I have always liked pistachios, from their pale green color to the nutty, slightly sweet creamy taste. As you remember, Watergate Salad is one of my favorites.
The first pistachios I got were at Christmas. Little bags of nuts sold in the produce section of Kroger. I remember the red dyed shells that turned your fingers red when you ate them. Now they aren’t red. The disappearance of red-dyed pistachios is closely tied to the expansion of domestic pistachio production in the United States. Before the 1970s, most pistachios in the U.S. were imported from Iran and other Middle Eastern countries. These imported pistachios often bore unappetizing stains and discolorations due to traditional harvesting methods where the nuts weren’t hulled and washed immediately after picking. To counter this, Middle Eastern producers and exporters dyed their pistachios red, and American producers followed suit, aligning with consumer expectations of bright red-pink nuts.
But the 1980s saw a decline in imported pistachios as an embargo on Iranian pistachios was enforced, and further economic sanctions on Iran levied on and off for years. The number of American pistachio producers increased in response and began to increase the domestic supply of pistachios quickly. The new mechanized harvesting processes used by American producers now pick, hull, and dry the nuts before the shell can become stained, rendering the need to dye the nuts to hide imperfections unnecessary. Also, we are trying to get rid of dyes in our foods. Today, 98% of pistachios sold in the United States are produced in California, and the U.S. is the second largest producer of pistachios after Iran.
Pistachios originated in the Middle East, specifically the region of modern-day Iran, Iraq, and Syria, with archaeological evidence showing consumption as far back as 6750 BCE, making them a valued delicacy in ancient civilizations, mentioned in the Old Testament, and later spread to Europe by the Romans and to the US in the 1800s for cultivation.
Pistachios are often sold shelled or in-shell, roasted or raw. Pistachios offer numerous health benefits, acting as a nutrient-dense snack rich in protein, fiber, healthy fats, antioxidants (like lutein and zeaxanthin), potassium, vitamin B6, and minerals, supporting heart health by lowering bad cholesterol and blood pressure, aiding blood sugar control, promoting gut and eye health, and assisting in weight management due to their satiating properties, making them a heart-healthy, antioxidant-rich choice for overall well-being but also requiring careful consumption due to potential calories and fat content.
Pistachio flavor became an ice cream sensation in the 1940s, with desserts like green fluff and Watergate salad following in the 1970s. Chocolate and pistachio is a classic pairing. Now, thanks to the viral Dubai chocolate, it’s gaining traction in the food world again, where it’s getting a starring role in everything from candies to the Starbucks winter drink menu.
Early this year, Pillsbury Baking announced the debut of Pillsbury Moist Supreme Pistachio Cake Mix and Pillsbury Whipped Pistachio Frosting, giving bakers access to a rich, nostalgic pistachio flavor. I used to add a box of pistachio pudding to a yellow cake mix but this will be easier.
My new flavor obsession is Dubai chocolate; a milk chocolate bar filled with a sweet pistachio-tahini cream and kadayif (chopped filo pastry). The creamy textures of the pistachio and tahini contrasts with the crunch of the kadayif. Dubai Chocolate is pricey, even with Russell Stover’s and Lindt making their own versions. A bar costs around $14.00 with truffles costing about $9.00. So, feel loved if someone gives you Dubai chocolate for Easter!
Chunky Pistachio Chocolate Easter Eggs
Ingredients
• 1 lb. white chocolate
• ½ lb. pistachio kernels
• Lemon zest
• Pink Himalayan salt
Instructions
Chop the pistachios. How coarse depends on how chunky you want the egg center to be. Set aside. Melt all of the chocolate in a double burner or in a metal bowl over boiling water. Fill an eight-set silicon egg mold with the melted chocolate. Let sit for 5 minutes to allow the chocolate covering the outer shell to harden. Pour the still soft chocolate back into the double burner pan or metal bowl. Pour out and set aside half of that melted chocolate in a separate bowl. Make your pistachio ganache. In the remaining melted chocolate, add roughly a tablespoon of lemon zest and a pinch of pink Himalayan salt. Add half of the chopped pistachios. Stir to combine. Spoon or pipe the ganache into the egg shells, filling halfway. Press the remaining chopped pistachios across the top to form an even surface, leaving space for the final layer of chocolate. Re-melt the plain chocolate that was set aside. Once it cools slightly (don’t do too soon or it will melt what is already in the mold), pour over eggs then scrape across the top to seal. Let the eggs fully harden. Option: refrigerate to speed the process. Gently pop the hardened eggs out of the mold. If desired, decorate with drizzles of chocolate and pistachio bits.
Salted Pistachio Chocolate Chunk Cookies
Ingredients
Pistachio Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough:
• ½ cup (60g) roasted salted pistachios (no shell)
• 1 tablespoon (15ml) olive oil
• 7 tablespoon (100g) salted butter, softened
• ½ cup (110g) packed light brown sugar
• ¼ cup (50g) granulated sugar
• 1 large egg at room temperature
• ½ teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• ¼ teaspoon pure almond extract
• ½ teaspoon baking soda
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• 1 cup plus 2 tbsp (160g) all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon matcha powder
• 1 cup (5oz/142g) dark chocolate chopped into chunks
For topping the cookies:
• 2 tbsp ground pistachios
• flaky sea salt (optional for sprinkling)
NOTE: for best results, use a kitchen scale to weigh the ingredients.
Instructions
Prepare the pistachio paste. Place pistachios in a small food processor and pulse until very finely ground. Add oil and grind until the mixture forms a thick paste. It won’t be smooth like peanut butter, but it will be thick and coarse. NOTE: you will need extra ground pistachios for topping the cookies, so I recommend grinding a bit more (around 90g), then remove 30g for later before adding the oil to make the paste. Prepare the cookie dough. Cream together butter with both sugars in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment or using an electric hand mixer for 3 minutes on medium speed until pale and fluffy. Scrape down the sides of the bowl and beat in egg and extracts until evenly incorporated and smooth. Mix in pistachio paste. Combine flour with matcha powder, baking soda and salt in a medium bowl and whisk to blend evenly. Add it to the butter mixture and fold it in. Add chocolate chunks and fold them in until evenly distributed. The dough will be soft and sticky. Cover the bowl and refrigerate for 2 hours. Preheat oven to 350°F. Line two large cookie sheets with parchment paper. Use a 1.35-oz cookie scoop to scoop up dough and release it onto prepared baking sheets spacing them about 3 inches apart since these cookies spread a lot. Sprinkle the tops with extra ground pistachios. Bake for 10-12 minutes until golden around the edges. Transfer pan to a wire rack and let cookies cool for a minute before transferring individually to the rack to finish cooling. Sprinkle with flaky sea salt if desired.
