Scottish Oat & Pistachio Crusted Cod

Image Leave a comment 10/12/2020 the wee caledonian cook

I am very lucky to live in a Country with an amazing Food Larder and 1 type of Food that Scotland is known for is it’s Fresh Fish, the Scottish Fishing Industry is currently worth around £316 million to Scotland, unfortunately that number has went down recently due to Covid, but at the height back in 2015 it was worth nearly £437 million. Most of its catch comes in from Aberdeen, then some from central and southern areas. Some of the most popular seafood caught in Scotland are mainly shellfish such as Mussels, Shrimp & Crab but also Salmon, Cod, Haddock & Mackerel.

My local Fishmonger Ryan Black, is from a nearby Town called Kirkcaldy which is in the Fife region, they provide a fantastic service and deliver straight to your door, straight from the shore. There is nothing better than getting the freshest fish delivered the same day. I got some lovely pieces of Cod for dinner.

Having some Pistachios in my cupboard to be used, I decided to try my Pistachio Crust recipe with the Cod and it worked a treat….super delicious, healthy and quick mid week meal.

Serves 2

2 Cod Fillets

25g Pistachio’s

20g Scottish Oats

1 Tbsp Mustard Powder or 2 Tsp Dijon Mustard

1 Tbsp Lemon Juice

Salt & Pepper to taste

1 Tsp Dried Parsley or small handful of fresh

Line a baking Tray with greaseproof paper and preheat your oven to fan 210 deg C
Using a processor, blitz the pistachios and oats together with the parsley until roughly chopped
If using mustard powder, take 1 tbsp into a bowl and squeeze 1 tbsp lemon juice in and mix into a paste, leave to sit for 10 minutes to allow flavour to develop.
Lay cod onto baking sheet and spoon the mustard over the fish, season with salt and pepper, then place the pistachio crust mix over the top covering the fish, press down to secure. Bake in the oven for 12-15 minutes until opaque.
Serve with a slice of lemon.

Nutty Energy Balls

Image Leave a comment 08/07/2020 the wee caledonian cook

As the Covid19 Lockdown is slowly and gently easing, we are now allowed to travel to the mountains again. We have longed to get back outdoors and into the picturesque landscape we call home. The Scottish Mountains are my headspace, a place where I grow, think, be at peace, laugh and get fitter…lol! To read more about the Scottish Munros, Corbetts, Grahams etc, head over to my travel post https://atomic-temporary-46532287.wpcomstaging.com/2020/07/08/a-list-of-scotlands-mountains/.

Anyway, back to food, my first passion. To walk or climb the Scottish Mountains you need energy firstly (then waterproofs…lol), so I made these to pack and take with us for a wee boost when needed. Great for a pre workout snack too & also Gluten Free.

Makes about 16

For the Balls:-

4 heaped tbsp of Crunchy Peanut Butter (good quality, I use Whole Earth)

200g chopped mixed nuts & raisins (I used a food processor to chop finely)

2 tbsp Icing sugar

Coating/Topping:-

Choice 1:-

Dark or Milk Chocolate, 1 tbsp Butter – Melted together

Chopped Pistachios

Choice 2:-

Butter icing – Icing Sugar 80-100g, 1 tbsp butter – Melted together

Desiccated Coconut

Place all ball ingredients into a bowl and mix together until combined. You may find it best to us clean hands for this. Take a tsp size and roll into a ball.
Dip the rolled balls into your wet mixture of choice and then roll into the coconut or pistachio toppings to coat. Place onto a greaseproof lined baking tray and refrigerate to harden.
These can be stored for up to 2 weeks in an airtight container. Enjoy!

Of course you can use any coating or topping you like.

Step by step images of nutty energy balls

Crispy Mint Squares

Image Leave a comment 04/07/2020 the wee caledonian cook

I was looking through all my recipes the other day and came across this one from my Gran’s old Cookbooks, one I hadn’t tried before. So with the wet weather to day was that day I was going to try these. Back in the day my gran always used margarine for baking, personally I think butter is a much better flavour so this was the 1 thing that I changed & I added in some pistachios to the base to give it a bit more crunch.

Makes about 16-20 squares (depends on how big a slice you want…lol!)

For the Base:-

200g Digestives, crushed

120g Butter

50g Light Brown Sugar

1 heaped tbsp Cocoa Powder

1 tsp vanilla extract

2 heaped tbsp desiccated coconut

40g Chopped Pistachios

1 egg beaten

For the Peppermint Centre:-

50g Butter

3 tbsp milk

1/2 tsp peppermint extract

230g Icing Sugar

Green Food Colouring

For the Chocolate:-

140g Milk Chocolate (55% cocoa) I use Lindt, definitely my favourite.

