Recipes

These recipes were found on the National Pecan Shellers Association site. For more, check it out… NPSA
If you have one to add to our site, please send it to us… MPGA.

Crab Tacos with Corn, Pecan and Avocado

To take along on picnics and outings, make the crab and pecan filling in a portable container, pack the tacos separately and let everyone assemble their own when ready to serve.

Serves 6

8 oz. crabmeat
10 grape or cherry tomatoes, quartered
½ cup drained canned corn
¼ cup thinly sliced red onion
½ green bell pepper, seeded and finely chopped
¼ cup fresh lime juice
2 to 3 Tablespoon chopped pickled jalapeno
2 Tablespoon pickling liquid from jalapenos
1 Tablespoon finely chopped cilantro
1 ripe avocado
¼ teaspoon salt
2/3 cup pecan halves, toasted
6 corn taco shells

Several hours or day before serving, combine crabmeat, tomatoes, corn, red onion, bell pepper, lime juice, pickled jalapenos and their liquid, and the cilantro in a medium bowl. Mix well, cover and refrigerate at least 2 hours or overnight. Just before serving, stir pecans into crab mixture. Peel and pit avocado; mash with salt to form a paste. Spread a thin layer of avocado paste inside each taco shell. Fill shells with crab mixture and serve.

Nutrition information per serving- protein: 11g; fat: 17g; saturated fat: 2g; carbohydrate: 19g; fiber: 3g; sodium: 331 mg; cholesterol: 34; calories: 261.

Courtesy: Georgia Pecan Commission

Pecan-Crusted Trout

A crunchy coating for an American favorite gives this fresh trout special appeal.  Add boiled new potatoes or rice pilaf and a green vegetable for a tasty dinner.

4 large trout fillets (about 6-8 ounces each)
Salt & pepper to taste
Fresh lemon juice to taste
1/2 cup seasoned bread crumbs, divided in half
1 cup roasted pecans (5-7 minutes at 350 degrees, until deep brown and glossy)
2 teaspoons rosemary
1/3 cup all-purpose flour
1 egg beaten with 2-3 teaspoons water
2 tablespoon vegetable oil, divided in half
2 tablespoon butter, divided in half

Season trout fillets with salt, pepper and lemon juice.  Let stand at room temperature for 10 to 15 minutes.  Combine 2 tablespoons of bread crumbs with pecans in blender or food processor.  Grind pecans finely, combine with remaining bread crumbs and rosemary and transfer to plate.  Dredge fillets in flour, shake off excess.  Dip in egg wash. Place fillets skin-side up on crumb mixture, pressing into flesh.  In large skillet heat 1 tablespoon each of oil and butter over medium-high heat.  Place 2 fillets, skin-side up in skillet and cook until golden brown, about 3 minutes.  Using spatula, turn fillets and cook until opaque in center, about 3 more minutes.  Transfer to plate.  Repeat with remaining butter, oil and fillets.  Yields 4 main dish servings.

Courtesy: Georgia Pecan Commission

Pecan Four Cheese Pizza

1 12” prepared pizza crust
1 Tbsp. olive oil
2 large onions, sliced
3 Tbsp. goat cheese, softened
3 Tbsp. cream cheese, softened
½ cup Feta cheese, crumbled
1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
2/3 cup coarsely chopped pecans
Chopped parsley for garnish

Preheat oven to 450 degrees F.  Place pizza crust on cookie sheet.  In frying pan, heat oil.  Add onions and cook slowly until caramelized, about 20 minutes.  Cool slightly.  Mix the goat and cream cheese together and spread on crust; spread the cooked onions over the cheese.  Sprinkle the feta and mozzarella cheeses over the onions; top with the pecan pieces.  Bake for about 5 minutes or until cheeses melt.  Sprinkle parsley over top before serving.  Cut into 6 wedges to serve.

Serves 2 – 3.

Courtesy: Georgia Pecan Commission

Easy Fettuccine with Smoked Salmon, Peas and Toasted Georgia Pecans

This potluck pleaser is best served promptly, but the sauce can be made hours ahead and reheated as the pasta is cooking. If convenient, for a special touch, add a generous sprinkling of chopped parsley when serving this dish to brighten the rich taste of pecans and smoked salmon.

