Kendall Farms | Pecans

Carya Illonionensis

The Pecan is a species of hickory native to south-eastern North America, from southern Iowa and Indiana south to Texas and Mississippi. It is a deciduous tree, growing to 25–40 m in height, and can be grown provided summers are also hot and humid. Pecan trees may live and bear nuts for more than three hundred years, and are one of the largest species of hickory.

The nuts of the Pecan are edible, with a rich, buttery flavour. They can be eaten fresh or used in cooking, particularly in sweet desserts but also in some savoury dishes. One of the most common desserts with the pecan as a central ingredient is the pecan pie, a traditional southern U.S. recipe. In addition to the pecan nut, the wood of the pecan tree is also used in making furniture, in hardwood flooring, as well as flavouring fuel for smoking meats.

Pecans were one of the most recently domesticated major crops. Although wild pecans were well known among the colonial Americans as a delicacy, the commercial growing of pecans in the United States did not begin until the 1880s. Today, the U.S. produces between 80% and 95% of the world's pecans, with an annual crop of 150-200 million kg (300-400 million pounds).

Nearly all pecan species after named after American Plains Indian tribes, as they were the people who used them extensively in their diets from wild pecan stocks that grew prolifically in the mid west and south . Shonshoni, Apache, Sioux, Mohawk, Cherokee and Cheyenne etc. are typical examples

Indian tribes made camp among pecan trees or carried them as snacks while hunting.

NUTRITION AND FACTS

90% of the fats in pecans are unsaturated (about 60% monounsaturated /30% polyunsaturated). A serving of pecans (30g) provides about 25 percent more oleic acid than a serving of olive oil (one tablespoon). Pecans are cholesterol free, sodium free and fibre-rich.

Pecans are a valuable plant protein source and have more than 19 vitamins & minerals.

They are an excellent source of gamma tocopherol, an important type of vitamin E. They contain concentrated amounts of natural plant sterols, touted for their cholesterol-lowering ability and contain a variety of phytochemicals. Nuts are recommended by the American Heart Association and U.S. Dietary Guidelines as a desirable source of heart-healthy unsaturated fat.

Pecans can double the cholesterol-lowering effectiveness of a traditional heart-healthy diet, according to a study published in The Journal of Nutrition, September 2001. Pecans freeze beautifully – simply take out what you need, for baking or as I do, for a great mid-day snack and re-seal the bag

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ORANGE SUGAR PECANS

Ingredients

¼ cup fresh orange juice (1 orange)

Grated orange rind

½ cup sugar

2 cups pecans

Method

Mix juice, sugar and grated rind in a cooking pot. Bring to a full rolling boil. Boil for one minute. Add pecans. Stir gently and turn until all liquid is absorbed. Pour on cookie sheet. Separate with a wooden spoon and let harden

PECAN CREAM CHEESE PIE

Ingredients

1 - 9” pie shell, baked at 375 degrees for 10 minutes

2 – 8oz. Philly cream cheese blocks.

¼ cup sugar

4 eggs

3 tsp. vanilla (best results using Mexican vanilla)

¾ cup Golden syrup or maple syrup syrup.

2 Tbs. sugar

3 ounces chopped pecans

Method

Combine cream cheese, ¼ cup sugar, 1 egg, and 2tsp vanilla in mixer bowl. Beat until smooth. In another bowl, beat 3 eggs, syrup, 2tbs sugar and 1tsp vanilla until well mixed. Pour cheese mixture into pie shell and spread evenly. Sprinkle with pecans. Stir syrup mixture again and very carefully pour through a fork over the pecans. Bake at 350-375 degrees until set (approx. 40-45 minutes). Serve chilled. Decorate with fresh mint leaves and fresh pecans

PECAN PIE RECIPE

Ingredients

2 eggs, slightly beaten

1 cup light corn syrup

1/4 cup brown sugar

1 Tbsp molasses

2 Tbsp melted butter

2 Tbsp flour

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon vanilla

1 1/4 cups pecans, coarsely chopped

1 9-inch pie shell, chilled for an hour if freshly made, defrosted for 10 minutes if frozen.

Method

Most pecan recipes call for 2 cups of sugar, one cup of corn syrup plus one cup of either granulated or brown sugar; which results in pies so sweet they can give you a sugar headache after a couple of bites. This recipe has less sugar than most, but the molasses, butter and vanilla bring out the wonderful flavour of the pecans. As with any nut used in cooking, use only the freshest of pecans.

Preheat oven to 375°F. Spread pecans along the bottom of the pie shell. Mix the remaining ingredients and pour over pecans. The pecans will rise to the surface of the pie.

Bake at 375°F for 45-50 minutes until the filling has set. About 20 minutes into the cooking you may want to use a pie crust protector, or tent the edges of the pie crust with aluminium foil to prevent the pie crust edges from burning. Remove from oven and let cool completely. Serves 8.