Preparation Time: 15 minutes plus standing Baking Time: 50 to 54 minutes *Ingredients* 3 cups all purpose flour 1 ½ teaspoons baking powder ¼ teaspoon salt 3 large eggs 1 cup sugar ¼ cup butter or margarine, melted ¼ cup vegetable oil 1 teaspoon vanilla extract ½ teaspoon almond extract ½ teaspoon grated lemon peel 1 cup shelled Organic Santa Barbara Pistachios, chopped *Directions* Heat oven to 325 degrees. Position rack in center of oven. Grease large cookie sheet. Combine flour, baking powder, and salt in medium bowl. Set aside. Whisks eggs, sugar, butter, oil, vanilla, and almond extracts and lemon peel in large bowl. Gradually stir in dry ingredients until smooth. Stir in nuts. Form dough into a 15x4½ inch log on prepared sheet. Bake 30 minutes, until edges are lightly browned and toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool 15 minutes. Keep oven on. With serrated knife, cut lot on angle into eighteen ½ inch thick slices. Lay slices flat on cookie sheet; bake until bottoms of cookies turn golden, 10 to 12 minutes. Turn cookies over and bake 10 to 12 minutes more. Cool cookies on wire racks. (Can be made ahead. Freeze up to 1 month.) Back to Top Back to Sweet Snacks & Desserts Index Lemon-Tipped Pistachio Biscotti Makes 4½ dozen *Ingredients* 5 tablespoons butter or margarine, at room temperature ½ cup sugar 1 ½ teaspoons grated lemon peel 2 large eggs 1 teaspoon vanilla 2 cups all purpose flour 2 teaspoon baking powder 1 cup shelled, salted, roasted Organic Santa Barbara Pistachios, coarsely chopped Lemon icing (recipe follows) *Directions* In a large bowl, beat butter, sugar, and lemon peel until well blended. Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating well after each addition. Stir in vanilla. Mix flour and baking powder; add to butter mixture and stir to blend thoroughly. Mix in nuts. Divide dough on half. On a lightly floured board, shape each portion into a long roll, about 1½ inches in diameter. Place rolls on a greased 12x15 baking sheet, spacing them 3 inches apart. Flatten rolls to make ½ inch thick loaves. Bake in a 350 degrees oven for 15 minutes. Remove from oven and cut loaves crosswise into about ½ inch thick slices. Lay slices, cut side down, on a baking sheet (at this point you need another sheet to bake cookies all at once). Return to oven and bake until biscotti look dry and are lightly browned, about 10 minutes (change pan positions halfway through baking). Transfer biscotti to racks to cool. Spread icing on about 1 inch of 1 end of each biscotti. When icing firms, serve cookies. Or store airtight up to 1 week, or freeze up to 1 month. Lemon icing Mix 1 cup sifted powdered sugar, ½ teaspoon grated lemon peel, and 1 to 1 ½ tablespoon lemon juice –enough to make icing easy to spread. Back to Top Back to Sweet Snacks & Desserts Index Orange Chocolate Pistachio Biscotti Makes 72 Preparation: 15 minutes Bake: 35 to 42 minutes *Ingredients* ½ stick (1/4 cup) butter, softened 1 ¼ cups sugar 1 tablespoon finely grated orange peel 1 teaspoon baking powder 4 large eggs 2 cups flour 2/3 cup semisweet chocolate minichips 2/3 cup lightly salted shelled Organic Santa Barbara Pistachios *Directions* Heat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly grease a large cookie sheet. In a large bowl with mixer on high speed, beat butter, 1cup sugar, the peel and baking powder until well blended. Beat in 3 eggs. On low speed, beat in flour just until blended. Stir in chips and nuts. Turn dough out on a well floured work surface (dough is sticky). Divide dough in quarters. Roll each portion into a 9 inch log. Place logs 3 inch apart on prepared baking sheet. Beat remaining egg in a small bowl with a fork. Brush on logs, then sprinkle with the remaining ¼ cup sugar. Bake 20 to 25 minutes until golden brown. Let cool on sheet on a wire rack 5 minutes. Loosen with a spatula and remove to a cutting board. Wipe cookie sheet with a paper towel. With a long, sharp knife, cut each log diagonally in ½ inch thick slices. Arrange slices upright on cookie sheet. Bake 15 to 17 minutes longer until crisp. Remove to a wire rack to cool (cookies will get even more crisp). Storage tip: Store airtight at room temperature up to 3 weeks or freeze up to 3 months. Back to Top Back to Sweet Snacks & Desserts Index Rosemary Biscotti Makes 16 to 20 biscotti *Ingredients* ¼ cup margarine* or butter 2 tablespoons olive oil 2 cups all purpose flour 1/3 cup sugar 2 eggs 4 teaspoons snipped fresh rosemary or 1¼ teaspoon dried rosemary, crushed 2 teaspoon baking powder ½ teaspoon pepper ¾ cup chopped shelled Organic Santa Barbara Pistachios 1 beaten egg yolk (optional) 1 tablespoon water (optional) *Directions* In a large mixing bowl beat the margarine or butter and olive oil with an electric mixer on medium speed for 30 seconds or till softened. Add 1 cup of the flour, the sugar, the 2 eggs, rosemary, baking powder, and pepper; beat till combined. Stir in remaining flour and the nuts. Divide dough in half. Shape each dough portion into a 6 inch long log, about 2 inches wide. Place the logs about 4 inches apart on a lightly greased cookie sheet. If you want a shinier appearance, stir together the egg yolk and water and brush onto the logs. Bake the dough logs in a 375 degrees oven for 25 minutes. Cool the logs on the cookie sheet on a wire rack for 1 hour. With a serrated knife, cut each log diagonally into ½ to ¾ inch thick slices. Place biscotti slices, cut side down, on an ungreased cookie sheet. Bake slices in a 325 degrees oven for 12 minutes. Turn slices over; bake for 8 to 10 minutes more or till dry and crisp. Transfer from cookie sheet to a wire rack to cool. Store biscotti in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 weeks or transfer then to a freezer container. Freeze for up to 6 months. If using margarine, use one that contains no less than 60 percent vegetable oil for best results. (Spread that contains less than 60 percent vegetable oil contain too much water to produce a crisp cookie texture.) Back to Top Back to Sweet Snacks & Desserts Index Lemon, Black Pepper, and Anise Biscotti* Makes about 4 dozen biscotti *Ingredients* ¾ cup coarsely chopped shelled Organic Santa Barbara Pistachios 1½ teaspoons anise seed 1 cup sugar 1/3 cup finely grated lemon zest 2 cups all purpose flour 1 ½ teaspoons coarsely ground black pepper 1 teaspoon baking powder ¼ teaspoon salt ½ cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, at room temperature 2 large eggs *Directions* Position a rack in middle of oven and preheat to 350 degrees. Generously butter a large baking sheet. Toast almonds on an unbuttered baking sheet for 10 minutes, or until golden brown. Toast anise seeds over medium heat in a small skillet, shaking the pan, for 3 minutes, or until fragrant. Process sugar and zest in a food processor until zest is finely ground. Whisk together flour, anise seed, black pepper, baking powder, and salt in a medium bowl. With an electric mixer, beginning on low speed and increasing to medium-high, beat sugar mixture and butter in a medium bowl until combined well. Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Reduce speed to low, add flour mixture in 3 batches, and beat just until combined. Stir in almonds with a rubber spatula. Halve dough and place both portions on prepared baking sheet. Form each piece into a 16 by 1 inch log, then place logs about 3 inches apart on baking sheet. Smooth each log with damp fingers. Bake, turning pan once, until dough logs are golden brown, about 35 minutes. Let cool on pan for 10 minutes. Loosen logs with a wide metal spatula, carefully transfer to a cutting board, and cut each log into 3/8 inch thick diagonal slices with a sharp knife. Arrange slices on baking sheet and return to oven. Bake, turning cookies over once, until crisp and golden brown on both sides, about 16 minutes. Let cool completely on a wire rack. The biscotti will keep for about 1 month stored in an airtight container. Back to Top Back to Sweet Snacks & Desserts Index Pumpkin Cheesecake with Gingersnap Pistachio Crust Serves 10 *Ingredients* Crust 1 ½ cups gingersnap cookie crumbs ½ cup Organic Santa Barbara Pistachios Flour/Meal 6 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted ¼ cup sugar Filling 1 ½ pounds cream cheese, at room temperature ½ cup packed light brown sugar ¼ cup granulated sugar 2 large eggs 2 large egg yolks 1 ½ tablespoons all purpose flour 2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice 1 cup solid pack pumpkin puree (not pumpkin pie mix) ½ cup sour cream 2 teaspoons purée vanilla extract *Directions* Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly butter an 8 or 8 ½ inch springform pan. To make crust, stir together all ingredients in a medium bowl until crumbs are moistened. Press mixture over bottom and up sides of prepared pan. Bake crust for 10 minutes. Let cool completely on a wire rack. Increase oven temperature to 425 degrees. To make filling, with an electric mixer on a medium speed, beat cream cheese, brown sugar, and granulated sugar in a large deep bowl until light and fluffy. Beat in eggs and then egg yolks one at a time, beating well after each addition. Add flour and pumpkin spice and beat on low speed just until combined. Add pumpkin puree, sour cream, and vanilla just until combined. Pour filling into a shell. Place cheesecake on a baking sheet and bake for 15 minutes. Reduce oven temperature to 250 degrees and continue baking for 1 hour. Turn oven off and let cheesecake cool in oven for 2 ½ hours, then transfer to a wire rack and let cool to room temperature. Refrigerate, tightly covered, for at least 10 hours, until thoroughly chilled and set, or for up to 2 days. To serve, run a knife around side of cheesecake and remove side of pan. Serve slightly chilled or at room temperature, cut into wedges with a sharp knife dipped into hot water and wiped clean after each cut. Back to Top Back to Sweet Snacks & Desserts Index Cherry Pie with Pistachios Makes 8 servings. Hands-on time: 25 minutes. Total time: 1 hour, 45 minutes. Pastry for 1 piecrust. Note: If using Bing cherries, reduce the sugar to ¾ cup *Ingredients* 6 cups sour cherries, pitted ¼ cup cornstarch 1 ¼ cups sugar ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon ¼ shelled green shelled Organic Santa Barbara Pistachios, coarsely chopped 1 egg, beaten 1 pint pistachio ice cream *Directions* Heat oven to 400 degrees. Roll the piecrust into a 13 inch circle and fit in a 9 inch pie plate, allowing extra pastry to drape over the edge. In a medium bowl, combine the cherries, cornstarch, sugar, and cinnamon; spoon into the pastry and scatter with the pistachios. Fold the extra pastry over the filling, pleating it so that it lies flat. Brush the pastry with eggs and sprinkle with additional sugar (about 1 tablespoon). Bake 40 to 45 minutes or until the crust is golden. Cool in a rack for 45 minutes. Serve with the ice cream. Back to Top Back to Sweet Snacks & Desserts Index Pistachio Pie Makes 1 9 inch pie. *Ingredients* 3 eggs 2/3 cup sugar ½ teaspoon salt 1/3 cup melted butter or margarine 1 cup dark corn syrup 1 cup shelled Organic Santa Barbara Pistachios 1 unbaked 9 inch pie shell *Directions* Beat eggs thoroughly with sugar, salt, melted butter and syrup. Add pistachios. Pour into unbaked 9 inch pie shell. Bake in moderate oven (350 degrees) 50 minutes, or until knife inserted into center of filling comes out clean. Back to Top Back to Sweet Snacks & Desserts Index Pineapple Pistachio Pie Makes 1 9 inch pie. *Ingredients* ¼ cup butter or margarine ½ cup brown sugar firmly packed 2 tablespoons flour 1 teaspoon vanilla ¼ teaspoon salt 3 eggs, beaten 1 cup dark corn syrup 1 cup chopped shelled Organic Santa Barbara Pistachios 1 can (1 pound 4 ounces) pineapple tidbits, well drained 1 unbaked 9 inch pie shell *Directions* Cream thoroughly butter, sugar, flour, vanilla and salt. Blend in eggs and corn syrup. Fold in pistachios and pineapple. Pour into pie shell. Bake in moderate oven (325 degrees) 45 minutes or until firm. Back to Top Back to Sweet Snacks & Desserts Index Pistachio Caramel Roll Makes 2 ¼ pounds of candy. *Ingredients* ¼ cup butter 3 cups sifted confectioners’ sugar 1/8 teaspoon salt ¼ teaspoon rum flavoring 2 tablespoons hot milk 1 cup brown sugar, firmly packed 2 tablespoons butter ¼ cup milk 1 tablespoon corn syrup ¼ cup toasted chopped shelled Organic Santa Barbara Pistachios 1 (1/2 pound) package caramels (28 caramels) 1-2 tablespoons water 1 cup chopped shelled Organic Santa Barbara Pistachios *Directions* Cream together the butter, confectioners’ sugar, salt and rum flavoring. Stir in hot milk; beat until creamy and smooth. Combine brown sugar, butter, milk and corn syrup. Cook stirring occasionally, until mixture reaches firm ball stage (248 to 250 degrees). Pour over first mixture, beating until smooth and thick. Pour out on buttered platter. When set and easy to handle, knead in the chopped pistachios and form into two rolls. Chill. Heat caramels with water in top of double boiler. Spread caramel mixture on top side roll. Press on chopped pistachios. Turn roll over, spread with more caramel and chopped nuts. Repeat process for other roll. Chill; slice. Back to Top Back to Sweet Snacks & Desserts Index Pistachio Ice Cream Serves 8 *Ingredients* ½ cup raw shelled Organic Santa Barbara Pistachios 4 egg yolks 1 ¼ cups sugar 3 ½ cups milk 2 cups heavy cream *Directions* Chop the pistachios. Beat the egg yolks with the sugar until the sugar is dissolved. Add the milk and cream and heat, stirring, over medium heat until the mixture thickens. Remove from the heat and cool; turn out into an ice cream machine and freeze according to manufacturer’s instructions. Back to Top Back to Sweet Snacks & Desserts Index Pistachio “Salami” Serves 12 *Ingredients* 1/3 cup raw shelled Organic Santa Barbara Pistachios ½ pound hard, dry cookies 2/3 cup sugar 1 stick unsalted butter, softened 1 egg 1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa 1 teaspoon grated lemon zest *Directions* Toast the pistachios in a frying pan for 3 to 5 minutes, watching that they do not burn. Cool. Chop; set aside. Crush the cookies in a bowl; stir in the sugar and butter. Add the egg, half of the cocoa, and the lemon zest. Mix thoroughly until a dough forms. Roll the dough out into the shape of a roll. Roll the log in the chopped pistachio nuts to coat on all sides, and then roll it in the remaining cocoa. Refrigerate for 24 hours, and serve in thin diagonal slices. Back to Top Back to Sweet Snacks & Desserts Index Pistachio Cookies Makes 50 Ingredients 1/2 cup butter 1/4 cup pistachio paste 1 cup light brown sugar, preferably unrefined 1 egg 2 teaspoon vanilla extract 1 cup flour 1 teaspoon baking powder ½ teaspoon salt 50 shelled Organic Santa Barbara Pistachios Directions Preheat the oven to 180 degrees, and cover a cookie sheet with parchment paper. In a medium mixing bowl, combine the flour, baking powder and salt. Stir to mix. In a food processor, cream together the butter, pistachio paste and sugar until well blended. Add in the egg and vanilla, process until smooth. Add in half the flour mixture and mix again. Add in the second half of the flour mixture, and mix until thoroughly combined. Work with two spoons to form balls of dough (about a tablespoon each), and deposit them on the cookie sheet, spacing them so they have room to spread a little. Top each ball with a pistachio. You will probably have to work in two or three batches. Put into the oven to bake for about 12 minutes, or until the edges just start to get slightly golden. Don’t overcook if you want them to be tender inside rather than crispy. Turn them out on a cooling rack. They will still be on the soft side, but will harden as they cool. Back to Top Back to Sweet Snacks & Desserts Index Chocolate Pistachio Cookies Makes about 4 dozen. Hands-on time: 10 minutes. Total time: 1 hour, 20 minutes. *Ingredients* 1 cup butter (1 stick), softened 1 cup sugar 2 eggs 4 ounces semisweet chocolate, melted 1 teaspoon vanilla ½ teaspoon salt 2 ¾ cups all-purpose flour 1 ½ cups shelled Organic Santa Barbara Pistachios, finely chopped *Directions* Beat the butter, sugar