Pecan Recipes | May, 2005

Butter Pecan Squash

1 butternut squash (1½ pounds)
½ cup boiling water
3 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 tablespoon light brown sugar; firmly packed
½ teaspoon sea salt
White pepper to taste
¼ cup Pecan Valley Pecan Pieces
1 tablespoon maple syrup

1. Quarter squash; scoop out seeds and stringy portion; pare and cut into ¾ to 1 inch cubes (about 4 to 5 cups).
2. In a medium saucepan bring squash and water to a boil; cover and cook rapidly until squash in tender (about 10 minutes). Drain and mash with butter, sugar, sea salt and pepper. Turn into an 8-inch pie plate. Sprinkle with pecans and maple syrup.
3. Broil until pecans are lightly browned.

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Buttermilk Pecan Fruitcake

4½ cups flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon sea salt
3 cups dried pears; chopped
2 cups Pecan Valley Pecan Pieces
1 cup unsalted butter
3 cups granulated sugar
4 eggs; separated
2 teaspoons vanilla
2 cups buttermilk
1. Preheat oven to 400ºF.
2. Grease and flour 4 loaf pans.
3. Mix flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Add pears and pecans; stir again. Set aside.
4. In large bowl, cream butter and sugar. Add egg yolks, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Add vanilla and beat again. Alternately add dry ingredients and buttermilk, blending well after each addition.
5. With clean dry beaters, beat egg whites until they stand in firm, glossy, moist peaks. Fold ⅓ egg whites into batter to lighten it, and then fold in remaining whites. Fill each pan ⅔ of batter.
6. Reduce oven temperature to 350ºF.
7. Bake in a preheated oven for 65 minutes, until tester inserted in center of each cake comes out clean. Ten minutes before cakes are done, rotate pans back to front to cakes on each rack brown evenly.
8. Let cakes cool five minutes on wire racks, then turn out and finish cooling right side up on wire racks.
9. Before serving, decorate top of fruitcakes with whole nuts and mixed candied fruit peel.
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Calvert’s Pecan Flounder

4 6-ounce flounder fillets (any delicate fish fillet may be used)
2 tablespoons Calvert’s Cedar Street Chive
⅔ cups Calvert’s Cedar Street Pecan Vinaigrette
4 tablespoons dry white wine
½ cup Pecan Valley Pecan Halves
8 thin lemon slices1. Preheat oven to 375ºF.
2. In a stainless steel or glass pan, place flounder fillets which have been spread with Calvert’s Cedar Street Chive Mustard. Pour ½ cup Calvert’s Cedar Street Pecan Vinaigrette over fillets and marinate for 1 hour, turning once.
3. Place each fillet of flounder on a rectangle of aluminum foil large enough to encase it. Top each marinated fillet with another teaspoon of pecan vinaigrette, two slices of lemon, and ¼ of the pecan halves. Sprinkle with one tablespoons. Dry white wine. Seal foil to envelop fish.
4. Bake in a preheated oven for oven for 20 minutes. Place flounder with garnish on individual, warmed plates.

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Caramel Apple Pecan Pie

2 9-inch pie crusts; unbaked
4 McIntosh apples; peeled and cored; thin sliced (1 pound)
½ cup Pecan Valley Pecan Pieces
¼ cup granulated sugar
¼ pound caramels; course chopped
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
¼ cup milk
Milk; for top
Granulated sugar; for top

1. Preheat oven to 375ºF. Ease 1 round of pastry into a 9-inch pan.
2. In a large bowl, toss together apples, pecans, sugar, caramels, flour and milk. Spoon mixture into pie shell.
3. Top with the remaining pastry. Fold the edge of the top pastry under the bottom pastry. Pinch together and flute the edge with a fork. Cut several slits in the top so the steam can escape during baking. Brush top with milk and sprinkle with sugar.
4. Bake in a preheated oven for about 45 minutes until crust is golden brown. Pie is best served slightly warm.

