Pine Nut and Orange Cookies

The addition of olive oil makes these tasty cookies moist and rich.

• 1/2 cup pine nuts
• 6-3/4 oz. (1-1/2 cups) unbleached all-purpose flour
• 1/4 cup granulated sugar; more for rolling
• 3 Tbs. finely grated orange zest (from 2 medium oranges)
• 1/4 tsp. baking powder
• 1/4 tsp. kosher salt
• 1/8 tsp. ground cinnamon
• 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 large egg, beaten

Position a rack in the upper third of the oven and heat the oven to 375°F.


Toast the pine nuts on a rimmed baking sheet, stirring occasionally, until fragrant and golden, about 5 minutes. Transfer to a small bowl to cool.


In a medium bowl, stir the flour, sugar, zest, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, and pine nuts. In a small bowl, whisk the oil and egg and add to the dry ingredients. Mix with your hands until the dough is evenly moist and holds together when squeezed, 1 to 2 minutes.


Fill a small bowl with about 1/4 cup sugar. Pinch off 1 rounded teaspoonful of dough (about 1/2 oz.). Shape it into a ball, coat it in the sugar, and set it in on a light-colored nonstick cookie sheet. Dip the bottom of a drinking glass in the sugar and flatten the cookie to slightly less than 1/4 inch thick. Repeat to make 13 more cookies.


Bake until the tops are golden and the edges are brown, 9 to 13 minutes. Let the cookies cool on the sheet for several minutes, then transfer them to a rack to cool completely. While the first batch of cookies bakes, shape the remaining dough into cookies and arrange on a second cookie sheet. When the first batch is done, bake the second batch.


The cookies will keep in an air-tight container at room temperature for up to 3 days.

Grilled Eggplant Salad with Feta, Pine Nuts & Garlicky Yogurt Dressing

• 2 hearts of romaine, leaves separated (save the small leaves for another use), washed, and dried
• 1 large eggplant (about 1-1/4  lb.), cut crosswise into 1/2-inch slices
• 5 Tbs. extra-virgin olive oil
• 3/4 cup plain yogurt
• 2 Tbs. fresh lemon juice
• 1 small clove garlic, mashed to a paste or crushed through a garlic press
• 1/4 tsp. ground cumin
• 1/2 cup tightly packed fresh flat-leaf parsley leaves, finely chopped
• 1/4 lb. feta, crumbled (3/4 cup)
• 1/3 cup toasted pine nuts

Tip:

This salad can be served warm or at room temperature and works very well arranged on a platter and served as a side dish for a buffet.

Put the romaine in a large bowl, cover with a damp paper towel, and refrigerate.

Heat a gas grill to medium high. Brush the eggplant slices with 3 Tbs. of the oil and season with salt and pepper. In a small bowl, combine the remaining 2 Tbs. olive oil with the yogurt, lemon juice, garlic, cumin, and parsley. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Grill the eggplant slices until softened and browned on the first side, 3 to 4 min. Flip them and continue to cook until the eggplant is browned and cooked through, another 3 to 4 min. Transfer to a plate.

Portion the romaine onto four plates, lay the eggplant slices on top, and drizzle them with the dressing. Top with the feta and pine nuts.

Black Cod with Pine Nuts, Tomatoes, and Olives

Toasted pine nuts provide a nice textural contrast to the firm, flaky fish in this easy dinner recipe.

• 1 Tbs. extra-virgin olive oil
• 3 medium cloves garlic, chopped
• 1/2 cup dry white wine
• 3 cups grape tomatoes, halved (quartered if large)
• 1-1/2 cups lower-salt chicken broth
• 1/2 cup pitted, halved Niçoise olives
• 4 skinless black cod (sablefish) or Pacific cod fillets (about 4 oz. each)
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1 Tbs. chopped fresh thyme
• 2/3 cup pine nuts, toasted

Heat the oil in a 12-inch nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add the garlic and cook, stirring, until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add the wine and let simmer until reduced by half, about 2 minutes. Add the tomatoes, broth, and olives. Bring to a simmer and cook, stirring occasionally, until the tomatoes begin to break down, about 8 minutes.


Season the fish with salt and pepper. Stir the thyme into the sauce. Nestle the fish into the sauce, return to a simmer, cover, and reduce the heat to low. Cook until the fish is just cooked through, about 4 minutes. Transfer the fish to 4 shallow bowls. Add the pine nuts to the sauce and season to taste with salt and pepper. Spoon the sauce over the fish and serve.

Olive Oil Pine Nut Ice Cream

Olive oil ice cream? Believe it or not, a fruity, good-quality olive oil gives the ice cream luxurious texture and a delicate flavor, punctuated here with the crunch of pine nuts.