and eggs until fluffy. Add the chocolate, vanilla, and salt and mix well. Gradually beat in the flour. Mix in 1 cup of the pistachios. Halve the dough and shape each piece into a log 8 inches long and 2 inches in diameter. Roll each log in the remaining pistachios; wrap separately in plastic and chill until firm, about 1 hour. Heat oven to 375 degrees. Grease 2 cookie sheets. Cut the dough into ¼ inch-thick slices and place on the sheets. Bake 15 minutes or until lightly browned on the bottoms. Remove the cookies with a metal spatula and cool. Plan Ahead Freeze the dough up to 4 months. Thaw at room temperature for 45 minutes or overnight in refrigerator. Back to Top Back to Sweet Snacks & Desserts Index Pistachio Nut Praline Cookies Makes 15 dozens 2 inch cookies. *Ingredients* 2/3 cup butter or margarine 1 cup sugar ½ cup unsulphured molasses 2 eggs ½ teaspoon vanilla 1 ¾ cups sifted flour ½ teaspoon soda ¼ teaspoon salt 2 cups chopped shelled Organic Santa Barbara Pistachios *Directions* Melt butter slowly in saucepan large enough to mixing dough. Cool; stir in sugar and molasses. Add eggs and vanilla; beat well. Sift together flour, soda and salt; gradually add to first mixture. Stir in chopped pistachio nuts. Drop by level teaspoons 2 inches apart on ungreased baking sheets. Bake in moderately hot oven (375 degrees) 8 minutes. Cool slightly (about 12 minutes) before removing from baking sheet. Back to Top Back to Sweet Snacks & Desserts Index Pistachio Florentines Makes about 2 ½ dozen cookies *Ingredients* ½ cup dark corn syrup 1/3 cup sugar ½ cup butter ½ cup plus 2 tablespoons flour ½ cup shelled Organic Santa Barbara Pistachios, chopped *Directions* Combine corn syrup, sugar and butter in small heavy saucepan. Stir over low heat until butter melts and ingredients are well blended. Stir in flour and pistachios. Drop batter by teaspoons at least 2 inches apart onto greased baking sheet. Bake at 350 degrees until pale golden brown, 7 to 9 minutes. Let cool on baking sheet about 1 minute then transfer to rack to cool completely. Back to Top Back to Sweet Snacks & Desserts Index Carrot Pistachio Cake and Cupcakes Servings: 12 and 8 cupcakes *Ingredients* 2 ½ cup flour ½ cup Organic Santa Barbara Pistachios Flour/Meal 1½ cups sugar ½ cup dark brown sugar 1 tablespoon baking soda 2 teaspoon baking powder 1½ teaspoons salt 1 ½ teaspoons cinnamon 1 teaspoon fresh grated nutmeg ½ teaspoon allspice 3 cups grated carrots 1 ½ cups chopped dried apricots 1 ½ cups chopped shelled Organic Santa Barbara Pistachios 4 large eggs 1½ olive oil ½ cup milk 2 tablespoons pure vanilla extract *Directions* Make the batter: Heat the oven to 350 degrees. Butter two 8 inch round cake pans and line an 8 cup muffin pan and set aside. Combine the flour, sugars, baking soda, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, and allspice in a large bowl. Toss the carrots, apricots, and nuts in the flour mixture and set aside. Whisk together the eggs, olive oil, milk, and vanilla in a medium bowl and add to the flour mixture. Stir until just combined. Transfer 3 cups of batter to each cake pan and ¼ cup batter to each cupcake liner. Bake the cakes until a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean, about 40 minutes for cakes and 20 minutes for cupcakes. Cool cakes in the pans on a wire rack for 20 minutes. Release cakes from pans and cool completely on the rack. If freezing, skip to Step 2. Frost with your favorite icing. To freeze: Double wrap the cake layers in plastic wrap or place each one in a large resealable plastic bag, removing excess air. Place cupcakes in a plastic container with an airtight lid and freeze for up to 2 months. Back to Top Back to Sweet Snacks & Desserts Index Pistachio Cupcakes with Raspberries Makes 15 *Ingredients* 1 cup whole unsalted shelled Organic Santa Barbara Pistachios, plus ¼ cup silvered or chopped 1 ½ cups sugar 1 teaspoon salt 4 ounces (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract 4 large eggs 1 cup all-purpose flour 2 cups fresh raspberries *Directions* Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Line standard muffin tins with paper liners. Process whole pistachios, sugar, and salt in a food processor until finely ground. Add butter, vanilla, and eggs, and process until smooth. Add flour, and pulse until just combined. Divide batter among muffin cups, filling each halfway. Sprinkle with raspberries and silvered or chopped pistachios. Bake until firm and pulling away from liners, about 28 minutes. Let cool tins on wire racks. Cupcakes will keep, covered, for up to 2 days. Back to Top Back to Sweet Snacks & Desserts Index Pistachio Semolina Honey Cake Makes 10 servings *Ingredients* Cake Vegetable oil cooking spray 4 large eggs 2/3 cup sugar ½ cup vegetable oil ¾ cup unsifted all purpose flour ¾ cup unsifted semolina 1½ teaspoons baking powder ½ teaspoon salt 1 cup finely ground shelled Organic Santa Barbara Pistachios 1 teaspoon finely grated lemon rind Syrup 1 cup plus 2 tablespoons honey 1 cup water 1 tablespoon lemon juice 1 1-inch piece of honeycomb (optional) 2 tablespoons chopped shelled Organic Santa Barbara Pistachios (optional) *Directions* Prepare cake: Heat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly coat a 10 inch springform pan with cooking spray. In a large bowl, with mixer on high speed, beat eggs and sugar until tick and pale –about 5 minutes. Reduce mixer speed to low and drizzle in oil, beating until blended. In a medium bowl, mix flour, semolina, baking powder, and salt. Whisk into the egg mixture until combined. Stir pistachios and lemon rind into the batter. Spread the batter into the prepared pan. Bake the cake: Place cake on the middle rack of the oven and bake until golden and cake tester or toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean -30 to 35 minutes. Prepare the syrup: Stir 1 cup honey, water, and lemon juice into a 1 quart saucepan and bring to a boil over high heat. Boil until reduced by half –about 10 minutes. Cool to room temperature. Soak the cake: Using a toothpick or skewer, poke deep hole into the hot cake in the pan. Drizzle half of the syrup evenly over top of cake, allowing it to be absorbed, and then pour the remaining syrup over the cake. Cool cake completely. To serve: Carefully transfer cake to a cake plate. Drizzle remaining 2 tablespoons of honey over the top of the cake. Back to Top Back to Sweet Snacks & Desserts Index Terrine of Chocolate with Pistachio Sauce Eight servings *Ingredients* Terrine 9 ounces bittersweet chocolate (Lindt or Tobler are the best choices), coarsely chopped ¾ cup powdered sugar ¾ cup sweet butter 5 eggs, separated Pinch salt Sauce ½ cup raw unsalted shelled Organic Santa Barbara Pistachios 1/3 cup sugar 1 egg white 1 quart milk 8 egg yolks 1 ¼ cups sugar *Directions* Terrine Melt the chocolate in a double boiler over medium heat. Add ½ cup of powdered sugar and stir well. Add the ¾ cup of butter and stir well. Add the 5 egg yolks and stir well. In a small mixing bowl, beat the egg whites with a pinch of salt until stiff. Add the remaining powdered sugar and beat for another half-minute, until the mixture is glossy. Pour the chocolate mixture into a large mixing bowl Add 1/3 of the egg white mixture and, using a rubber spatula, combine. Repeat with the remaining egg whites. Combine well, but not thoroughly. Rinse a springform pan that is 81/2 inches in diameter with water. Leave the pan wet and fill with the mixture. Refrigerate for 24 hours. Remove from the refrigerator 30 minutes before serving. Sauce Toast the nuts in a 300 degree oven for 5 minutes. Cool and remove as much of the skin as possible. Then rinse quickly under boiling water and rub the nuts in a clean kitchen towel to remove the remaining skin. Place the nuts in the bowl of a food processor and puree. Add the sugar and the egg white and process just to combine. In a medium saucepan over low heat, combine 1/3 cup of the pistachio paste (the rest will keep up to a week if tightly sealed in the refrigerator) with the milk. Bring to a boil, remove from heat, cover and steep for 5 