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Pecan Rice Mélange

¾ cups wild rice
4½ cups chicken broth; divided
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
1 cup long grain rice
¾ cups Pecan Valley Pecan Pieces; toasted
½ cup chopped parsley

1. Rinse wild rice. Combine wild rice with 2½ cups chicken broth, heat to boiling. Cover, reduce heat, and simmer 30 minutes.
2. Drain excess broth, set aside.
3. Heat remaining 2 cups broth and butter to boiling. Add long grain rice, reduce heat, and simmer covered 15 minutes.
4. In a large mixing bowl combine brown rice with the white rice. Toss with parsley and pecans

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Pecan Rice Pilaf

2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 large shallot, minced
⅓ cup wild rice
1¼ cups water
½ cup long-grain white rice
¾ cups beef stock
¼ cup dry white wine
1 small bay leaf
1 dash hot pepper sauce
½ cup frozen peas, thawed
2 tablespoons parsley; chopped
¼ cup Pecan Valley Pecan Halves; toasted*
1 teaspoon mint; chopped

1. Melt the butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add the shallot; cook for 2 minutes. Stir in the wild rice and the water, and heat to boiling. Reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer, covered, for 30 minutes
2. Add the white rice, beef stock, wine, bay leaf, and hot pepper sauce to the wild rice. Heat to boiling, and then reduce the heat to medium-low. Simmer, covered, until both rices are tender and almost all the liquid has been absorbed, about 25 minutes.
3. Discard the bay leaf. Stir the peas into the rice mixture; cook, covered, for 5 minutes more. Remove the cover and raise the heat slightly if the mixture is too wet.
4. Add the parsley and pecan, and sprinkle with mint, if desired.

Note: To toast the pecan, heat a small skillet over medium heat. Add the pecans and toast until golden, stirring frequently, for 6 to 8 minutes.

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Pecan Risotto with Caramelized Onions and Smoked Gouda Cheese

1 tablespoon butter
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
1 medium onion; sliced
1 cup Arborio rice
2 quarts chicken stock; heated
1 cup smoked gouda cheese; shredded
2 tablespoons Italian parsley; chopped
Salt and pepper to taste

1. Heat saucepan on medium heat and add butter and oil. Add onion and slowly caramelize the onion, stirring constantly until medium brown. Increase heat to medium-high. Stir in rice and sauté 1 minute.
2. Add 2 cups of stock and stir constantly. Add stock ½ cup at a time stirring constantly until rice has absorbed the liquid. Continue stirring and adding stock until rice is tender but firm and mixture is creamy, about 20 minutes.
3. Add toasted pecans, parsley, cheese and salt and pepper to taste. Serve immediately with grilled chicken, fish or roasted meat.

Serves 8

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Pecan Risotto with Caramelized Onions and Smoked Gouda Cheese

1 tablespoon butter1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
1 medium onion; sliced
1 cup Arborio rice
2 quarts chicken stock; heated
1 cup smoked gouda cheese; shredded
2 tablespoons Italian parsley; chopped
Salt and pepper to taste

1. Heat saucepan on medium heat and add butter and oil. Add onion and slowly caramelize the onion, stirring constantly until medium brown. Increase heat to medium-high. Stir in rice and sauté 1 minute.
2. Add 2 cups of stock and stir constantly. Add stock ½ cup at a time stirring constantly until rice has absorbed the liquid. Continue stirring and adding stock until rice is tender but firm and mixture is creamy, about 20 minutes.
3. Add toasted pecans, parsley, cheese and salt and pepper to taste. Serve immediately with grilled chicken, fish or roasted meat.

Serves 8

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Pecan Smoked Chicken Breast

6 8-ounce chicken breasts
¾ cup vegetable oil
6 tablespoons garlic; chopped
1 teaspoon sea salt
6 peaches; chopped
1 pint strawberries; chopped
½ cup red onion; chopped
1 tablespoon jalapeño; minced
1 tablespoon dark chili powder
1 bunch cilantro; chopped
1 tablespoon tequila
Juice of 4 limes
Juice of 4 oranges
2 cups balsamic vinegar
Juice of 2 limes
5 cloves garlic; minced
1 cup onion; chopped
2¼ cups milk
2¼ cups chicken stock
1½ cups cornmeal
5 cups Jalapeño Monterrey Jack Cheese; shredded
1 8-ounce can green chilies; drained
½ cup maple syrup
Sea salt; to taste
6 egg yolks; beaten
6 egg white
24 Pecan Valley Cracked Pecans or Pecan Valley Whole Pecans

1. Rinse the chicken and pat dry.
2. Combine the vegetable oil, garlic and sea salt in a shallow bowl; mix well. Add the chicken. Marinate, covered, in the refrigerator overnight.
3. Grill the chicken over medium-hot wood coals* until cooked through, turning occasionally.
4. For the salsa: mix the peaches, strawberries, red onion, chili powder, cilantro, tequila, lime juice and orange juice in a medium bowl. Chill, covered, in the refrigerator.
5. For the balsamic reduction: simmer the vinegar in a non-reactive saucepan until reduced by two-thirds. Remove from heat. Stir in the lime juice. Let stand until cool. Pour into a squeeze bottle.
6. Preheat oven to 350ºF.
7. For the spoon bread: combine the garlic, onion, milk and chicken stock in a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil. Stir in the cornmeal. Cook over medium heat for 15 to 20 minutes or until thickened, stirring frequently. Remove from heat. Add the cheese, chilies, syrup, sea salt and egg yolks, mixing well. Beat the egg whites in a mixer bowl until stiff peaks form. Fold into the batter. Pour into a 9-inch-by-12-inch greased baking pan.
8. Bake in a preheated oven for 1 hour and 20 minutes.
9. To assemble: place a chicken breast and a serving of spoon bread on each individual serving plate. Spoon the salsa on top of the chicken. Garnish by squeezing designs of balsamic lime reduction over the entire plate.

Note: Add cracked or whole pecans to hot coals for pecan-smoked flavor. Pecan Smoking Chips can also be used for pecan-smoked flavor.

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Pecan Stuffed Eggs

6 eggs; hard-cooked
¼ cup mayonnaise
½ cup Pecan Valley Pecan Pieces
1 tablespoon onion; grated
1 tablespoon vinegar
½ teaspoon dry mustard
½ teaspoon sea salt
½ teaspoon parsley; minced
Fresh parsley sprigs

1. Slice eggs in half length. Carefully remove yolks.
2. Mash yolks with a fork; add mayonnaise, pecans, onion, vinegar, dry mustard, sea salt and parsley, mixing well.
3. Spoon pecan mixture into egg whites. Garnish with parsley sprigs, if desired.

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Pecan Stuffed Smoked Pheasant

¼ cup unsalted butter
1¼ cup dry bread crumbs
⅔ cup Pecan Valley Pecan Pieces
2 each smoked pheasants
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
¾ teaspoons sea salt
¼ teaspoon pepper
¼ cup unsalted butter
1½ cup hot water
¼ cup sherry

1. Preheat oven to 350ºF.
2. Melt the 4 tablespoons butter and pour over bread crumbs. Add pecan meats and toss lightly. Stuff mixture into pheasants and truss birds.
3. Combine the flour, sea salt and pepper, and lightly sprinkle over pheasants.
4. Melt the other 4 tablespoons butter in heavy frying pan. Brown each pheasant on all side and transfer to a roasting pan. Add hot water and sherry to the browned birds.
5. Cover and bake in a preheated oven for 1 hour. Baste with liquid every 15 minutes. Remove cover and continue baking for 20 minutes, or until the birds are crisp and brow. Remove birds to a platter and keep hot while you thicken the dripping for gravy.

Serves 6

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Pecan Wild Rice Pilaf

4 cups chicken broth
1 cup wild rice, rinsed well
1¾ cups wheat pilaf
1 cup Pecan Valley Pecan Halves
1 cup currants, dried
1 bunch scallions; thinly sliced
½ cup Italian parsley; chopped
½ cup fresh mint leaves; chopped
Zest of 2 oranges; grated
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon orange juice
Freshly ground black pepper

1. In a medium saucepan, bring broth to a boil. Add wild rice to boiling broth. Bring back to a boil, reduce heat to medium-low and cook, covered, for 50 minutes or until rice is tender. Do not overcook. Remove to a large bowl.
2. While the rice is cooking, in another saucepan bring about 2¼ cups water to a boil. Stir in the pilaf, cover and bring back to a boil. Reduce heat to low and simmer 15 minutes, or until pilaf is tender.
3. Remove from heat, let rest 15 minutes, and add to the (cooked) wild rice. Add remaining ingredients and toss well. Serve at room temperature.

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Pecan Wild Rice Pilaf

4 cups chicken broth
1 cup wild rice, rinsed well
1¾ cups wheat pilaf
1 cup Pecan Valley Pecan Halves
1 cup currants, dried
1 bunch scallions; thinly sliced
½ cup Italian parsley; chopped
½ cup fresh mint leaves; chopped
Zest of 2 oranges; grated
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon orange juice
Freshly ground black pepper

1. In a medium saucepan, bring broth to a boil. Add wild rice to boiling broth. Bring back to a boil, reduce heat to medium-low and cook, covered, for 50 minutes or until rice is tender. Do not overcook. Remove to a large bowl.
2. While the rice is cooking, in another saucepan bring about 2¼ cups water to a boil. Stir in the pilaf, cover and bring back to a boil. Reduce heat to low and simmer 15 minutes, or until pilaf is tender.
3. Remove from heat, let rest 15 minutes, and add to the (cooked) wild rice. Add remaining ingredients and toss well. Serve at room temperature.

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Pecan-Crusted Grouper

2 grouper fillets (½ pounds)
2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
½ cup all-purpose flour
2 egg whites, lightly beaten
½ cup Pecan Valley Pecan Meal1. Preheat oven to 425ºF.
2. Lightly coat fish fillets all over with mustard. Dust with flour, shaking off excess. Dip in egg whites, and then roll in pecan meal. Place fish on a baking sheet sprayed with vegetable oil.
3. Bake in a preheated oven for 15 to 20 minutes, until cooked through.

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