Prep time: 15 minutes
Cooking time: 20 minutes

Makes 8 Servings
4 ounces cream cheese
4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) butter
1 tablespoon minced garlic
1 can (12-oz) evaporated milk
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup finely grated Parmigiano Reggiano
1 pound fettuccine
1 cup frozen petite peas
3 ounces smoked salmon, chopped
1 1/2 cups toasted Georgia pecan halves, coarsely chopped

In the top of a double boiler (or a large bowl set over a simmering pot of water), combine cream cheese and butter. Heat to melt, stirring occasionally. Add garlic and whisk mixture until blended. Whisk in evaporated milk, pepper, and salt until blended. Stir in 1/2 cup Parmigiano cheese and set aside.

Cook fettuccine in salted water according to package directions. During the last two minutes of cooking, add peas to boiling pasta water in pot. Drain fettuccine and peas; toss with reserved sauce. Add half the salmon and pecans, mixing gently. Serve immediately, topping each portion with a sprinkling of remaining salmon and pecans.

Nutrition information per serving – calories: 365; protein: 16g; carbs: 27g; saturated fat: 12g; monounsaturated: 14g; polyunsaturated fat: 2.5g; cholesterol: 55 mg; fiber: 2g; sodium: 549 mg.

Courtesy:  Georgia Pecan Commission

Spiced Snapper with Georgia Pecan Crust

Serves 4

Ingredients:
3/4 cup pecan halves
1/2 cup fresh breadcrumbs
1 small jalapeno pepper, seeded and coarsely chopped
1 tablespoon packed light brown sugar
1 tablespoon grated fresh ginger
1 large clove garlic, chopped
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon allspice
4 red snapper fillets (6 to 8 ounces each), skin on
4 teaspoons vegetable oil
1/2 lime
3 green onions, finely chopped

  1. Heat oven to 350F. Oil a rimmed baking sheet. In food processor fitted with chopping blade, combine pecans, breadcrumbs, jalapeno, brown sugar, ginger, garlic, salt and allspice. Pulse briefly just until mixture is coarsely chopped though well combined.
  2. Rinse the fish and thoroughly pat it dry. Spread pecan mixture on a large plate. Press the flesh side of each fillet into mixture to coat completely with a thick crust.
  3. Heat 2 teaspoons oil in large skillet (preferably nonstick) over medium heat. Add two fillets, crust sides down, and cook just until lightly browned—about 5 minutes. With a large spatula, remove fillets to baking sheet, turning over to place them skin side down. Repeat with remaining oil and fillets.
  4. Place fillets in oven and cook until the flesh is just cooked through—about 5 minutes. Transfer to serving plates, sprinkle with juice of lime and top with green onion.

Nutrition information per serving: Calories: 365; Protein: 42g; Carbohydrate: 9g; Fiber: 2g; Saturated Fat: 2g; Cholesterol: 160mg; Sodium: 480mg.

Courtesy:  Georgia Pecan Commission

Pecan-Pesto Pizza

1 package prepared 7” pizza bread rounds (2)
1 small container prepared pesto sauce
2/3 c. Mozzarella cheese (shredded)
1 c. seedless red grapes (halved)
¼ c. pecan pieces

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.  Top each pizza bread with 2 tablespoons of pesto sauce (drain oil from pesto sauce if desired).  Divide cheese, then grapes evenly on each pizza.  Top each pizza with 1/8 cup pecan pieces.  Bake directly on oven rack for 8-10 minutes.

Courtesy: Georgia Pecan Commission

Sweet Potato Soup with Buttered Pecans

Soup:
¾ c. onion (finely chopped)
1 c. leeks (washed, drained and finely chopped)
2 large garlic cloves (minced)
3 large carrots (sliced thin)
1 bay leaf
3 T. melted butter or margarine
2 lbs. sweet potatoes (peeled, halved lengthwise, sliced thin)
1 russet potato (peeled, halved lengthwise, sliced thin)
5 c. chicken broth (plus additional quantity to thin soup, if desired)
¾ c. dry white wine
1 ½ c. water
Sour cream (for topping)

Buttered Pecans:
¾ c. pecans (chopped)
2 T. unsalted butter

Cook the onion, leek, garlic, carrots and bay leaf in butter over moderate heat, stirring until the vegetables are softened.  Add the sweet potatoes, russet potato, broth, wine and water.  Cover and simmer the mixture for 15-20 minutes, or until the potatoes are very tender.  Discard the bay leaf.  In a blender, puree the mixture in batches until very smooth and transfer each batch into one large pot.  Add additional broth to pot to thin soup (if desired), and season with salt and pepper to taste.

Buttered Pecans
In a skillet, cook pecans in butter (salt to taste) over moderate heat, stirring occasionally.  Stir for 10 minutes or until pecans are golden brown, then transfer to paper towel to drain.  Top each bowl of soup with a dollop of sour cream and buttered pecans before serving.

Pecan Chicken Kiev

3 whole chicken breasts
½ c. butter or margarine
1 t. lemon juice
1 T. parsley (chopped)
1 T. chives (chopped)
1 clove garlic (crushed)
1 t. salt
1/8 t. pepper
½ c. flour
1 egg (beaten)
1 c. pecans (finely chopped)
1/3 c. corn flake crumbs

Preheat oven to 425 degrees.  Beat butter until soft.  Stir in lemon juice, parsley, chives, garlic, salt and pepper until well combined.  Spread mixture onto waxed paper to make a 3×4” rectangle (about ½” thick).  Chill in freezer for 20 minutes.  Split chicken breasts and remove skin.  Carefully cut meat from bones, keeping meat in whole pieces (six in all).  Place each piece (smooth side down) between two sheets of waxed paper.  Flatten with mallet or similar object to about ½” thickness, being careful not to break meat.  (This pounding stage is essential for recipe success.)  Remove papers.  Remove herb butter from freezer.  Cut lengthwise into six ½” wide sticks, then half across to make 12 “fingers”.  Place a “finger” of herb butter in center of each flattened chicken breast.  Bring long sides of chicken over butter, then fold ends over (making sure butter is completely covered).  Fasten with toothpicks, roll in flour and dip in beaten egg.  Then roll in mixture of pecans and corn flake crumbs, coating completely and evenly.  Wrap individually in foil and freeze.  To bake, unwrap chicken and place in single layer in jelly roll pan.  Bake for 5 minutes at 425 degrees.  Lower heat to 400 degrees and bake for another 20 minutes.  Serve immediately.

Courtesy: Georgia Pecan Commission

Crispy Pecan Fish Fillets

1½ lbs. fish fillets (catfish, snapper, flounder or fish of choice)
1 c. milk
1 T. Tabasco sauce
½ t. salt
2 c. yellow cornmeal
1 stick of unsalted butter (8 T.)
¼ c. vegetable oil
1 c. pecans (chopped)
1 c. fresh parsley (chopped)
½ c. fresh lemon juice

Wash fish fillets under cold running water and place in bowl with milk, Tabasco and salt.  Allow them to sit at room temperature for 15 minutes.  Just before cooking, drain fillets and dredge in the cornmeal.  Heat 2 tablespoons each of butter and vegetable oil in skillet over medium-high heat.  Fry cornmeal-covered fillets until crispy and brown (about 2 minutes on each side).  Remove from pan with slotted spatula and drain on paper towels.  Repeat until all fish is fried.  Keep warm.  Drain the skillet and add remaining butter.  Place over medium heat and when melted, add pecans.  Stir constantly while pecans brown.  Add parsley and lemon juice and stir.  Pour sauce over fillets and serve immediately.

Lemon-Pecan Linguine

2 oz. extra virgin olive oil
2 c. cooked lemon-flavored linguine
¾ T. garlic (minced)
¼ c. pecans (chopped)
¼ c. sun-dried tomatoes (rehydrated)
¼ c. black pitted olives (chopped)

Heat olive oil and add garlic, pecans, tomatoes and olives.  Sauté until garlic turns golden brown.  Toss mixture with linguine and serve.

Courtesy: Georgia Pecan Commission

Pacific Rim Pecan Crusted Turkey Cutlets

¼ cup Oriental hoisin sauce*
2 Tbsp. soy sauce
1 Tbsp. sesame oil
1 Tbsp. seasoned rice vinegar
1 tsp. liquid hot sauce
¼ tsp. ground ginger
2 cups finely ground pecans
6 turkey cutlets
12 ounces ramen noodles

*Hoisin sauce is available in the Oriental section of the grocery store.

Preheat broiler and grease broiler rack.  In a shallow bowl, mix together the hoisin sauce, soy sauce, sesame oil, rice vinegar, hot sauce and ginger.  Place pecans on wax paper.  Dip each turkey cutlet into the Oriental liquid mixture and then into the pecans, pressing so the pecans stick.  Place on broiler-pan rack.  Broil 6 inches from heat, 3-4 minutes per side.  While cutlets are cooking, transfer remaining liquid mixture to a saucepan and bring to boil.  Lower heat and keep liquid warm over low heat.  Cook the ramen noodles without the seasoning pack according to package directions.  To serve, place ramen noodles onto six dinner plates, then top with a cutlet and drizzle with warmed sauce.

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