minutes. Strain this mixture through cheesecloth into another saucepan and set aside. Whisk together the egg yolks and sugar until thick and light yellow. Slowly add the warm milk, beating between each small addition. When the egg yolks and the milk are completely combined, warm this sauce over medium heat, stirring constantly until it thickens. Remove from heat. Spoon a portion of the sauce in the middle of 8 plates. Place a slice of the chocolate in the center and serve immediately. Back to Top Back to Sweet Snacks & Desserts Index Pistachio Fudge Makes about 2 lbs *Ingredients* 3 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips 1 can (14 oz.) Sweetened Condensed Milk (Not evaporated milk) Dash salt 1 cup chopped shelled Organic Santa Barbara Pistachios 1 ½ tablespoon vanilla extract *Directions* In a saucepan, over low heat, melt chips with sweetened condensed milk and salt. Remove from heat. Stir in pistachios and vanilla. Spread into aluminum foil-lined 8” or 9” square pan. Chill 2 hours or until firm. Turn fudge onto cutting board. Peel off foil and cut into squares. Pistachio Caramel Topping Combine 1 ½ cups roasted pistachio with 6 tablespoon caramel topping. Spread evenly over fudge before chilling. Back to Top Back to Sweet Snacks & Desserts Index Pistachio Madeleines *Ingredients* 13 tablespoons unsalted butter 1 2/3 cups confectioners’ sugar ½ cup plus 1 tablespoon all purpose flour ½ cup shelled unsalted Organic Santa Barbara Pistachios, finely ground 6 large eggs white 1 tablespoon lavender honey 1 teaspoon pistachio extract (or almond extract) Softened unsalted butter and flour for molds *Directions* Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Butter and flour Madeleine tins. In a large saucepan, heat the butter over moderately high heat until it begins to brown and give off a nutty aroma, about 5 minutes. Sift the sugar and flour into a medium sized bowl and stir in the nuts. In the bowl of an electric mixer, whisk the egg whites until frothy. Add the pistachio, flour, sugar mixture and whisk until thoroughly combined. Whisk in brown butter and honey until blended. Add the pistachio (or almond) extract and whisk to blend. Spoon the batter into the molds, filling them almost to top. Refrigerate for an hour to firm the batter. Bake the madeleines about 12 to 15 minutes until springy to the touch. Remove from oven; sharply rap the tins against the surface to loosen the madeleines. Unmold immediately and transfer to rack to cool. Serve slightly warm or at room temperature. Back to Top Back to Sweet Snacks & Desserts Index Pistachio Lemon Macaroons About 30 cookies *Ingredients* 2 cups whole blanched shelled Organic Santa Barbara Pistachios, plus about 30 pistachios for decoration 1 cup granulated sugar 1 large egg Finely grated zest of 1 lemon *Directions* Using a food processor equipped with a metal blade, grind 2 cups pistachios very finely. Add ¾ cup sugar, the egg and lemon zest, and pulse to make cohesive dough. Transfer to a medium bowl, cover and refrigerate for at least 12 hrs. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a nonstick liner. Place remaining ¼ cup sugar in a small bowl. Pinching off pieces of dough about the size of a walnut, roll them first into balls, then into sugar. Gently press a pistachio point first into top of each cookie, so that half the pistachio can be seen. Arrange cookies one inch apart on baking sheet. Bake until cookies have barest hint of color but still remain soft, 8 to 10 minutes. (Cookies must be soft when removed from oven to avoid excess hardening when they cool.) Cool completely, and store in an airtight container. Back to Top Back to Sweet Snacks & Desserts Index Pistachio Diamonds Makes 112 diamonds, 32 triangles Preparation: 15 min. Chill: 1 hr. Freeze: 10 min. per batch Bake: 8 to 10 min. per batch *Ingredients* 2 sticks (1 cup) unsalted butter, softened 1 cup sugar 2 large eggs ½ teaspoon salt 1 teaspoon vanilla extract ½ teaspoon almond extract 3 cups flour White from 1 large egg, beaten with a fork 1 ½ cups shelled Organic Santa Barbara Pistachios ¼ cup coarse (crystal) white sugar *Directions* In a large bowl with mixer on medium speed, beat all ingredients except flour until fluffy. On low speed, add flour and beat just until blended. Divide dough in half, wrap separately and refrigerate 1 hour until firm. Heat oven to 325 degrees. Have cookies sheet(s) ready. On lightly floured waxed paper with a floured rolling pin, roll half into a 12 inch square. Slide onto a cookie sheet and freeze 10 minutes. Cut dough crosswise in 8 strips, then diagonally in 8 strips forming diamonds with triangles around edges. Lift with a flexible metal spatula and place 1 inch apart on ungreased cookie sheet(s). Repeat with remaining dough. Brush dough with egg white; gently press pistachios into dough, then brush pistachios with egg white and sprinkle with coarse sugar. Bake 8 to 10 minutes until edges are lightly browned. Remove to wire racks to cool. Storage tip: Store airtight at cool room temperature up to 1 week or freeze up to 3 months. Back to Top Back to Sweet Snacks & Desserts Index Pistachio Lemon Bars Yield: 16 servings *Ingredients* Crust 1 cup all-purpose flour ¼ cup confectioners’ sugar ¼ teaspoon kosher salt ½ cup cold, unsalted butter, cut into small pieces ¼ cup shelled Organic Santa Barbara Pistachios Filling 2 eggs 1 cup sugar ½ teaspoon baking powder 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour 1 teaspoon grated lemon zest 4 tablespoons fresh lemon juice 1/3 cup shelled Organic Santa Barbara Pistachios Confectioners’ sugar, for garnish *Directions* To make the crust, preheat oven to 350 degrees. Place flour, sugar salt in a food processor and pulse a few times. Add butter and pistachios and process until well combined. Press mixture into the bottom of an 8 inch square pan. Bake until lightly browned, about 20 minutes. Meanwhile, whisk together the filling ingredients. When the crust is baked, pour the filling into the pan and bake until set, about 20 minutes. Let cool. Sprinkle with confectioners’ sugar and cut into 2 inch squares. Back to Top Back to Sweet Snacks & Desserts Index Pistachio Lemon Logs Makes 3 to 4 dozen cookies *Ingredients* ½ cup butter ½ cup shortening ¾ cup brown sugar, firmly packed ¼ teaspoon salt 1 teaspoon finely grated lemon rind 1 tablespoon lemon juice 2 ½ cups sifted flour 1 cup chopped shelled Organic Santa Barbara Pistachios *Directions* Cream butter, shortening and sugar together. Add salt, lemon rind, lemon juice, and flour; mix well. Chill dough until sift. Shape into finger lengths. Roll in chopped pistachios. Bake on ungreased cookie sheet in a hot oven (400 degrees) 10 to 12 minutes. Back to Top Back to Sweet Snacks & Desserts Index Pistachio Tassies Makes 2 dozen *Ingredients* Dough 1 cup unbleached flour 4 oz (1 stick) unsalted butter, cut into 1 inch cubes 3 oz cream cheese Filling 1 cup roasted shelled Organic Santa Barbara Pistachios ¾ cup brown sugar 1 egg 1 teaspoon vanilla extract ¼ teaspoon sea salt 1 tablespoon melted butter, unsalted *Directions* In a food processor fitted with a blade attachment, blend butter and cream cheese. Once smooth, add flour and pulse just until the dough comes together in a mass – a few buttery clumps can remain unmixed. Chill for 2 hours or more. Divide the dough into 24 pieces, roll each into a ball, and place into the cups of an ungreased mini muffin tin.