Pistachio-crusted baked salmon

Active: 10 minutes; Total: 30 minutes; Serves: 4

Salmon, whole fillet	1 ½ pounds
Salt, kosher
Pepper, freshly ground
Lemon juice, fresh	1 tablespoon
Olive oil	2 teaspoons
Honey	2 teaspoons
Mustard, Dijion	1 teaspoon
Garlic, minced	1 clove
Panko	¼ cup
Pistachios, crushed	1/3 cup
Parmesan, grated	2 tablespoons
Lemon zest	1 lemon
Parsley leaves	Garnish

1. Preheat your oven to 400°F. 
2. Place the salmon on a large parchment-lined rimmed baking sheet. 
3. Pat the salmon dry with paper towels, and season with salt and pepper; set aside. 
4. In a small bowl, whisk together the juice, oil, honey, mustard, and garlic. 
5. In another small bowl, combine the panko, pistachios, cheese, and lemon zest. 
6. Brush the salmon evenly with the lemon-honey mixture, evenly sprinkle the pistachio mixture onto the salmon, and then press lightly so it sticks. 
7. Bake for 10 to 14 minutes, or until the salmon flakes easily with a fork. 
8. Serve with lemon slices and parsley. 

Recipe from the Costco Connection magazine.

Lemon pistachio cake with mascarpone frosting

Active: 20 minutes; Total: 1 hour; Serves: 8

Pistachios, roasted, shelled	¾ cup
Lemon zest	2 lemons
Flour, cake	1 ½ cups
Baking powder	1 teaspoon
Baking soda	¼ teaspoon
Sour cream	¼ cup
Vanilla extract	1 teaspoon
Milk, whole	1/3 cup
Butter, unsalted, softened	½ cup
Sugar	1 cup
Salt, kosher	¾ teaspoon
Eggs	3 large
Frosting
Mascarpone, softened	¾ cup
Sugar, powdered	¾ cup
Cream, heavy	1 tablespoon
Lemon zest	1 teaspoon
Lemon juice	1 teaspoon
Salt, kosher	1/8 teaspoon

1. Preheat your oven to 350°F. 
2. Line the bottom of a buttered 8x8 baking dish with parchment paper, then butter the paper. 
3. Place the pistachios and zest into a food processor bowl; pulse until finely ground (but not buttered). 
4. Transfer the mixture to a large mixing bowl, and add the flour, baking powder, and baking soda; set aside. 
5. Whisk together the sour cream, vanilla, and milk in a small bowl; set aside. 
6. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream the butter, sugar, and salt, about 3 minutes. 
7. Add the eggs, one at a time, until fully incorporated. 
8. With the mixer on low, alternate adding the dry ingredients (in three additions) and the wet ingredients (in two additions), starting and ending with the dry. 
9. Pour the batter into the prepared pan; smooth the top. 
10. Bake for 35 to 45 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean. 
11. Cool 10 minutes. 
12. Carefully remove the cake from the pan, peel off and discard the paper, then invert onto a wire rack to cool completely. 
13. Combine all the frosting ingredients in a medium bowl. 
14. Mix until just smooth, being careful not to overman. 
15. Frost the cake, then sprinkle on extra crushed pistachios. 

Recipe from the Costco Connection magazine.

Pistachio cookies

Active: 10 minutes; Total 30 minutes; Cookies: 16

Pistachios, toasted, unsalted	2 cups (280 grams)
Sugar, granulated	1 cup (200 grams)
Sugar, confectioners’	3/4 cup (75 grams)
Salt, kosher	½ teaspoon
Cardamom, ground	¼ teaspoon
Egg whites	2 large
Vanilla extract	1 tablespoon

1. Preheat your oven to 350°F; set two oven racks at the upper and lower middle positions; line two baking sheets with parchment paper. 
2. In the bowl of a food processor with the blade attachment, combine the pistachios, sugars, salt, and cardamom; process until the nuts are the texture of fine sand, about 60 to 90 seconds. 
3. Transfer to a large bowl, add the egg whites and vanilla, and mix with a rubber spatula until a thick, paste-like dough forms. 
4. Using a medium cookie scoop, portion out the dough and roll into balls. 
5. Place the dough balls at least 3 inches apart on the prepared baking sheets (eight per a sheet). 
6. Bake, swapping and rotating the top and the bottom sheets midway, for 12 to 14 minutes. (Don’t over bake!) 
7. Let the cookies cool completely. 

Recipe from Cookies, by Jesse Szewczyk.

Pistachio-yogurt sauce

Pistachios, raw	1 cup
Garlic, finely grated	3 cloves
Lemon zest, finely grated	1 teaspoon
Oil, olive	¼ cup +
Salt, kosher
Pepper, freshly ground
Yogurt, whole-milk Greek	1 cup

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Toast the pistachios on a rimmed baking sheet, tossing once, until golden brown, 5 to 8 minutes; let cool. 
2. Process in a food processor until very finely ground, add the garlic and lemon zest, and process until a coarse paste forms. 
3. With the motor running, stream in the oil, and process until the mixture is smooth; season with salt and pepper. 
4. Place the yogurt in a medium bowl, and season with salt and pepper. 
5. Fold the pistachio paste into the yogurt.

Recipe mildly adapted from Bon Appetit.

Scallops with tangerines, fennel & pistachios

Fennel bulbs, thinly sliced	2 small
Tangerines, peeled, segmented, pith & skin discarded	2
Tangerine juice	6 tablespoons
Oil, extra-virgin olive	¼ cup + ½ cup
Salt
Pepper, freshly ground
Sea scallops, fresh	10
Fennel seeds, ground	1 teaspoon
Butter, unsalted	2 tablespoons
Capers in brine, drained, patted dry	2 tablespoons
Olives, green, sliced	¼ cup
Pistachios, roasted, unsalted, coarsely chopped	¼ cup

1. In a large bowl, soak the fennel in iced water. 
2. In a medium bowl, whisk together the juice and ¼ cup oil; season with salt and pepper. 
3. Drain the fennel, and blog dry; add to the dressing, and toss to coat. 
4. Mound the salad on plates. 
5. Season the scallops with salt and pepper; rub with ground fennel seed. 
6. In a large skillet, heat ½ cup oil until shimmering over high heat. 
7. Add the scallops and cook until browned on the bottom, about 3 minutes. 
8. Add the butter and capers to the skillet, and then turn the scallops over and cook until white through out, about 2 minutes. 
9. Set the scallops on the fennel salad. 
10. With a slotted spoon, strain out the capers and scatter over the salad with the tangerine segments, olives and pistachios. 

Recipe adapted from Food&Wine.com.