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Carolina Chocolate Pecan Squares

½ cup Pecan Valley Pecan Pieces
1 cup unsalted butter
6 ounces semi-sweet chocolate squares
1 cup angel flake coconut
1½ cups graham cracker crumbs
16 ounces cream cheese; softened
1 cup granulated sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla

1. Microwave ¾ cups butter and 2 ounce chocolate squares on HIGH 1 to 2 minutes, stirring every 30 seconds until melted.
2. Stir in crumbs, coconut and pecans. Press into bottom of 13-inch-by-9-inch baking pan; chill 30 minutes.
3. Mix cream cheese, sugar and vanilla until well blended. Spread over crust; chill 30 minutes.
4. Microwave remaining butter and chocolate squares on HIGH 1 to 2 minutes, stirring every 30 seconds until melted. Spread over cream cheese layer. Chill. Cut into squares.

Makes 4 dozen

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Catfish Pecan Meuniere

1 cup all-purpose flour
4 teaspoons rustic rub
2 eggs; beaten
½ cup milk
4 6 to 6½ ounce each catfish or trout fillets
½ cup vegetable oil
1 stick unsalted butter
1 cup Pecan Valley Pecan Pieces
4 tablespoons chopped parsley
2 tablespoons garlic; minced
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
¼ cup Worcestershire sauce
¼ cup heavy cream
1 teaspoon sea salt
¼ teaspoon cayenne

1. Combine the flour with 2 teaspoons of the rub in a shallow bowl.
2. In another shallow bowl, blend the eggs and milk together. Season the fish with the remaining 2 teaspoons rub.
3. Heat the oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Dredge the fillets in the flour, coating evenly. Dip the fillets in the egg mixture. Dredge again in the flour. When the oil is hot, but not smoking, lay the fillets in the skillet.
4. Pan-fry for 3 to 4 minutes on each side, or until golden.
5. Transfer to a warm platter. Discard any oil remaining in the skillet and wipe clean with paper towels. Return the skillet to the stove.
6. Over medium-high heat, melt 2 tablespoons of the butter. When the butter foams, add the pecans and stir constantly for about 1½ minutes, or until lightly toasted. Add the parsley, garlic, lemon juice, Worcestershire, and cream. Stir with a whisk for about 15 seconds and remove from the heat.
7. Add the sea salt, cayenne, and remaining 6 tablespoons butter, broken into small chips, and stir until the butter melts completely.
8. Spoon the sauce over the fillets and serve.

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Chewy Pecan Cookie Squares

¾ cups light brown sugar; firmly packed
½ cup mayonnaise
1 tsp vanilla
1 cup flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
¾ cups Pecan Valley Pecan Pieces

1. Preheat oven to 350ºF.
2. In a large bowl mix sugar, mayonnaise and vanilla until well blended. Stir in flour mixture and add ½ cup pecans. (Dough will be thick and sticky.) Press into well greased 8-inch square baking pan. Sprinkle with remaining nuts and press into dough.
3. Bake in preheated oven for about 15 minutes or until pick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool in pan on rack. Cookies are soft while hot but firm when cool. Cut into about 12 squares.

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Chicken, Wild Rice and Pecan Salad in Romaine Spears

6 cups chicken broth
8 ounces wild rice
2½ pounds chicken; roasted, skinned and boned, cut into ½-inch pieces
1 red bell pepper; chopped
2 bunches arugula; chopped
¼ cup green onions; chopped
3 tablespoons soy sauce
3 tablespoons rice vinegar
3 tablespoons sesame oil
2 cups Pecan Valley Pecan Pieces; toasted
3 heads romaine lettuce

1. Bring chicken broth to a boil in medium saucepan. Add rice and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low, cover and cook until just tender, about 50 minutes. Drain well. Transfer the rice to a large bowl.
2. Mix in chicken, bell pepper, arugula and green onions. Set aside.
3. In another bowl mix soy sauce, vinegar and oil. Pour over salad and mix to coat. Season with sea salt and pepper. (Can be made 4 hours ahead. Cover and chill.)
4. Mix nuts into salad. Place salad in center of platter.
5. Reserve outer romaine leaves for another use. Arrange inner leaves on platter around salad.