* Using your thumbs, press the dough evenly along the bottom and side of each cup to form shells. At this point, either continue or freeze the shells until you are ready to bake the Tassies. In a food processor fitted with a blade attachment, pulse all filling ingredients briefly, leaving hazelnut pieces of various sizes. Using a small piping bag or spoon, divide the hazelnut mixture equally among the cups, or until each shell is two thirds full. The filling will puff as it bakes. In a 350 degree oven, bake the Tassies until they are lightly browned and filling has set, approximately 15 to 20 minutes. Cool for 10 minutes, and then turn out of the muffin tin. (This is the easiest while the Tassies are still warm.) For dessert, serve with a dollop of sweetened whipped cream. If using a regular muffin tin, only spread the dough halfway up each cup and keep the filling shallow. Recipe by Elizabeth Beekley, Queen of Tarts, Two Tarts Back to Top Back to Sweet Snacks & Desserts Index Pistachio and Grape Caramel Tart* Serves 8 to 10 *Ingredients* 2 cups seedless green grapes 1 cup roasted, salted shelled Organic Santa Barbara Pistachios 1 cup sugar ½ cup water 2 teaspoons grated orange peel About 6 tablespoons whipping cream Graham cracker crust *Directions* Spread grapes level in crust, then scatter pistachios onto fruit. In a 1 ½ to 2 quart pan, stir together sugar and water. Cook over medium low heat until syrup is clear, 15 to 18 minutes; do not stir. As syrup cooks, frequently wash off sugar crystals that form on pan sides with a wet brush. Turn heat to high and boil syrup, uncovered, until the color is golden brown (about 360 degrees on a thermometer), 5 to 7 minutes; do not wash pan sides. Remove from heat and smoothly stir in 6 tablespoons cream, then add peel. Caramel should have the consistency of corn syrup. If thicker, add a little more cream; if thinner, stir over low heat until it thickens. Pour warm glaze evenly over grapes and nuts. Let cool until firm enough to cut, at least 2 or up to 6 hours (glaze melts slowly). Remove pan rim. Graham Cracker Crust Mix 1 ½ cups graham crackers crumbs (about 24 squares), ¼ cup sugar, and 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour. Add 7 tablespoons melted butter or margarine; stir until well mixed. Press over bottom and sides of a 9 inch tart pan with removable rim. Bake in a 350 degrees oven until it turns a slightly darker brown, about 15 minutes. Let cool; if made ahead, cover and chill up until next day. Back to Top Back to Sweet Snacks & Desserts Index Apple Tart in Pistachio Pastry Makes 6 to 8 servings Ingredients 1 ¼ lb. red or green baking apples, cored & thinly sliced (Rome Beauty, Pippin & Granny Smith apples work well) 6 tablespoon sugar, divided 1 ½ cup flour ¾ cup butter, cut into small pieces ½ cup shelled Organic Santa Barbara Pistachios, finely chopped ¾ cup apple jelly, currant jelly, or apricot jam Directions Pastry Combine flour and 4 tablespoons sugar. Blend flour mixture with butter until crumbly yet moist (can clump into balls between fingertips); mix in ¼ cup pistachios. Press gently into 9 inch tart pan with removable bottom. Bake at 450 degrees for 13 – 15 minutes or until light golden brown in center. Cool. Filling Combine apple slices and tablespoons sugar in skillet. Cover and cook over medium heat, stirring twice, for 13 – 15 minutes, or until tender but not limp. Drain apples and cool. To assemble tart, overlap apple slices in pastry shell in a spiral pattern, starting at the edges and working in. Beat with spoon until nearly smooth. (If using apricot jam, force through sieve, then beat.) Spoon jelly evenly over apples. Sprinkle remaining ¼ cup pistachios in a ring around edge of tart. Remove the tart. Remove tart from the pan before serving. Back to Top Back to Sweet Snacks & Desserts Index Caramel Pistachio Brownies Makes 4 servings *Ingredients* Brownie 12 1ounce squares semisweet chocolate ¾ cup (1 ½ sticks) butter or margarine 4 large eggs 1 cup sugar 1 cup unsifted all-purpose flour ½ teaspoon baking powder ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon Caramel ¾ cup water ¾ cup sugar ½ teaspoon lemon juice 1/3 cup heavy cream 3 tablespoons butter, cut into pieces 2 tablespoons shelled Organic Santa Barbara Pistachios Chocolate Glaze 2 1 ounce squares semisweet chocolate, ground 2 tablespoons heavy cream 2 tablespoons butter ¼ cup sweetened whipped cream *Directions* Brownie Heat oven to 350 degrees. Grease an 8 inch square baking pan. If chocolate-glazed brownie area desired, grease and flour 2 inch molds of a scallop-shell-shaped Madeline pan (see Note). In top of double boiler over simmering water, melt chocolate and butter. Meanwhile, in large bowl, beat eggs and sugar until well combined. Slowly beat in melted chocolate mixture. Stir in flour, baking powder, and cinnamon just until combined. Fill shell molds 2/3 full with brownie batter. Spoon remaining batter into greased square baking pan. Bake brownie shells 6 to 7 minutes and square pan 35 to 40 minutes or until top begins to crack. Cool brownies in pans on wire racks. When brownie shells reach room temperature, remove from pans. Caramel In 1 quart saucepan, heat water, sugar and lemon juice to boiling. Cook until mixture becomes golden brown (about 10 minutes). Carefully add heavy cream and cook 2 minutes longer until mixture thickens. Remove pan from heat and stir in butter until well blended. Pour caramel over brownies in square pan tilt pan to make an even layer. Sprinkle caramel with pistachios. Glaze Place ground chocolate in small bowl. In small saucepan, heat cream to boiling. Stir hot cream into chocolate until chocolate melts. Stir in butter until well combined. Coat brownie shells with Chocolate Glaze or drizzle glaze over caramel covered brownie. To serve, cut caramel covered brownies into 4 equal pieces; place pieces on dessert plates. Spoon some whipped cream onto center of each piece and top with chocolate glazed brownie shell. Serve immediately. For a less decadent dessert, prepare brownie without making the brownie shells and cut into 8 pieces. Back to Top Back to Sweet Snacks & Desserts Index Pistachio White Chocolate Chip Cookies Makes 5 dozen *Ingredients* 1 ¼ cups butter or margarine, room temperature 2 cups light brown sugar, packed 2 eggs 2 tablespoons vanilla 2 ½ cups flour 1 tablespoon baking soda 1 tablespoon baking powder ½ cup rolled oats 1 12oz. package white chocolate or vanilla chips 1 1/3 cups shelled Organic Santa Barbara Pistachios, chopped *Directions* Cream butter with sugar. Beat in eggs and vanilla. Combine flour, baking soda, baking powder and oats. Gradually add flour mixture to butter mixture, mix well. Stir in chocolate chips and 1 cup pistachios. Drop batter by heaping teaspoons onto an ungreased cookie sheet, allowing for spreading. Sprinkle and press the remaining pistachios on top of each cookie. Bake at 350 degrees for 8 to 10 minutes until light golden. For chewy cookies, do not overbake. Let cool a while on cookie sheet to set. Back to Top Back to Sweet Snacks & Desserts Index Pistachio White Chocolate Mousse Cake *Ingredients* Cake 1 package (16 ounces) pound cake mix ¾ cup milk 2 eggs ½ cup shelled Organic Santa Barbara Pistachios, chopped 1 teaspoon vanilla extract Filling 1/3 cup butter or margarine, at room temperature 2/3 cup powdered sugar, unsifted 1 egg yolk 3 ounces white chocolate squares, chopped 2 tablespoons heavy cream Topping ½ raspberries ¼ cup shelled Organic Santa Barbara Pistachios, chopped Dark chocolate glaze *Directions* Beat cake mix with milk and 2 eggs as package directs. Mix in pistachios and vanilla extract. Grease bottoms of two small (6 inch diameter/approximately 3 cup) baking dishes. Pour batter into dishes. Bake at 350 degrees for 40 minutes or until done. Cool 15 minutes in dishes then invert onto wire racks and cool. Wrap and freeze one cake for use another time. To prepare filling, beat butter, powdered sugar and 1 egg yolk until smooth. Melt white chocolate with cream in saucepan, stirring over low heat, then beat with wire whip until smooth. Combine with butter mixture, beat, and cool to spreading consistency. To assemble, split cake into three thin layers and divide filling between two center layers. Cover cake with plastic wrap and chill until set. Spread with Dark Chocolate Glaze, then decorate top with raspberries and chopped pistachios. Dark Chocolate Glaze Combine in sauce pan 3 ounces chopped dark bittersweet or semi-sweet chocolate with ¼ cup heavy cream. Stir over low heat until melted. Cool until it begins to thicken, and then spread on top and sides of cake. If glaze becomes too thick, it may be warmed over hot water to soften before spreading (reheating, however, will reduce the