• 2 cups heavy cream
• 1 cup whole milk
• 3/4 cup granulated sugar
• Table salt
• 5 large egg yolks
• 1/4 cup fruity extra-virgin olive oil 
• 1 cup toasted pine nuts

In a medium saucepan, mix 1 cup of the cream with the milk, sugar, and a pinch of salt. Warm the cream mixture over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally, until the sugar dissolves and tiny bubbles begin to form around the edge of the pan, 3 to 4 minutes. 

Prepare an ice bath by filling a large bowl with several inches of ice water. Set a smaller metal bowl (one that holds at least 1-1/2 quarts) in the ice water. Pour the remaining cup of cream into the inner bowl (this helps the custard cool quicker when you pour it in later). Set a fine strainer on top. Whisk the egg yolks in a medium bowl.

In a steady stream, pour half of the warm cream mixture into the egg yolks, whisking constantly to prevent the eggs from curdling.

Pour the egg mixture back into the saucepan and cook over low heat, stirring constantly and scraping the bottom with a heatproof rubber spatula until the custard thickens slightly (it should be thick enough to coat the spatula and hold a line drawn through it with a finger), 4 to 8 minutes. An instant-read thermometer should read 175° to 180°F at this point. Don’t let the sauce overheat or boil, or it will curdle. Immediately strain the custard into the cold cream in the ice bath.

Cool the custard to below 70°F by stirring it over the ice bath. Stir the olive oil into the cooled custard.

Refrigerate the custard until completely chilled, at least 4 hours. Then freeze the custard in your ice cream maker according to the manufacturer’s instructions.  Fold the pine nuts into the just-churned ice cream, transfer to an air-tight container, and freeze for at least 4 hours or up to 2 weeks.

Grilled Eggplant Salad with Feta, Pine Nuts & Garlicky Yogurt Dressing

• 2 hearts of romaine, leaves separated (save the small leaves for another use), washed, and dried
• 1 large eggplant (about 1-1/4  lb.), cut crosswise into 1/2-inch slices
• 5 Tbs. extra-virgin olive oil
• 3/4 cup plain yogurt
• 2 Tbs. fresh lemon juice
• 1 small clove garlic, mashed to a paste or crushed through a garlic press
• 1/4 tsp. ground cumin
• 1/2 cup tightly packed fresh flat-leaf parsley leaves, finely chopped
• 1/4 lb. feta, crumbled (3/4 cup)
• 1/3 cup toasted pine nuts

Tip:

This salad can be served warm or at room temperature and works very well arranged on a platter and served as a side dish for a buffet.

Put the romaine in a large bowl, cover with a damp paper towel, and refrigerate.

Heat a gas grill to medium high. Brush the eggplant slices with 3 Tbs. of the oil and season with salt and pepper. In a small bowl, combine the remaining 2 Tbs. olive oil with the yogurt, lemon juice, garlic, cumin, and parsley. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Grill the eggplant slices until softened and browned on the first side, 3 to 4 min. Flip them and continue to cook until the eggplant is browned and cooked through, another 3 to 4 min. Transfer to a plate.

Portion the romaine onto four plates, lay the eggplant slices on top, and drizzle them with the dressing. Top with the feta and pine nuts.

Black Cod with Pine Nuts, Tomatoes, and Olives

Toasted pine nuts provide a nice textural contrast to the firm, flaky fish in this easy dinner recipe.

• 1 Tbs. extra-virgin olive oil
• 3 medium cloves garlic, chopped
• 1/2 cup dry white wine
• 3 cups grape tomatoes, halved (quartered if large)
• 1-1/2 cups lower-salt chicken broth
• 1/2 cup pitted, halved Niçoise olives
• 4 skinless black cod (sablefish) or Pacific cod fillets (about 4 oz. each)
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1 Tbs. chopped fresh thyme
• 2/3 cup pine nuts, toasted

Heat the oil in a 12-inch nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add the garlic and cook, stirring, until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add the wine and let simmer until reduced by half, about 2 minutes. Add the tomatoes, broth, and olives. Bring to a simmer and cook, stirring occasionally, until the tomatoes begin to break down, about 8 minutes.


Season the fish with salt and pepper. Stir the thyme into the sauce. Nestle the fish into the sauce, return to a simmer, cover, and reduce the heat to low. Cook until the fish is just cooked through, about 4 minutes. Transfer the fish to 4 shallow bowls. Add the pine nuts to the sauce and season to taste with salt and pepper. Spoon the sauce over the fish and serve.

Pine Nut and Chocolate Caramel Bars

With an orange-scented shortbread crust, gooey caramel topping, and delicate chocolate drizzle, this addictive treat is a great riff on the classic chocolate turtle candy.