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Chocolate Chip Pecan Squares

½ cup Butter Flavor Crisco
½ cup brown sugar, firmly packed
1 egg
1 tablespoon milk
1 teaspoon vanilla
¾ cups flour, all-purpose
1 11½ ounces package milk chocolate chips; divided
¾ cups Pecan Valley Pecan Pieces; divided

1. Preheat oven to 350ºF. Grease an 8-inch-by-8-inch-by-2-inch pan with butter flavor Crisco. Set aside.
2. Cream butter flavor Crisco, brown sugar, egg, milk and vanilla in large bowl at medium speed of electric mixer until well blended. Reduce speed to low. Add flour. Stir in one cup chocolate chips and ½ cup nuts. Spread in pan.
3. Bake in preheated oven for 25 to 30 minutes, or until lightly browned. Remove from oven. Sprinkle with one cup chocolate chips. Wait 5 minutes, or until chips soften. Spread evenly. Sprinkle with other ¼ cup nuts. Cool completely. Cut into 2-inch-by-2-inch squares.

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Chocolate Orange Fruitcake with Pecans

2½ cups Pecan Valley Pecan Pieces; toasted
1 cup dried black mission figs; chopped and packed
1 cup pitted prunes; chopped and packed
1 cup pitted dates; chopped and packed
½ cup frozen orange juice concentrate; thawed
¼ cup Grand Marnier or other orange liqueur
2 tablespoons grated orange peel
3 cups all-purpose flour
¾ cups unsweetened cocoa powder; packed
2½ teaspoons ground cinnamon
1½ teaspoons baking powder
1½ teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon sea salt
1 pounds dark brown sugar; firmly packed
6 ounce bittersweet or semisweet chocolate; coarsely chopped
½ cup unsalted butter; room temperature
4 ounce cream cheese; room temperature
4 large eggs; room temperature
¾ cups purchased prune butter6 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 pounds bittersweet (not un-sweetened) or semisweet chocolate
6 tablespoons orange juice concentrate; thawed
Chopped candied fruit peel (optional)

1. Preheat oven to 325ºF. Position rack in bottom third of oven. Generously butter and flour 12-cup angel food cake pan.
2. Combine toasted pecans, chopped dried figs, prunes, dates, orange juice concentrate, Grand Marnier and grated orange peel in large bowl. Let stand 30 minutes, stirring occasionally.
3. Sift flour, cocoa, cinnamon, baking powder, baking soda and sea salt into medium bowl.
4. Combine brown sugar and 6 ounces chocolate in processor and chop into small pieces.
5. Using electric mixer, beat butter and cream cheese in large bowl to blend. Add chocolate mixture and beat until fluffy. Beat in eggs 1 at a time. Beat in prune butter. Stir in ¼ of dry ingredients. Mix in fruit mixture and remaining dry ingredients in 3 additions each. Transfer batter to prepared pan.
6. Bake cake in a preheated oven for about 1 hour 55 minutes until tester inserted near center with a few moist crumbs attached. Cool 5 minutes.
7. Turn pan over onto rack; let stand 5 minutes. Lift off pan; cool cake completely. Wrap cake in plastic and store at room temperature 2 days.
8. For glaze: melt butter in heavy medium saucepan over low heat. Add chocolate; stir until melted and smooth. Whisk in orange juice concentrate.
9. Place cake on rack. Spread some of chocolate glaze thickly over top and sides of cake. Refrigerate 15 minutes.
10. Spread remaining chocolate glaze over cake, covering completely. Sprinkle with chopped candied fruit peel, if desired. Refrigerate cake 30 minutes to set glaze.

Fruitcake can be prepared 3 weeks ahead. Wrap cake in plastic and refrigerate. Yield: 16 servings.

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