gloss). For best results, let cake stand at room temperature at least 30 minutes before serving. Cover and chill any leftovers. Back to Top Back to Sweet Snacks & Desserts Index Chocolate Pistachio Torte with warm Chocolate Ganache *Ingredients* Pistachio Paste 12 ounces shelled raw shelled Organic Santa Barbara Pistachios (about 2 2/3 cups) 2 tablespoon sugar 2 large egg whites Torte 12 ounces bittersweet (not unsweetened) or semisweet chocolate, chopped ½ cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature 6 large eggs, separated ¼ teaspoon salt 2 tablespoon sugar 2 tablespoons (packed) golden brown sugar Ganache 2 cup heavy whipping cream 15 ounces bittersweet (not unsweetened) or semisweet chocolate, chopped Chopped shelled Organic Santa Barbara Pistachios *Directions* Pistachio Paste Finely ground nuts and sugar in processor. Add eggs whites and blend well. DO AHEAD can be made 3 days ahead. Transfer to small bowl, cover, and refrigerate. Torte Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter 8 inch diameter springform pan. Line pan bottom with parchment paper; butter paper. Place chocolate in medium metal bowl set over saucepan of simmering water and stir until chocolate is melted and smooth. Remove from over water. Cool chocolate to lukewarm. Measure 1/3 cup pistachio paste and transfer to small bowl (cover and reserve for another use). Place remaining pistachio paste in a large bowl; add butter. Using electric mixer, beat until blended. Beat in egg yolks, then melted chocolate. Using clean dry beaters, beat egg whites with salt in another large bowl until soft peaks form. Gradually add 2 tablespoons sugar, beating until firm peaks form. Sift brown sugar over and fold in. Using flexible rubber spatula, fold egg white mixture into chocolate mixture in 4 additions; transfer batter to prepared pan. Bake torte until center is slightly puffed and tester inserted into center comes out with some batter still attached, about 1 hour. Cool torte completely in pan on rack. DO AHEAD can be made 1 day ahead. Cover and let stand at room temperature. Ganache Bring cream to simmer in small saucepan. Remove from heat; add chocolate and whisk until smooth. DO AHEAD can be made 1 day ahead. Chill. Rewarm before using. Cut torte into wedges; place on plates. Pour warm ganache over. Sprinkle with pistachios and serve. Back to Top Back to Sweet Snacks & Desserts Index Chocolate Lava Cake with Pistachio Cream Yield 12 servings (serving size: 1 cake and 2 teaspoon sauce) Ingredients 1 cup roasted shelled Organic Santa Barbara Pistachios 1 ¾ cups sugar, divided ¼ cup unsweetened cocoa 2 large eggs 5 large eggs whites 2 ounces bittersweet chocolate, coarsely chopped ½ teaspoon baking powder ½ teaspoon vanilla extract Cooking spray 1 cup 2% reduced fat milk Dash of salt Powdered sugar (optional) Directions Place pistachios in a food processor; process until a crumbly paste forms (about 3½ minutes), scraping sides of bowl once. Place ¼ cup pistachio butter, 1¼ cups sugar, cocoa, eggs, and egg whites in a top of a double boiler; stir well with a whisk. Add chocolate; cook over simmering water until chocolate melts and sugar dissolves (about 3 minutes). Remove from heat; add baking powder and vanilla. Stir with a whisk until smooth. Spoon batter into 12 muffin cups coated with cooking spray. Chill 2 hours. Place remaining ¼ cup pistachio butter and ½ cup sugar in food processor; pulse 4 times or until combined. Add milk and salt; process until smooth. Strain mixture through a sieve into a small saucepan; discard solids. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer 4 minutes or until tick. Remove from heat; pour into a bowl. Cover and chill. Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Bake cake at 450 degrees for 9 minutes or until almost set (centers will not be firm). Let cool in pan 5 minutes. Invert each cake onto dessert plate; drizzle with sauce. Garnish with powdered sugar, if desired. Back to Top Back to Sweet Snacks & Desserts Index Sicilian Pistachio Pound Cake 8 to 10 servings Ingredients 7 ounces pistachio paste 1 cup granulated sugar 1 cup (2 sticks) butter, room temperature 4 large eggs, room temperature 1 cup all purpose flour 1 cup finely ground shelled Organic Santa Barbara Pistachios 1 teaspoon baking powder ½ cup milk Directions Preheat the oven to 325 degrees. Grease and flour 9 X 5 inch loaf pan. Using an electric mixer set on medium speed, beat pistachio paste, sugar and butter until well mixed. Add eggs one at a time, beating well between each addition. Beat on high until light and fluffy. Sift flour and ground pistachios with the baking powder, and add to batter alternately with milk. Beat on low until just combined and smooth. Do not over mix, or cake will be tough. Pour batter into pan. Bake for 75 minutes at 325 degrees or until a toothpick inserted in the center pulls out clean. Cool cake while still in pan on wire rack for 5 minutes. Remove from mold carefully and finish cooling on rack before cutting. Back to Top Back to Sweet Snacks & Desserts Index Cornmeal Pistachio Rusks Makes 18 5 inch-long rusks *Ingredients* 1 ¾ cups unsifted all-purpose flour 1 cup yellow cornmeal ½ cup chopped, shelled Organic Santa Barbara Pistachios 1 teaspoon baking powder ½ teaspoon salt 4 large eggs ¾ cup sugar 2 teaspoons finely grated orange rind 1 teaspoon vanilla extract *Directions* Heat oven 350 degrees. Lightly grease an 11x14 inch baking sheet. In medium size bowl, stir together flour, cornmeal, pistachios, baking powder, and salt. Set aside. In large bowl, with electric mixer on medium speed, beat eggs and sugar until thick and foamy (about 5 minutes). Reduce mixer speed to low and beat in orange rind and vanilla. With wire whisk, beat 1/3 of flour mixture into egg mixture; add remaining flour in two additions until stiff batter forms. Divide batter in half; form each half into a 9x4 inch log on greased baking sheet. (Batter will spread slightly.) Bake logs 20 to 25 minutes or until lightly browned; set aside on wire rack 10 minutes to cool slightly. Reduce oven temperature to 275 degrees. Carefully transfer logs to cutting surface. With large serrated knife, slice logs crosswise diagonally into 1 inch thick pieces. Place pieces upright on baking sheet, leaving at least a ½ inch space between pieces. Return to oven and bake 20 to 25 minutes or until rusks are crisp and lightly toasted. Cool rusks completely on wire rack. Serve rusks or store in airtight container. Back to Top Back to Sweet Snacks & Desserts Index Chocolate Pistachio Phyllo Rolls Makes 2 dozen. Preparation Time: 10 minutes Total Time: 60 minutes *Ingredients* 6 ounces semisweet chocolate, coarsely ground in a food processor 1/3 cup heavy cream ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon 1 cup shelled Organic Santa Barbara Pistachios nuts, coarsely chopped 6 sheet phyllo dough (12 by 17 inches each), thawed if frozen 12 tablespoons (1 ½ sticks) unsalted butter, melted 1 tablespoon confectioners’ sugar *Directions* Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Put chocolate in a medium bowl. Heat cream with cinnamon in a small saucepan over medium heat until it just begins to simmer. Stir into chocolate to melt. Finely chop 2 tablespoons nuts; set aside. Stir remaining nuts into chocolate. Spoon chocolate into resealable plastic bag; cut 1 inch of one corner. Lay 1 sheet phyllo on a work surface (cover remaining sheets with a damp kitchen towel). Lightly brush surface with melted butter. Immediately pipe chocolate along a short side of phyllo, 1 ½ inches from edges. Tightly roll into a log, lightly brushing with butter at each turn and tucking in ends. Brush log with butter; cover with a damp kitchen towel. Repeat process to make 2 more logs. Transfer to a parchment lined baking sheet; bake 15 minutes. Rotate sheet; brush logs with butter. Sprinkle with reserved nuts. Bake until golden, about 15 minutes more. Let cool completely; dust with sugar. Cutting in a swift motion, divide each log into 8 pieces. Back to Top Back to Sweet Snacks & Desserts Index Pistachio and Sesame Phyllo Rolls *Ingredients* Filling 4 cups shelled shelled Organic Santa Barbara Pistachios, coarsely ground 1 cup lightly toasted sesame seeds 2 teaspoon/tablespoon ground cinnamon 1 teaspoon/tablespoon ground cloves 18 14 by 8 inch sheet store bought phyllo dough (about 1 lb.) ¾ cup unsalted butter, clarified Syrup 3 cups sugar 2 teaspoon/tablespoon fresh lemon juice *Directions* Combine pistachios, sesame seeds, cinnamon and cloves in a bowl; set aside. Lightly grease a 12 inch round baking pan. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Unroll the phyllo and cover with a damp cloth to keep it from drying out. Lay out one sheet of phyllo with the long side facing you. Brush with butter. Repeat with 2 more sheets of phyllo. Spoon scant 2/3 cup of the nut filling over the phyllo, leaving approximately a 1 ½ inch border around the edges. Fold one long side of phyllo over the nut mixture, then fold in the sides, and gently roll the long side to form a fairly tight cylinder about 1 ½ inches in diameter. Be careful not to tear the phyllo, and brush it with butter as you roll. Carefully lift the cylinder into the baking pan, and start a coil from the center out. Repeat with remaining phyllo and filling to make 7 more cylinders. Place the phyllo cylinders end to end in the baking pan to complete the coil. Make cuts in the coils about 1 ½ inches apart. Bake for about 30 minutes, or until the phyllo is golden and crisp. While phyllo is baking, make syrup. Combine sugar, 2 ½ cups water and lemon juice in a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer for 5 to 7 minutes. Cover to keep warm. As soon as the phyllo rolls are ready, remove them from the oven and pour syrup over. Back to Top Back to Sweet Snacks & Desserts Index Pear Clafouti with Pistachios Servings: 6. Total Time: 1 hour. *Ingredients* ¼ cup plus 1 to 2 tablespoons sugar, divided 3 eggs ¾ cup whipping cream ¾ cup milk ½ teaspoon vanilla extract ½ cup flour 3 ripe Bartlett pears 1/3 cup raw shelled Organic Santa Barbara Pistachios, coarsely chopped *Directions* Heat the oven to 400 degrees. In a blender or food processor, combine ¼ cup sugar, the eggs, cream, milk and vanilla and blend until smooth. Sift the flour over the mixture and pulse just to mix. Set the batter aside to stand 10 minutes. While the batter is resting, peel the pears, cut them in half lengthwise and remove the core and the stem line with a spoon (a grapefruit spoon works best). Cut each half in crosswise slices ¼ to ½ inch thick; do not separate the slices. Arrange the sliced pear halves in a 9 inch pie plate with the stem ends pointing toward the center and a little space between each. Depending on the size of the pears, you may be able to use only 5 of 6 halves. Pour the batter over the top and sprinkle with the pistachios. Depending on how sweet the pears are, sprinkle an additional 1 to 2 tablespoons sugar over the pears that peek out from under the batter. Place on a cookie sheet to catch any spills. Bake until the clafouti is puffed and brown in the center, about 40 to 45 minutes. Cool slightly before serving. Back to Top Back to Sweet Snacks & Desserts Index Pistachio Clafouti (Daniel Boulud’s) *Ingredients* 2 eggs ¼ cup sugar 1/3 cup all-purpose flour ½ cup heavy cream ½ cup milk ½ cup Organic Santa Barbara Pistachios Flour/Meal Finely grated zest of 2 lemons *Directions* The day before you plan to make the dessert, whisk together the eggs and sugar in a bowl. Add the remaining batter ingredients and mix just until combined. Refrigerate overnight. Whisk before using. Center a rack in the oven and preheat to 375 degrees. Spray the inside of a 4 4 inch gratin dishes (or 8 inch cake pan) with nonstick cooking spray. Fill each dish (or pan) 1/3 full with batter. Bake just until skin forms on top of the batter, about 4 minutes. At this point arrange dried apricots which you have braised in sweet wine on top of the batter, then add 1 teaspoon tablespoon of the syrup over, then top with the rest of the batter. You can also sprinkle pistachios over the top. Also, you can use fresh raspberries or strawberries instead of the apricots, adding some lavender simple syrup to them. You might do either, and then put pistachios over the top. Either way, bake for 10 to 15 minutes -5 minutes longer for the cake pan- (The baking time varies) Let clafoutis cool for 10 minutes before serving. Serve with remaining braising syrup and whipped crème. Back to Top Back to Sweet Snacks & Desserts Index Pistachio Stuffed Baked Apples Makes 6 servings *Ingredients* 1/3 cup coarsely shelled Organic Santa Barbara Pistachios 1/3 cup raisins 1 can (6 ounces) frozen apple juice concentrate, thawed, divided ½ teaspoon vanilla extract ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon 1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg or allspice 6 small baking apples 1 cup low fat yogurt 1 tablespoon honey *Directions* Mix pistachios, raisins, 2 tablespoon apple juice concentrate, vanilla, cinnamon, and nutmeg; reserve. Remove apple core with a melon baller; do not break through bottom of apple. Fill each apple with pistachio filling. Arrange apples in a shallow baking dish. Pour remaining juice concentrate into pan. Bake apples at 375 degrees, basting once, until apples are barely tender when pierced with a knife, about 20 minutes. Mix yogurt and honey to make sauce; serve with warm apples. Back to Top Back to Sweet Snacks & Desserts Index Baked Nectarines with Pistachios Serves 4 Preparation Time: 5 minutes Total Time: 20 minutes *Ingredients* 4 tablespoons shelled Organic Santa Barbara Pistachios 2 tablespoons unsalted butter ½ cup confectioners’ sugar 2 drops (less than 1/8 teaspoon) almond extract (optional) 1/8 teaspoon salt 2 nectarines, halved and pitted ½ lemon ½ cup crème fraiche 1 tablespoon granulated sugar *Directions* Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Chop 3 tablespoons pistachios in a food processor until finely ground. Add butter, confectioners’ sugar, almond extract, and salt. Process until combined. Place nectarines, cut side up, on a baking sheet, and squeeze lemon over top. Place a generous tablespoon of pistachio mixture on each nectarine half. Chop remaining tablespoon pistachios, and sprinkle on top. Bake until fruit is tender and topping is crisp, 10 to 15 minutes. Let cool for 5 minutes. Transfer to 4 plates. Whisk together crème fraiche and granulated sugar. Spoon over nectarines, and serve. Back to Top Back to Sweet Snacks & Desserts Index Honey Roasted Peach Croustade with Pistachios and Honey Sweetened Greek Yogurt 8 serving *Ingredients* 1 ½ cups Greek style yogurt 7 tablespoons honey, divided 1 ½ pounds small, ripe peaches (about 6), quartered and pitted 2 tablespoons firmly packed golden brown sugar 2/3 cup raw shelled Organic Santa Barbara Pistachios 1 cup flour ¼ cup sugar ½ teaspoon salt 7 tablespoons chilled unsalted butter, cut into pieces 1 egg yolk *Directions* Place the yogurt in a cheesecloth lined strainer set over a bowl, about 1 hour. Mix with 3 tablespoons honey and set aside. Heat the oven to 400 degrees. Line a large, heavy baking pan with foil. Arrange peaches skin side down on the foil. Drizzle with 2 tablespoons honey and sprinkle with brown sugar. Roast in the oven until just tender and beginning to brown, 15 minutes. Turn the peaches and continue roasting until very tender and the honey begins to turn dark brown on the pan’s edges, about 12 more minutes. Cool completely in the pan. In a food processor, using on/off pulses, chop the pistachios and transfer to a bowl. (Do not wash the processor.) Pulse the flour, sugar and salt to blend in the processor. Add the butter and process until the mixture resembles coarse meal. Drop the egg yolk through the feed tube and process using on/off turns just until moist clumps form. Gather the dough into a ball and place in the center of a piece of plastic wrap. Flatten the dough into a 5 inch disk. Wrap in plastic and freeze 20 minutes. (It can be made a day ahead and refrigerated.) Position a rack in the upper third of the oven and heat to 375 degrees. Sprinkle a