For the crust

• 8 oz. (1 cup) unsalted butter, softened, cut into 6 pieces
• 2/3 cup granulated sugar
• 1 Tbs. finely grated orange zest
• 1/4 tsp. kosher salt
• 11-1/4 oz. (2-1/2 cups) unbleached all-purpose flour
• 5 oz. bittersweet chocolate, chopped

For the topping

• 1-1/4 cups granulated sugar
• 3/4 cup heavy cream
• 1-1/2 oz. (3 Tbs.) unsalted butter, cut into 6 pieces
• 1/4 tsp. kosher salt
• 1-1/2 cups pine nuts

Make the crust

Position a rack in the center of the oven and heat the oven to 350°F. Line a straight-sided 13x9-inch metal baking pan with a large piece of heavy-duty foil, leaving a 2-inch overhang on two sides.


In a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment or in a large bowl with a hand mixer, beat the butter, sugar, orange zest, and salt on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, 1 to 3 minutes. Scrape the bowl. On low speed, mix in the flour until the dough is uniformly sandy, 1 to 2 minutes.


Transfer the dough to the prepared pan and press evenly into the bottom. Bake until lightly golden, about 20 minutes. Let the crust cool completely on a wire rack.


Melt the chocolate in a medium heatproof bowl set in a skillet of barely simmering water, stirring frequently, until smooth (be careful not to get any water in the chocolate). With a small offset spatula, spread all but about 2 Tbs. of the melted chocolate evenly over the cooled crust. Return the bowl with the remaining chocolate to the skillet of warm water and set aside off the heat to keep warm.

Make the topping

Put 3 Tbs. of water in a heavy-duty 3-quart saucepan. Pour the sugar in the center of the pan and pat it down with a spatula just until evenly moistened. Cook over medium-high heat without stirring until the syrup turns amber, 6 to 8 minutes; swirl the pan as the sugar caramelizes to help it cook evenly. Slowly whisk in the cream (be careful—it will bubble vigorously and produce a lot of steam). Whisk in the butter and salt and boil until the butter is combined, 1 minute more.

Assemble the bars

Pour the caramel evenly over the crust. Sprinkle the pine nuts over the caramel. Bake until the caramel is bubbling all over and jiggles only slightly in the center when the pan is nudged, 24 to 26 minutes. If necessary, reheat the remaining chocolate until fluid. With a spoon, drizzle the chocolate over the top. Let cool completely before cutting into squares.

Creamy Pine Nut & Tahini Sauce (Tarator Sauce)

Use this all-purpose Middle Eastern sauce as a dip for pita or raw vegetables or thin it with olive oil or water and spread over fish before baking.

• 1 cup pine nuts
• 2 small cloves garlic, minced
• 6 Tbs. tahini (sesame seed paste), well stirred
• 4 Tbs. fresh lemon juice; more to taste
• 1 Tbs. olive oil; more to taste
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste 
• Cayenne (optional)
• Chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley or cilantro for garnish

In a food processor, purée the nuts and garlic until they form a paste. Add the tahini and 4 Tbs. lemon juice and purée. With the machine running, mix in cold water 1 Tbs. at a time until the sauce is thinned to the consistency of sour cream (you’ll need 1/3 to 1/2 cup water). Add 1 Tbs. olive oil (or more) for a slightly more spreadable consistency. Season with salt and pepper and another 1 to 2 Tbs. lemon juice if you like. If you’d like some heat, add cayenne to taste. This sauce thickens as it sits; add cold water as needed to thin it. Garnish with parsley or cilantro and serve at room temperature.

Pine Nut and Chocolate Caramel Bars

With an orange-scented shortbread crust, gooey caramel topping, and delicate chocolate drizzle, this addictive treat is a great riff on the classic chocolate turtle candy.

For the crust

• 8 oz. (1 cup) unsalted butter, softened, cut into 6 pieces
• 2/3 cup granulated sugar
• 1 Tbs. finely grated orange zest
• 1/4 tsp. kosher salt
• 11-1/4 oz. (2-1/2 cups) unbleached all-purpose flour
• 5 oz. bittersweet chocolate, chopped

For the topping

• 1-1/4 cups granulated sugar
• 3/4 cup heavy cream
• 1-1/2 oz. (3 Tbs.) unsalted butter, cut into 6 pieces
• 1/4 tsp. kosher salt
• 1-1/2 cups pine nuts

Make the crust

Position a rack in the center of the oven and heat the oven to 350°F. Line a straight-sided 13x9-inch metal baking pan with a large piece of heavy-duty foil, leaving a 2-inch overhang on two sides.


In a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment or in a large bowl with a hand mixer, beat the butter, sugar, orange zest, and salt on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, 1 to 3 minutes. Scrape the bowl. On low speed, mix in the flour until the dough is uniformly sandy, 1 to 2 minutes.


Transfer the dough to the prepared pan and press evenly into the bottom. Bake until lightly golden, about 20 minutes. Let the crust cool completely on a wire rack.