40g Dark Chocolate (70% cocoa)

1 tbsp butter

Use a 9″ square baking tin and line with baking paper or foil
In a saucepan over a low heat melt the butter, stir in sugar & cocoa powder, bring off the heat and whisk in the beaten egg, return to heat and whisk until thickened, this only take a minute or 2. Remove from heat, stir in the vanilla extract, digestives, pistachios and coconut, mix together so everything is coated well. Using a spoon, spread the biscuit base mixture into you baking tin and smooth. Refrigerate for about 1 hour until hardened.
Using a mixer, stand or hand whichever you have, beat the butter until smooth. Add the icing sugar, milk, peppermint essence and food colouring and mix until blended. Smooth this mixture over the top of your biscuit base and return to the fridge to set for about 30 minutes.
Meanwhile, melt your chocolate with the butter in a glass bowl over a pot of simmering water and allow to cool slightly. (about 5-10 minutes)
Pour chocolate over the buttercream and smooth, return to the fridge to allow chocolate to harden. (about 30 minutes).
Once chocolate has hardened you can now decorate (if you wish), I just drizzled some green icing over the top and returned to fridge to set.
To prevent the chocolate from breaking when cutting into slices, remove from fridge and bring to room temperature. I made that mistake of slicing too soon and my chocolate cracked.

Pistachio & Chocolate Bites

Image Leave a comment 18/04/2020 the wee caledonian cook

I hope everyone is doing o.k. in these unusual times. If you are like me, I get bored very easily and need to be doing something productive with my day, so today I was talking to a friend and saying how we miss our coffee & cake dates at our fav coffee shop, then idea to use up whatever was in my cupboards to bake a cake and have a virtual coffee & cake date. I do love pistachio’s and always have some on hand, so this little cake bite was perfect.

Makes about 16 squares

150g shelled pistachios

200g milk chocolate (I used Dairy Milk bar)

200g golden caster sugar or light brown sugar

200g soft butter

3 eggs

200g Self raising flour

100ml milk

50g butter for chocolate

100g icing sugar

Pinch salt

Preheat oven to 160 deg and line a square tin (approx 20cm) with baking paper
Mix up 125g of pistachios and 75g of the milk chocolate with 100g sugar in a blender until finely chopped.
Tip into a bowl with the remaining sugar, butter, eggs, flour & milk with a pinch of salt and mix thoroughly.
Empty the mixture into your prepared tin and bake for about 40 minutes or until a knife comes out clean. Leave to cool slightly.
Meanwhile, break up the chocolate and place into a microwave bowl with the 50g of butter, microwave for 1 minute, remove and stir together until fully melted. Next pour the icing sugar into the chocolate and beat together until combined and thick.
Pour over the top of the cake and even, using the remaining chopped pistachios, sprinkle over the top and allow to set. Cut into bite slices. Serve with a yummy cuppa!

Chocolate & Pistachio Tart

Image Leave a comment 25/11/2019 the wee caledonian cook

Oh Yum, I love Pistachios and had some in my cupboards to use up, so I though I would give this little delight a go and I wasn’t disappointed.