large sheet of parchment paper lightly with flour. Unwrap the dough and place it in the center of the parchment; sprinkle with flour and top with a second sheet of parchment. Roll out the dough between the parchment paper to a 10 inch diameter round, sprinkling with additional flour as necessary. Remove the top sheet of parchment. Sprinkle the dough evenly with ½ cup of the pistachios. Replace the top piece of parchment and roll the nuts into the dough, forming an 11 inch diameter round. Invert the dough and parchment onto a heavy baking sheet. Remove the top piece of parchment. Arrange the peaches on the crust, in concentric circles alternating skin side up and skin side down, leaving a 1 ½ to 2 inch border. Using the parchment as an aid, fold the crust edges up over the edges of the peaches. Drizzle the peaches with 2 tablespoons honey and sprinkle with remaining pistachios. Bake until the crust is golden brown, about 25 to 30 minutes. Cool 20 minutes. Run a spatula under the croustade to loosen and carefully slide onto a platter. Cut into wedges and serve warm with the strained yogurt. Back to Top Back to Sweet Snacks & Desserts Index The Ultimate Pistachio Pudding Serves 6. Preparation: 15 minutes. Chill: 4 hours. Cook: 35 minutes *Ingredients* 1 cup water ¾ cup milk 1/3 cup sugar ¼ tablespoon salt 1 tablespoon butter 2 large egg yolks ½ cup arborio rice 1 cup half-and-half or light cream ½ of a vanilla bean, halved lengthwise ½ cup raw shelled Organic Santa Barbara Pistachios One teaspoon of liquid vanilla may be substituted for the vanilla bean; stir in after thickening the sauce. Directions* In a saucepan heat water, milk and salt. When liquid almost boils, stir in rice and butter. Bring to boiling; immediately reduce heat. Cover rice. Simmer over low heat 35 to 40 minutes until nearly all of the liquid is absorbed, stirring every 5 minutes. Transfer rice to a bowl. Pour half-and-half into saucepan. Scrape seeds from vanilla bean into cream. Heat just to boiling. In bowl whisk yolks and sugar. Gradually whisk in hot half-and-half, and then return to saucepan. Add ½ cup pistachios. Cook over medium low heat, stirring constantly, 5 to 7 minutes, until mixture coats a metal spoon. Pour 1 cup of hot sauce into rice; stir to blend. Transfer remaining sauce to a bowl. Cover rice and remaining sauce. Chill several hours. Before serving, stir remaining sauce into rice. Back to Top Back to Sweet Snacks & Desserts Index Homemade Pistachio Pudding Serves 4 *Ingredients* Pistachio Pudding 1 ounce pistachio paste (recipe below) ½ cup granulated sugar or maple syrup 2 tablespoons cornstarch 1/8 teaspoon salt (or less if using salty pistachios) 2 cups milk or rice milk 2 large egg yolks 2 tablespoons butter, softened 1 teaspoon vanilla extract ½ cup shelled Organic Santa Barbara Pistachios, finely chopped Pistachio Paste 1/3 cup shelled Organic Santa Barbara Pistachios 1/3 cup powdered sugar 2 – 4 tablespoons water (or all maple syrup for the water and sugar) *Directions* Grind the pistachios in a food processor for 1-2 minutes, until it’s nearly a fine powder. Transfer to a bowl. Stir in sugar and water (or maple syrup). Err on the side of using too little liquid rather that too much; the paste should not look liquidity, and should be easily held and shaped when in your hand. Pour milk into a 2 quart sauce pan and place over medium heat. Whisk in the pistachio paste and stir until the heat dissolves the paste into the milk. Combine the dry ingredients (sugar, cornstarch, salt) in a separate bowl. Slowly whisk into milk immediately after pistachio paste has dissolved. Stir constantly, until mixture thickens and begins to boil. In another bowl, scramble two egg yolks together. Then temper the pudding, by brining ½ cup of the thickened pudding and combine with the egg yolks. Once combined, immediately pour egg mixture back into the pudding that’s in the sauce pan. Allow to boil for 1 minute, whisking all the while After one minute, remove from the heat. Add the butter, vanilla and chopped pistachios. Mix thoroughly. Pour into dessert cups and chill for at least 2 hours. Note: This is homemade pudding, so expect to get the dreaded (or undreaded, if that’s is your thing) “pudding skin”. This skin cannot hurt you. Simply stir into the rest of the non-skinned pudding or remove. Cook’s note: The skin which forms on pudding as they cool is simply a layer of protein coagulated on the surface, but if this is not desired, gently place a layer of plastic wrap on the top of the pudding after it has set for 15 minutes in the refrigerator, and peel off before serving. Back to Top Back to Sweet Snacks & Desserts Index Pistachio Crème Brulee with Sour Cherry Sauce Makes 4 servings *Ingredients* 1 cup raw shelled Organic Santa Barbara Pistachios 5 tablespoons granulated sugar 2 cups heavy cream 3 large egg yolks 6 teaspoons tubinado sugar as Sugar in the Raw Sour cherry sauce Special equipment: a fine weave kitchen towel (not terry cloth); 4 (1 cup) gratin or other shallow flameproof dishes; a small blowtorch *Directions* Put oven rack in middle position and preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spread pistachios on a baking sheet and toast until nuts are fragrant but not browned, 4 to 5 minutes. Transfer to a bowl and cool completely. Rub off and discard any loose skins (some will remain on nuts). Pulse nuts with granulated sugar in food processor until finely chopped. (Do not blend to a paste.) Stir together nuts and cream with a pinch of salt in a 1 quart heavy saucepan and cook over moderate heat, uncovered, stirring occasionally, until just hot. Remove from heat, cover, and lend stand 30 minutes. Rinse kitchen towel under cool water and wiring out as much water as possible. Line a large sieve with towel, then set sieve over a bowl or large glass measure and pour pistachio mixture into towel. Wrap towel up around mixture and, working over sieve, squeeze pistachio crème from towel into bowl. Discard ground pistachios. Lightly beat yolks in a medium bowl, then whisk in pistachio cream. Divide mixture among gratin dishes. Arrange gratin dishes on a metal rack set in a roasting pan and bake in a hot water bath until custards are set just around edges but centers tremble slightly when dishes are gently shaken, about 20 minutes. Remove gratin dishes from pan and cool, uncovered, then chill, covered, at least 4 hours. (Custards will set completely as they chill.) Very gently blot any moisture from surface of chilled custards with paper towels. Sprinkle 1 ½ teaspoons turbinado sugar evenly over each custard, then move blowtorch flame evenly back and forth just over sugar until sugar is melted and caramelized. Serve with sour cherry sauce. Cook’s note: Custards (without sugar topping) can be chilled up to 2 days. Gourmet, December 2005 Adapted from Café Pushkin, Moscow Epicurious.com © CondeNet, Inc. Back to Top Back to Sweet Snacks & Desserts Index Pistachio Jack Meltaways Yield 50 - 60 servings Ingredients 2 cups all purpose flour 1 cup chopped, shelled Organic Santa Barbara Pistachios toasted ¼ teaspoon salt ¼ teaspoon pepper 8 tablespoon (1 stick) butter or margarine softened ½ lb (8 ounces) Monterey Jack cheese shredded (2 to 2 ½ cups loosely packed) ¼ cup half and half Directions Mix the flour, nuts, salt, and pepper together in a large bowl or in the food processor. Cut the butter into the flour mixture until it resembles coarse meal. Add the cheese and mix until the cheese is coated evenly. Slowly add enough of the half and half to form a dough that will hold together in a cohesive ball. Divide the dough into 2 equal portions for rolling. On a floured surface or pastry cloth, roll out to about ¼ inch thick. Whit a sharp knife, cut the dough into 2 inch squares and arrange them on an ungreased baking sheet. Make sure the edges are not touching. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes. Don’t let these Meltaways get more than medium brown. Cool them on a rack. Back to Top Back to Sweet Snacks & Desserts Index

Shopping Cart


	Your cart is empty.

Mailing Lists


	Email Address: