Nuts about pistachio

Whats it like to witness a pistachio harvest tour in California? From our homes, we soak in the experience via a virtual trip, and also learn how to bake a roast with the nut

Did you know pistachio grows on trees that are shaken vigorously at harvest time every five to seven years? We learnt this on a digital trip via a Zoom call that took us on a virtual pistachio harvest tour, all the way to California.

While India doesn't grow pistachio, we love it in our sheermal, barfi and as a topping to sweet dishes. According to American Pistachios Growers (APG) that represents over 800 grower members in California, Arizona, and New Mexico, the US harvests nearly one billion pounds every year. It comes second to Iran in its production.

The green nuts thrive in hot, dry climate and cold winters. Mechanical harvest machines hold the tree and shake them so the nuts are collected on harvest which takes five to seven years. The collection is then taken to units to remove the hull, and the nuts (with their hard shell on) are then roasted and optionally seasoned.

The meet organised by FBAI (Food Bloggers Association of India) had a cooking demonstration planned, too. While 90 per cent of these nuts are devoured as a snack item, LA-based baker and chef Nancy Silverton showed us how to put it to better use. Known for her sourdough and breads, Silverton, a sprightly 66-year-old, regaled us with light humour and a meticulous game plan that made watching her whip up the dish therapeutic. We couldn't miss noticing her rolling pin collection on the wall behind her, around nine in total including a few that were 100 years old. For a whole roasted cauliflower bake, she put the entire head to boil in the water. "The salt you add to the boil should be as much as it tastes like the ocean water," explains

Silverton, adding that it aids the speed but doesn't make the cauliflower salty. When we mentioned that in India, we sometimes spot worms in the vegetable, she recommended cutting up big florets so that they can be easily cleaned. "This recipe is easy to pull off and you can pick ingredients that are available in your local market. It is a perfect winter meal," she signed off.

Log on to: americanpistachios.org to watch the harvest video

Nutty facts
Be mindful of whether the nuts are salted or unsalted so you can control the salt content in a recipe. Because they are versatile, they do work as a crumble or crunch as well as a mash.
They pair well with sweet and sour foods like rose and orange, as well as meats. If you have stale pistas, pop them into the oven for 10 to 15 minutes to give them crunch. Whole roasted cauliflower with California pistachio crumble and green onion sour cream

Ingredients
For the pistachio paste:
1⁄4 cup blended olive oil
1⁄4 cup whole California pistachios
3 garlic cloves, smashed
1 zest of lemon, peeled
2 tbsp oregano, chopped
1 tsp thyme, chopped
1⁄2 tsp salt

For the whole roasted cauliflower:
1 cauliflower, leaves intact
Salt to taste
3 tbsp olive oil

For green onion sour cream:
1⁄2 cup sour cream
1⁄4 cup scallions, minced
1⁄4 cup shallots, minced
1 garlic, grated
2 tsp salt
1⁄2 lemon, juiced

For pistachio topping:
3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
2 tsp sea salt
3 tbsp pistachios, coarsely chopped
1 tbsp cilantro

Method
For the paste, in a pot, combine oil, pistachios, garlic, and lemon zest. Cook over medium heat until the garlic is light golden brown, and the nuts are toasted. Cool the mixture to room temperature. In a food processor, add the mixture, oregano, thyme and salt. Pulse it until the lemon zest is broken down and the nuts are chopped. The mixture will be like a chunky paste.

For the sour cream, in a small bowl, combine all the ingredients, and set aside. For the whole roasted cauliflower, pre-heat the oven to 190°C. Fill a large stock pot with water and bring to a boil. Add salt until the water tastes like the ocean. Place the whole cauliflower into the water. The cauliflower will float, and the leaves will stick out of the water.

Cook for about seven minutes. Using tongs, flip the cauliflower so that the leaves are submerged. Cook for another three minutes. Remove the cauliflower from the water and place it on a baking sheet. Allow it to cool to room temperature. Wipe-dry and drizzle olive oil on the cauliflower, and sprinkle two tsp salt.

For assembly, spread the pistachio paste evenly over the cauliflower. Place it in the oven and roast for 12 to 15 minutes until it's golden brown and some spots have a slight char. Place it on a plate or wooden board. Drizzle extra virgin olive oil, sprinkle sea salt, chopped pistachios and cilantro. Serve with a side of the green onion sour cream.

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