For the Crust

100g Plain flour

35g Cocoa Powder

70g Chopped Pistachio’s

1/4 tsp salt

70g unsalted butter, room temperature

35g Demerara Sugar

1/2 tsp vanilla extract

For the Pistachio Paste

65g Pistachio’s

35g Demerara Sugar

1/4 tsp salt

1 tbsp olive oil

For the Filling

150g Milk Chocolate

120ml Cream

50ml Milk

1 egg beaten

Pistachio’s chopped to garnish

Grease a 9″ Fluted Tart tin with removal bottom.
Whisk together flour, cocoa powder, chopped pistachios, and 1/4 teaspoon salt. Beat butter on medium speed until fluffy. Add sugar, and beat until pale. Add vanilla, then flour mixture, beat until just combined and dough holds together when pressed between 2 fingers. Press dough into a disk, and wrap in plastic. Refrigerate for 15 – 30 mins.
Roll out dough to an 11-inch round, 1/4 inch thick on a lightly floured surface. Press dough into bottom and up sides of tart pan. Trim excess dough flush with edges of pan using a knife. Refrigerate until firm, at least 1 hour or overnight. Meanwhile, preheat oven to 150 deg C.
Bake until firm, about 30 minutes. Let cool completely.
Make the pistachio paste: Pulse pistachios, sugar, and 1/4 teaspoon salt in a food processor until mixture begins to clump together. Add oil, and pulse until smooth and paste like. Spread evenly into bottom of cooled tart shell, pressing firmly with back of a spoon until flat and smooth.
Make the filling: Place chocolate in a heatproof bowl. Heat cream and milk in a saucepan over medium heat until almost boiling, pour over chocolate. Let stand for 2 minutes. Slowly whisk until smooth. Let cool for 10 minutes. Stir in egg until combined. Pour in filling to tart shell. Bake until just set, 30 to 35 minutes. Let cool. Garnish with finely chopped pistachios.

Pistachio & Chocolate Chip Cupcakes

Image 1 Comment 24/02/2018 the wee caledonian cook

O.M.G!! What can I say………….this little creation is my best yet……absolutely delicious! 10/10 my boyfriend said….lol!

I just love a relaxing saturday afternoon baking, while my boyfriend was watching the Rugby I was listening to my favourite tunes by Imagine Dragons and creating some little afternoon delights.

Makes 12

70g pistachios

140g Golden Caster Sugar

140g Self Raising Flour

140g butter

2 eggs

5 tbsp milk

100g milk or dark chocolate drops (whichever you prefer)

1 tsp vanilla essence

1 tsp almond extract

250g icing sugar

Green food colouring

Preheat oven to 160 deg.
Line a Muffin tin with cases.
Blitz the pistachios in a blender under finely chopped. (keep a little back for decoration)
Mix flour, sugar, butter, eggs, milk, vanilla essence, almond extract and pistachios in an electric mixer until well blended and smooth.
Divide the mixture between the cases and then push some chocolate chips into each one.
Bake in the oven for about 23-25 minutes or until a knife comes out clean. Leave to cool on a rack after.
Meanwhile, sift the icing sugar into a bowl and add 1 tbsp at a time of water until you get a thick but still slightly running texture. Then drop 1 or 2 drops of food colour into icing to make a pale green colour.
Melt some chocolate in the microwave for the decoration. About 1 minute – 1m30secs.
When cakes are cool, top with the icing, then left over pistachios and drizzle with the chocolate. Refrigerate for about 1/2 hr to harden.
Then just devour! Oh so Yummy!

My Colourful Morning Scott’s Energy Oats

Image Leave a comment 05/10/2016 the wee caledonian cook

It’s starting to get chilly in the mornings now here in Bonnie Scotland, the Autumn has certainly arrived. I do love the Autumn though, apple pies, warm pumpkin soup, warming hearty stews and lovely hot breakfasts! Feeling cold and tired, I decided to colour up my porridge this morning and add some energy boosting foods, it certainly perked me up and put a smile on my face, great way to start the working day. Total calories:- 318

1 portion Scotts porridge oats (I used the so easy version for quickness)

1 banana – sliced

8g almonds – grinded to powder

7g pistachios – grinded to powder

5g chia seeds

pink food colouring

Cook porridge oats as per normal but adding in the pink colouring
Place the other ingredients in any way you choose. Make a different design and colour every day! Have fun with your food!

Dark Chocolate & Pistachio Banana Bites

Image 4 Comments 28/07/2016 the wee caledonian cook

Love….Love…Love these! Full of goodness and energy.

1 banana

50g Dark Chocolate (70%)

handful of pistachio’s – crushed

oh….and 1 skewer to hold banana in place.

Melt the chocolate, peel the banana and insert the skewer, pour the chocolate over the banana while gently turning to cover. Then sprinkle the pistachio’s over.
Remove skewer, lay on a plate and allow to cool in fridge to harden the chocolate. (about 1/2 hour)

Love these for a post workout snack or simply just to indulge!

Strawberry, Banana Yoghurt Delight with little surprises.

Image Leave a comment 10/06/2016 the wee caledonian cook

Oh yum! Looking for something fresh and different for breakfast, I came up with this little Parfait, that was absolutely delicious! Once you take a spoonful you taste the strawberry yoghurt then you get the hit of the chocolate mint with the crunch of the oats, coconut and pistachio’s…….oh yummy!

