DESCRIPTION
These honey-roasted pistachios make a perfect homemade gift! Package them in small jars or festive bags for a delicious, thoughtful treat to share with friends and family.
INGREDIENTS
- 1 cup raw pistachios (unsalted, unroasted, and shelled)
- 2 tablespoons honey
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 teaspoons granulated white sugar or monk fruit sweetener
INSTRUCTIONS
- In a mixing bowl, combine pistachios, honey, cinnamon, salt, and vanilla extract. Toss until the pistachios are evenly coated.
- Line the air fryer basket with air fryer-safe parchment paper. Spread the coated pistachios in a single layer on the parchment paper.
- Air fry at 325°F for 5-6 minutes, stirring halfway through to ensure even roasting. Watch closely to prevent burning.
- Immediately transfer the hot pistachios to a parchment-lined sheet pan or plate. Use tongs to toss them with the granulated sugar or monk fruit, then press them into a single layer.
- Place in the refrigerator to cool for about 5 minutes. Once cooled, they’ll have a crystallized coating and can be broken into either large clusters or individual pieces.
- Store the honey-roasted pistachios in an airtight container at room temperature for up to one week.
INGREDIENTS
- 5 1/4 ounces vegan chocolate
- 2 tsp coconut oil
For the filling:
- 2 1/4 ounces pistachio butter
- 1 tbsp agave syrup
- 1 tbsp protein powder (vanilla or natural)
- A handful of pistachios
Optional: sea salt
For the pistachio butter:
- 10 1/2 ounces shelled pistachios
INSTRUCTIONS
For the pistachio butter:
- Preheat the oven to 392 degrees Fahrenheit and place the shelled pistachios on a baking tray lined with baking paper.
- Roast the pistachios in the oven for 5 minutes and then leave to cool briefly.
- Place the roasted pistachios in a high-performance blender and blend until creamy.
Tip: The blending process can take a while, as the oils from the pistachios first have to be released to create a cream. If you don’t have a blender, you can also use ready-made pistachio butter.
For the pistachio protein cups:
- Finely chop the chocolate and then melt together with the coconut oil in a bain-marie.
- Line 8 muffin cases (made of paper or silicone) with about half of the melted chocolate and allow to set completely.
- Mix the pistachio butter with the agave syrup and protein powder to create a firm cream. Divide the cream into 8 equal parts and press one part each evenly into the chocolate-lined molds. Repeat the process with each part and then spread the remaining chocolate evenly into the molds.
- Sprinkle the pistachios over the cups, whole or chopped as desired, and leave to set in the fridge.
INGREDIENTS
- 1 3/4 ounces peanut butter
- 2 1/2 ounces pistachios
- 2 tbsp maple syrup
- 10 1/2 ounces skyr
- 3 1/2 ounces Greek yogurt
- 1 3/4 ounces dark chocolate
Optional: The protein content can be increased with whey protein powder. Simply add 2-3 tablespoons to the skyr mixture and stir in.
INSTRUCTIONS
- Mix peanut butter, 1 1/2 ounces pistachios, maple syrup, Skyr and yogurt in a food processor until creamy. Pour the mixture into ice cream molds and let freeze for at least 4 hours.
- Melt the chocolate and roughly chop the remaining pistachios. Remove the ice cream from the ice cream molds. Top with chocolate and pistachios and serve.
Ingredients
Pistachio Aillade
- 1 each garlic clove, grated with a Microplane®
- ½ cup pistachios, whole
- 1 each anchovy, made into paste
- ½ cup pistachio oil
- ¼ each lemon zest
- 1 tablespoon tarragon, minced
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
Lemon Dijon Vinaigrette
- ¼ cup fresh lemon juice
- 3 tablespoons Champagne vinegar
- ¼ cup shallot, minced
- 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
- 2 teaspoons kosher salt
- freshly ground black pepper, as needed
- ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
Belgian Endive Salad
- 8 heads white Belgian endive
- Lemon Dijon Vinaigrette
- ½ lemon
Assembly
- 3 each Hass avocados, small
- Extra virgin olive oil, as needed
- Maldon sea salt, as needed
Instructions
Pistachio Aillade
In a mortar add pistachios. Pound and grind nuts until fine. Add anchovy, garlic, pistachio oil, lemon zest, tarragon and salt. Mix thoroughly until everything is combined.
Lemon Dijon Vinaigrette
In a small bowl, combine the lemon juice, Champagne vinegar, shallots, mustard and salt and a few turns of pepper. Add the extra virgin olive oil, whisking constantly.
Belgian Endive Salad
Cut off ends of the Belgian endives and peel off the leaves. Save half of the leaves whole and cut the remaining half of leaves in half. Place all the endive in a bowl. In the bowl with the Belgian endive, dress with the Lemon Dijon Vinaigrette, a squeeze of lemon juice and kosher salt.
ASSEMBLY
Cut all the avocados in half and take out the pits. Cut the avocados in half to make quarters. Peel off the skin. Drizzle with extra virgin olive oil and sprinkle with Maldon sea salt.
- Pistachio Aillade
- Avocado quarters
- 1 chunk of Piave cheese
- Belgian Endive Salad
- ½ cup pistachios, whole
- 2 ½ tablespoons pistachios, roughly chopped
- On the center of each plate, smear 1 ounce of Pistachio Aillade into a circle. Place 1 quarter of avocado in the center.
- Grate Piave with a ribbon cheese grater to cover. Pile endive on top, garnish with whole pistachios, and top with 1 quarter of avocado.
- Repeat this for one more layer. Finish the salad with a heavy grating of Piave cheese and top with roughly chopped pistachios.
Ingredients
- 1 1⁄2 ounces Hendrick’s Gin
- 3⁄4 ounce Pistachio cordial*
- 3⁄4 ounce fresh lime juice
- 2 slices fresh cucumber
- 4 leaves fresh mint
Instructions
- Muddle (gently mash) cucumber then add other ingredients in a cocktail shaker
- Add ice and shake well for 20 seconds
- Strain over fresh ice in an Old Fashioned glass
- Garnish with cucumber, mint and a couple of pistachios.
Pistachio Cordial – Instructions (Makes 8 ounces)
- Combine 1 cup sugar and 1 cup water in a pan. Bring to a low simmer and stir for a few minutes until sugar has fully dissolved.
- In a blender place 1/2 cup unsalted, roasted pistachios and add the sugar water
- Optional – add 1 drop of rosewater
- Blend for 30 seconds and allow to sit for 2 minutes
- Strain out solids and collect cordial
- Keep refrigerated until ready to use
Pistachio Rim
- Put half a cup of dry, raw pistachios in a blender or spice grinder and grind finely.
- Be careful not to overgrind as any moisture will turn the ground pistachios into a paste.
- Pour your ground pistachios onto a small plate or bowl.
- Moisten the outside rim of your glass with a cut wedge of lemon or by using some sugar water.
- Then dip the glass upside down into the powdered pistachios so that they stick well onto the rim of the glass.
- Give the glass a gentle tap before turning the right way up, then fill with ice ready to receive the cocktail.
Ingredients
- 1 loaf white bread, unsliced, cut into (6 x) 2-inch x 2-inch x 4-inch “soldiers” or rectangles. (Leave the rectangles uncovered at room temperature for 1-2 hours to dry.)
- 3 tablespoons butter
- 1 cup salted pistachios, finely crushed
- 2 teaspoons sugar
- 1 pint blackberries
- 3⁄4 cup heavy cream
Pistachio Pain Perdu Soak
- 3⁄4 cup milk
- 2 eggs
- 1 tablespoon sugar
- 1 tablespoon store-bought pistachio paste
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 2 tablespoons butter
- Pinch of salt
Instructions
Prep Ahead (The Night Before)
- Cut the bread into rectangles and leave them uncovered at room temperature for 1-2 hours or overnight to dry out.
- Prepare the soak by combining the vanilla extract, pistachio paste, eggs, sugar and milk in a medium bowl. Using a hand blender, purée until smooth.
- Arrange the bread in one layer in a deep flat baking dish. Pour the prepared soak over the bread, turning until it is coated. Cover the pan and refrigerate overnight.
Prep Ahead (1 Hour Before Event)
- Pulse the pistachios in a small food processor until they are very fine. Alternatively, you can crush the pistachios finely using a pot. For best results, sift out the larger pieces using a colander or coarse mesh strainer until you are left with mostly dust. Reserve in a small tray.
- Combine 1⁄2 cup of blackberries with 1 tablespoon of water and blend in a small food processor or hand blender until it is liquid. Pass the juice through a fine-mesh sieve and reserve. Cut the remaining Blackberries into slices, reserve for garnish.
Instructions
- Warm the butter in a large non-stick sauté pan over medium- high heat until the butter is foamy.
- Carefully lift each piece of bread out of the soak and gently roll each one into the ground pistachios until all sides are coated.
- Transfer the bread into the pan with the foamy butter and cook each side until the pistachios are golden brown, around 6-8 minutes. Transfer the bread to a small baking tray and place in a 350°F oven for 5 minutes, or until the bread soufflés (puffs up) slightly.
- Whip the cream using a bowl and a whisk, or an electric mixer, until soft peaks form. Then season with the reserved blackberry juice, sugar and vanilla to taste.
Assembly
- Spoon some Chantilly onto the bottom of each plate and top with one piece of French toast.
- Garnish with some sliced blackberries and pistachios around.
Ingredients
Harissa-Spiced Lamb Chops
- 8 lamb chops
- 1 1⁄2 tablespoons Harissa spice mix 1 tablespoon chopped mint
- 1 tablespoon chopped parsley
- 1⁄2 cup Grapeseed oil, as needed
- 1 cup pistachios, crushed
Pistachio Romesco
- 1 red bell pepper
- 1⁄4 cup extra virgin olive oil
- 1⁄2 red onion, sliced
- 2 Roma tomatoes, diced
- 2 garlic cloves, sliced
- 4 Piquillo peppers (canned)
- 1⁄4 cup sourdough croutons
- 1⁄2 cup pistachios, crushed
- 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
- Salt and pepper
Glazed Eggplant
- 2 Japanese eggplants
- 3 tablespoons sherry vinegar 2 tablespoons honey
- Olive oil, as needed
- Salt and pepper
Pistachio Raita
- 1 cup thick Greek yogurt
- 1⁄2 cup cucumber, peeled, seeded, and grated
- 2 cloves garlic, peeled, germ removed and finely grated 1⁄2 lemon, zested
- 2 tablespoons mint, chopped
- 2 tablespoons pistachios, crushed
- Salt and pepper, as needed
Instructions
Prep Ahead
- Combine the Harissa spice mix and herbs with the grapeseed oil and blend using a hand blender until it forms a paste. Pour over the lamb and refrigerate for 1-2 hours or overnight.
- Slice the eggplant into 1-inch slices.
- Crush the pistachios using a pot until they are finely chopped. Reserve.
- Over an open flame, blacken the skin of the red bell pepper. Transfer the pepper to a bowl and cover it with plastic, steam at room temperature for 10 minutes. Peel the black skin from the red pepper and trim away the seeds.
- Thinly slice the red onion, Piquillo peppers, 2 cloves of garlic and combine in a bowl. Roughly dice the tomatoes and combine in the same bowl. Reserve.
- Peel, seed and grate the cucumber. Toss it with 1 teaspoon of salt and rest at room temperature for 10 minutes to extract the liquid. Squeeze dry the grated cucumber and transfer to a small bowl.
- Mix the Pistachio Raita, then combine all ingredients in the bowl with the grated cucumber, season with salt, lemon zest and pepper to taste. Mix in the crushed pistachios and chopped mint.
Instructions
- For the Pistachio Romesco: Heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a large sauté pan over high heat. Add the onion, tomatoes, garlic, and Piquillo peppers. Sauté until the onions are tender and the liquid has evaporated; about 4 minutes. Transfer peppers and cooked vegetables to a blender with the croutons, pistachios, and vinegar. Blend until smooth and while running, pour in the remaining olive oil until emulsified. Season, to taste, with paprika, salt and pepper.
- For the Glazed Eggplant: Heat a thin layer of olive oil in a large sauté pan over high heat. Add eggplant in a single layer (you may need to do this in batches) and sear until golden brown on both sides. Reduce heat to medium and deglaze using the sherry vinegar and honey. Bring to a simmer until reduced to a glaze.
- For the Lamb Chops: When ready to serve, preheat a grill to medium-high heat. Season the marinated lamb with salt and pepper and then grill the lamb until it is cooked to your desired temperature (about 5 minutes for medium rare). Remove from the grill and let rest for a few minutes. Brush some Romesco Sauce on each side of each chop and dip them in the reserved crushed pistachios to coat them.
Assembly
- Spoon some Romesco sauce onto each plate and drag a spoon across it to make a well.
- Place 4 slices of glazed eggplant over the sauce and sprinkle some toasted pistachios on top.
- Divide the lamb chops between the plates and serve the Raita on the side.
