It’s national grab some nuts day! No. I’m not making this up.

I know what your thinking. But, if your mind is going there, that’s on you. National grab some nuts day is an actual thing. Don’t ask how it started, just take it for what it is. We aren’t going to get into a list of every nut there is. For that, you’d have to ask Harland Pepper. Although, we can tell you that some things we think are nuts are not technically nuts (again, don’t go there). The most glaring example is the peanut, which is, in reality a legume like lentils or chic peas. But, who really cares? You can have a lentil and jelly sandwich if you want. I’ll stick with peanut butter.

Other so called nuts that aren’t nuts include Pistachios and Almonds. Believe it or not, they are both actually seeds. I am lucky enough to live near an Armenia community where I first came across fresh almond fruit a while ago. They are actually a fruit similar to peaches or apricots with a soft flesh and slightly fuzzy skin. The seed inside is what we know as an almond. Cashews are in the same boat. They are drupe seeds as well. They hang from the bottom of cashew apples.

It’s national grab some nuts day! Why not vote for deez nuts?

Even Pecans are technically seeds. But, that won’t stop us from enjoying a nice pecan pie. Of course, if you have a nut allergy, stop reading right now. This may cause a reaction. Hopefully, it will cause a reaction for everyone. Just think of how different the world would be right now if Deez Nuts had won the presidency. Americans have been obsessed with Nuts for centuries. The pilgrims had them at Thanksgiving. We’ve been electing them to public office for years, and we even find them in the name of our coffee (Chock full o’ nuts).

So, what should one do on national grab some nuts day? Well, for starters, grab some nuts. Whether its pine nuts, walnuts, chestnuts, or whatever nuts turn you on, grab away. We have a couple recipes that will help you utilize deez nuts once they’ve been grabbed.

Nuts can be a part of every meal and every course. From Spiced nuts on a cheese board to a salad, to a main course, to dessert. They can be an accent or an integral part of a dish. And, what would baseball be without a sack of peanuts. Not eating nuts is downright unAmerican. So, grab your epi-pen and get ready to grab deez nuts! It’s national grab some nuts day! Just be careful of ice age squirrels grabbing your nuts.

Pistacchio crusted Sea Bass Over Cauliflower Puree with Golden beet Ginger Sauce

cheffd

Print Recipe

Prep Time 20 minutes mins

Cook Time 35 minutes mins

Course Main Course

Cuisine American

Servings 4 People

Ingredients

  

• 4 each 6 oz. Sea Bass portions (preferably center cut)
• 1 Tbsp dijon mustard
• 1 cup Chopped Pistacchios
• 1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh marjoram
• Salt and Pepper to taste
• Avocado oil for cooking
• For Cauliflower Puree:
• 2 cups Fresh cauliflower florets
• 2 cups Peeled yukon gold or white creamer potatoes
• 1/4 cup unsalted butter
• Salt and Pepper to taste (use white pepper if available)
• For Sauce:
• Avocado oil for cooking
• 1 Cup Peeled and chopped fresh golden beets
• 2 Tbsp Chopped fresh shallot
• 2 Tbsp Chopped Fresh Ginger
• 1 small Lemongrass stem cut in 3 inch lengths
• 2 each cardamom pods
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 1 cup orange juice
• Juice of 1 small lime
• 8 cups water
• Salt and Pepper to taste
• Asparagus, Edamame, or Fava Beans for service
• Micro Greens and Lime for garnish

Instructions

 

