I absolutely love salt, and must admit I probably consume maybe a lot a little more than I should.  It can sometimes be difficult for me when I’m cooking for others – always feeling like I should be holding back on the sodium, knowing that others don’t love it quite as much as I do.  But seriously, nothing can ruin a dish more than if it’s under-seasoned, and in many dishes I cook that are simple with few ingredients, lack of salt can be a major mistake.  But of course too much salt can be a killer, so I’m always walking the fine line trying to keep a good balance.  After all, you can always add on, but you can’t take away in cooking and baking.  

My obsession with salt all started when I studied abroad in Barcelona my junior year of college. The first week I was there I was overwhelmed by how salty the food was.  Some of it I found almost inedible, peppers literally covered in rock salt, sauces so salty you need to drink 5 glasses of water to compensate.  But as I spent more time there, I realized the salty goodness of pimientos de padron, adored the salt-laden tortillas espanol, and devoured the sodium infused seafood paellas.  I found myself craving salty over sweet, and have never really kicked the habit. French fries must be covered in salt, salads always get an extra dose, and yes, I use salted butter in all of my baked goods (gasp!).  Because seriously, what is better than salty AND sweet?  There’s a reason why chocolate covered pretzels might be the best treat ever invented.  And these might even top those.  They’re like the best chocolate chip cookie you’ve ever had, but with salt and pistachios.  Please try them, I promise you won’t be disappointed.

Salted Pistachio Chocolate Chip Cookies

Makes ~3 dozen cookies

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, at room temperature
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 1 large egg
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 2 cups dark chocolate chips
• 1 cup unsalted, shelled pistachios, roughly chopped
• Fleur de sell, or any flaky sea salt

Recipe:

Preheat the oven to 300 degrees F, and line two baking sheets with parchment paper.

In a large mixing bowl, beat together the butter and sugar with an electric mixture, until light and fluffy.  Add the egg and vanilla and beat until combined.  In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda and salt.

Slowly add in the dry ingredients and beat until incorporated.  Mix in the chocolate chips and nuts.  Scoop the dough onto the cookie sheets, about a tablespoon each (or if you’re like me and like bite size cookies, a heaping teaspoon).  Sprinkle each cookie generously with sea salt (if you’re like me and like salt), or less generously if you just want a taste of salt.  Bake cookies for ~18 minutes, or until just golden brown. Remove from oven and allow to cool on pan for about five minutes, and then place on a wire rack to cool.  Cookies will store for up to 4 days, but probably probably won’t last more than 30 minutes if you’re sharing with friends.