Makes 1

4 tbsp Strawberry Yoghurt

4 tbsp Vanilla Yoghurt

4 Strawberries – sliced

1 small banana – sliced

2 tbsp toasted oats

2 tbsp toasted coconut

3 Chocolate mint leaves – chopped

1 tbsp of pistachio’s chopped

Place 2 tbsp of strawberry yoghurt in a glass, then top with 2 tbsp of vanilla yoghurt.
Place a layer of strawberries and bananas on top and sprinkle 1 tbsp oats and coconut on.
Sprinkle on the chocolate mint leaves
Then do above over again for a second layer.
Top with any remaining banana or strawberries and pistachio’s and serve! YUMMY!

Pistachio Chicken

Image Leave a comment 08/06/2015 the wee caledonian cook

Makes 2 Chicken breasts – Approx 320 calories.

2 x Chicken Breasts

20g Pistachios

1 tbsp golden breadcrumbs

1 tbsp Italian Seasoning or a mix of Basil and Oregano

1 tbsp mustard (optional)

1. Blitz the pistachios in a processor until fine like pieces

2. Mix the breadcrumbs, seasoning and pistachios together

3. Coat the chicken breasts with the mustard if using and place in seasoning pressing firmly into the chicken to coat well.

4. Place on a baking sheet and bake in oven at 190 deg for 30 mins.

Spiced aubergine salad with pistachio yoghurt

Image 5 Comments 20/04/2015 the wee caledonian cook

I love pistachio’s and always looking for new ways to incorporate into my dining. This was delicious.

Serves 4

Salad:-

Mixed leaves of choice, Grated Beetroot, Grated Carrot, Cherry tomatoes (halved), cucumber sliced, Feta cheese, Olives (your choice), 1 pomegranate, Olive oil and Balsamic Vinegar for dressing.

Spiced Aubergines:-

3/4 Aubergines (Halved)

1 garlic clove

Olive oil (2 tbsp)

1 tbsp cumin

1 tsp paprika

1 tsp cinnamon

1 tsp chilli powder

1 tsp garlic

Salt and pepper to taste

Pistachio Yoghurt:-

6 tbsps Pistachio’s

Handful of fresh mint

250g natural yoghurt

1 tbsp olive oil

Method:-

1. Preheat oven to 220 deg.

2. Halved Aubergines longways, and make 1cm deep cuts diagonally about 2-3cm apart. Rub the garlic over the top of each one and season with salt and pepper. Drizzle with olive oil and bake in oven for approx 30-40 mins.

3. Mix up aubergines spices and dust over then cook for a further 5 mins.

4. For the yoghurt, mix pistachios, yoghurt, mint and olive oil in a blender until smooth. Set aside until ready.

5. Mix all salad ingredients in a bowl with dressing, serve onto a plate and sprinkle feta cheese over.

6. Cut pomegranate in half and carefully remove seeds, discarding any white pith, sprinkle seeds over salad.

7. Place baked Aubergines on top of salad and serve with the yoghurt dressing.

Yummy!

Pistachio Cake/ Bread

Image Leave a comment 11/04/2015 the wee caledonian cook

I had some Pistachio’s in the cupboard and didn’t know what to do with them, so I made a cake/Bread! Not sure what to call it, it looks like bread but tastes like a cake…lol!

I still have 50g of pistachios left and will try a topping for chicken through the week for something different. Watch this space.

My Pistachio Afternoon Cake/Bread – Serves approx 10-12

300g Self Raising/All purpose flour

1.5 tsp kosher Salt or table salt if you don’t have.

1 tsp baking powder

100g unsalted butter (room temp)

300g caster sugar

5 large eggs

2 tbsp fresh lemon juice

2 tbsp fresh orange juice

2 tsp grated orange zest

1 tsp grated lime zest

150g un-shelled pistachio’s

1. preheat oven to 160 deg.

2. Flour a baking tin and remove excess. Approx size 9x5x3 inch

3. Mix flour, salt and baking powder in a bowl, set aside.

4. Beat butter with electric mixer until light and fluffy, then add in the sugar and mix until well blended

5. Add in eggs, 1 at a time ensuring well blended, then add remaining juices (ie:lemon,lime,orange)

6. Now add the dry ingredients (flour mix) and mix.

7. Crush pistachio’s in a mixer until coarsely chopped, add in about 3/4 of pistachio’s and mix well in.

8. Pour mixture into baking tin and sprinkle remaining pistachio’s over top.

9. Bake in the oven for approx 1.5 hours or until knife comes out clean.

THE WEE CALEDONIAN COOK

DISCOVERING MY INNER CHEF

pistachio