• Make the sauce: Heat Avocado oil in a heavy gauge pot. Saute the shallots, ginger, lemongrass, and cardamom. Add in the beets and stir. Allow the flavors to blend over medium heat for a couple minutes. Then add the sugar and stir until it is melted in. Add the rest of the ingredients (except salt and pepper) and bring to a boil. Taper temperature back to a simmer and allow the beets to cook at least 20 minutes. They should be soft and falling apart. Add more liquid and continue cooking if they aren't soft enough.
• When the liquid is cooked down to barely covering the beets. And, the beets are soft enough to puree, remove the cardamom and lemongrass. Puree the Beets until a silky smooth sauce is created. Add a little orange juice if it is too thick. Season and set aside the sauce.
• make the Cauliflower puree. Boil the potatoes in salted water. At the same time, toss the cauliflower in a little oil, salt, and white pepper. Roast at 350 degrees until it becomes soft (about 10 to 15 minutes). Try not to get too much color. But, make sure it is relatively dry. Strain the potatoes well. Puree the cauliflower in a food processor until smooth. Push the potatoes through a strainer or food mill and add to the food processor. add in butter, salt, and pepper. Puree everything together until smooth. Don't let the potatoes spend too much time in the processor or they will become gummy. Set aside and keep warm for service.
• Prepare the fish: Fold the chopped nuts and herbs together. This can be done in a food processor or by hand. Be careful using a food processor, as the mixture can become too moist and clumpy. You want it to be dry enough to stick to your fish. Using the back of a teaspoon spread a very thin skim coat of dijon mustard on the fish. It should be just enough to hold the coating, not to make its own crust. Dip the fish fillets into the nut mix just to coat the top side evenly.
• Heat the oil in a large saute pan over medium high heat. When it is just below the smoking point, add in the fish. Cook about 3 to 5 minutes per side. You want the Nut crust to be slightly browned. But, allow the green colors to shine through. It may take more time to cook the fish depending on the thickness of the fillets. If you want, you can sear the fish ahead of time. Leave it raw in the middle, and, finish it in a 350 degree oven. You want an internal temperature of 155 degrees. Again, cooking time depends on the thickness of the fish.
• Cook the vegetables. Heat oil in a saute pan over high heat. Add in the green vegetable of your choice. Season with salt and pepper, toss until just cooked through (about 30 seconds to 1 minute).
• Plate the dish: Make a bed of the cauliflower puree in the middle of the plate. Top with the fish. Either drizzle the sauce over the top or pool it around the puree. Or you can do a little of both. Garnish the plate with the vegetables, some microgreens, and citrus is desired.

Notes

We use Sea bass here. But, you can substitute other fish. halibut, grouper, or tile fish are all good substitutes of similar quality. You can also go more delicate with sole or turbot.

When making the potato cauliflower puree, be careful with the potato. It will get pasty in the food processor. You also want the cauliflower to be relatively dry. But, not so dry that it doesn’t puree smoothly. There needs to be enough moisture that it breaks down smoothly. One method to achieve this is to actually boil or steam it first, then pop it in the oven to dry it out. This will prevent it from becoming stringy in the pureeing process.

The sauce can be served as a soup as well. Adjust the consistency to your taste.

When it comes to the vegetables, see what is seasonal. I like a pop of green to really bring the plate to life. Asparagus, Broccolini, Fava beans, edamame, sugar snap peas, English peas all work well. The cooking process needs to be quick though. You want to preserve the color. So, cook al dente. Just get them in and out of the heat quick.

Keyword Cauliflower Puree, Ginger Sauce, Golden Beet, Pistacchio, Sea Bass

Sweet and Sppicy Crusted pecans

cheffd

Print Recipe

Prep Time 5 minutes mins

Cook Time 10 minutes mins

Course accompaniment, Snack

Cuisine American, Cajun, French, Italian

Servings 1 quart

Ingredients

  

• 4 cups Shelled pecan 1/2's
• 1 large Egg White
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 Tbsp Cajun spice mix
• 1 tsp Salt
• 2 tsp ground cinnamon

Instructions

 

• Preheat oven to 300 degrees
• Prepare pan for baking: Use a flat baking sheet pan. Lay parchment or a non stick pad down. Spray with pan spray.
• Whisk the egg whites until frothy. Add in the spices and sugar. Then fold in the nuts to coat evenly.
• Spread the coated buts out evenly on the sheet pan. Try to keep them all separated so the cook evenly. Bake at 300 degrees until the crust becomes a golden brown, about 10 to 15 minutes. Allow to cool on a rack for at leat an hour. Do not cover until completely cooled or the crust will become soft and unappealing.

Notes

We use pecans here. But, you can use any nut you like. Or, do a mix of nuts.

Keyword Crusted, Pecans, spicy, Sweet