Pistachio and Almond Cake With Orange Salad

Epicurious January 2009

• Ready In: 1 hr
• Serves: 10
• Yields: 10

Ingredients

• PISTACHIO AND ALMOND CAKE

• 1 1⁄3 cups  unsalted shelled pistachio nuts
• 1 1⁄3 cups  blanched  whole almonds
• 1⁄2 cup  plus 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 3⁄4 cup  plus 3 tablespoons sugar
• 3  lemons
• 1⁄2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 3  eggs
• 1⁄2 cup  plus 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
• 1⁄4 teaspoon kosher salt

• ORANGE SALAD

• 3  blood oranges
• 2  navel oranges
• 1⁄4 cup orange marmalade
• 1  teaspoon fresh lemon juice

• GARNISHMENTS

• 1⁄2 cup plain yogurt
•  unsalted shelled pistachio nut

Directions

1. To make the cake, preheat the oven to 300°F
2. Butter a 4-by-8-inch loaf pan.
3. Then, using a sifter or a fine-mesh strainer, dust it with flour, tapping out the excess.
4. In a food process, combine the pistachios and almonds and pulse until finely ground; set aside.
5. Combine the butter and sugar in the bowl of a stand mixer.
6. Grate the zest from the lemons directly into the bowl.
7. Fit the mixer with the paddle attachment and beat on medium speed for about 2 minutes, or until smooth and creamy.
8. Mix in the vanilla just until incorporated.
9. On low speed, gradually add the nuts and mix just until incorporated.
10. Then add the eggs, one at a time, mixing after each addition just until incorporated.
11. Stir in the flour and salt and mix just until incorporated.
12. Spoon the batter into the prepared loaf pan.
13. Bake until a skewer inserted into the middle of the cake comes out clean, about 45 minutes.
14. Let cool in the pan on a wire rack for 10 minutes.
15. Then, run a paring knife around the inside of the pan to loosen the cake sides, invert the cake onto a plate, and lift off the pan.
16. At this point, the cake can be served warm or allowed to cool completely before being sliced and reheated.
17. To make the orange salad, cut a slice off the top and bottom of 1 orange, stand the orange upright, and cut downward to remove the rind and pith in thick strips.
18. Cut the orange crosswise into 1/4-inch-thick slices, capturing any juice.
19. Repeat with all of the remaining oranges.
20. Set the oranges slices aside until needed.
21. Gently heat the marmalade in a pot over low heat for about 3 minutes, or until syrupy.
22. Add any captured orange juice along with the lemon juice to the marmalade.
23. Remove the pot from the heat and add 1 to 2 tablespoons water to think the marmalade to the consistency of a vinaigrette.
24. Let cool.
25. To serve, preheat the oven to 400°F
26. Cut the cake into generous slices and place on a baking sheet.
27. Bake the slices, turning them over once, for about 5 minutes, or until warm and slightly toasted on both sides.
28. Place 4 or 5 orange slices on each plate and drizzle generously with the marmalade syrup.
29. Place the warm pieces of cake next to the orange slices and top with a dollop of yogurt and a few pistachios.
30. Serve immediately.