Melt the chocolate in a medium heatproof bowl set in a skillet of barely simmering water, stirring frequently, until smooth (be careful not to get any water in the chocolate). With a small offset spatula, spread all but about 2 Tbs. of the melted chocolate evenly over the cooled crust. Return the bowl with the remaining chocolate to the skillet of warm water and set aside off the heat to keep warm.

Make the topping

Put 3 Tbs. of water in a heavy-duty 3-quart saucepan. Pour the sugar in the center of the pan and pat it down with a spatula just until evenly moistened. Cook over medium-high heat without stirring until the syrup turns amber, 6 to 8 minutes; swirl the pan as the sugar caramelizes to help it cook evenly. Slowly whisk in the cream (be careful—it will bubble vigorously and produce a lot of steam). Whisk in the butter and salt and boil until the butter is combined, 1 minute more.

Assemble the bars

Pour the caramel evenly over the crust. Sprinkle the pine nuts over the caramel. Bake until the caramel is bubbling all over and jiggles only slightly in the center when the pan is nudged, 24 to 26 minutes. If necessary, reheat the remaining chocolate until fluid. With a spoon, drizzle the chocolate over the top. Let cool completely before cutting into squares.

Pine Nut and Orange Cookies

The addition of olive oil makes these tasty cookies moist and rich.

• 1/2 cup pine nuts
• 6-3/4 oz. (1-1/2 cups) unbleached all-purpose flour
• 1/4 cup granulated sugar; more for rolling
• 3 Tbs. finely grated orange zest (from 2 medium oranges)
• 1/4 tsp. baking powder
• 1/4 tsp. kosher salt
• 1/8 tsp. ground cinnamon
• 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 large egg, beaten

Position a rack in the upper third of the oven and heat the oven to 375°F.


Toast the pine nuts on a rimmed baking sheet, stirring occasionally, until fragrant and golden, about 5 minutes. Transfer to a small bowl to cool.


In a medium bowl, stir the flour, sugar, zest, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, and pine nuts. In a small bowl, whisk the oil and egg and add to the dry ingredients. Mix with your hands until the dough is evenly moist and holds together when squeezed, 1 to 2 minutes.


Fill a small bowl with about 1/4 cup sugar. Pinch off 1 rounded teaspoonful of dough (about 1/2 oz.). Shape it into a ball, coat it in the sugar, and set it in on a light-colored nonstick cookie sheet. Dip the bottom of a drinking glass in the sugar and flatten the cookie to slightly less than 1/4 inch thick. Repeat to make 13 more cookies.


Bake until the tops are golden and the edges are brown, 9 to 13 minutes. Let the cookies cool on the sheet for several minutes, then transfer them to a rack to cool completely. While the first batch of cookies bakes, shape the remaining dough into cookies and arrange on a second cookie sheet. When the first batch is done, bake the second batch.


The cookies will keep in an air-tight container at room temperature for up to 3 days.

Pork Chops Stuffed with Pine Nuts and Herbs

A take on traditional pesto, the filling for these pork chops is amped up with sweet raisins and fresh herbs for a sweet-and-savory Mediterranean flavor. 

• 6 center-cut, bone-in pork loin chops (1-1/4 inches to 1-1/2 inches thick)
• 1/2 cup fresh mint
• 1/2 cup fresh parsley
• 1/3 cup fresh tarragon
• 1/3 cup finely grated Pecorino Romano (1/4 oz.)
• 5 Tbs. extra-virgin olive oil
• 3 medium cloves garlic, peeled
• 1 tsp. finely grated lemon zest
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 3/4 cup pine nuts, toasted 
• 1/3 cup golden raisins
• 1 Tbs. unsalted butter, cut into 6 pieces

Position a rack in the center of the oven and heat the oven to 400°F.


With a sharp knife, make a horizontal slit in each pork chop to create a 3-1/2-inch-long pocket.


In a food processor, combine the mint, parsley, tarragon, pecorino, 3 Tbs. of the oil, the garlic, lemon zest, 1/2 tsp. salt, and 1/4 tsp. pepper. Pulse until finely chopped. Add 1/2 cup of the pine nuts and pulse until the nuts are roughly chopped. Stir in the remaining 1/4 cup pine nuts and the raisins. Season the insides of the pockets with salt and pepper and stuff with the filling. Secure the pockets with toothpicks. Season the outside of the meat generously with salt and pepper.


Heat 1 Tbs. of the oil in a 12-inch skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering hot. Sear 3 of the pork chops on both sides until well browned, about 6 minutes total; transfer to a large rimmed baking sheet. Repeat with the remaining 1 Tbs. oil and the remaining pork chops. Top each chop with a piece of butter and roast in the oven until an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the pork chops registers 145°F, 10 to 12 minutes. Discard the toothpicks and serve drizzled with the pan juice.