Curtis Aikens Pecan Pie Recipes

CURTIS AIKENS' ABC SOUP

Steps:

• A is for vitamin A. We all know that Vitamin A is found in carrots, but it's also found in green vegetables like Asparagus and Artichokes 1/4 to 1/2 pound asparagus, cut into 1 inch pieces 6 artichoke bottoms (hearts) cut into quarters
• B is for Broccoli. Former President Bush was famous for not enjoying broccoli, but his wife Barbara loved it, and she was dedicated to the cause of reading, all across this country. I hope you'll join me in thanking Barbara Bush for all of her work with literacy. 2 heads of broccoli (and their trimmed stalks) cut into pieces
• C is for Carrots, yummy! I love carrots; they're sweet, crunchy and good for the eyes, teeth and bones. 3 carrots, peeled and cut into pieces
• D is for Daikon, a vegetable used a lot in Asian cuisine. It adds a wonderful flavor to soup. 1 medium daikon, peeled and cut into pieces
• E is for Eggplant, not usually found in soups, but eggplant works, especially if you can find the small green Thai eggplant. You don't even have to peel them, just remove their caps. If you don't find Thai eggplant, purple eggplant will do nicely! 12 small Thai eggplant or 1 purple eggplant, peeled, diced and slightly sauteed in olive oil
• F is for Fungi; that means mushrooms! Any mushrooms will work; White button or Shiitake or Oyster. 2 handfuls of mushrooms, chopped and sauteed with a little bit of olive oil
• G is for Ginger. A fabulous root spice, the best of which comes from our 50th state, Hawaii. 1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon Ginger root, peeled and very finely chopped.
• H is for HOT. If you like your soups spicy hot, you can add Habanero peppers, which is the hottest pepper of all. Not everyone appreciates Habanero; in this soup they are optional and should be handled by grown ups only! 2 to 3 Habaneros, seeded and finely diced
• I is for Ingredients. This is what cooks call all of the things that go into a recipe. I have never found a vegetable that starts with the letter I. If you can think of one, please let me know!!
• J is for Jicama, a delicious root vegetable, which is quite popular in the tropical regions of the world, and looks very much like a potato. 1/4 cup jicama, peeled and diced
• K is for Kohlrabi, a great vegetable that comes in red, green and sometimes white. The leafy top and globe shaped bottom are all good to eat. A few diced kohlrabi leaves or 1/8 cup kohlrabi bottom, peeled and diced
• L is for Lemongrass, which is used a lot in Asia. If you can't find it, you can substitute a little lemon juice, or a little of its peel. 1 tablespoon minced lemongrass or 1/2 teaspoon yellow lemon peel, grated
• M is for Maize, the Native American word for corn Kernels of 3 ears of corn
• N is for Nutmeg, a wonderful spice that smells good too! 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg

UPSIDE-DOWN APPLE PECAN PIE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C).
• In a 9 inch deep-dish pie pan, combine pecans, brown sugar and margarine; spread into a single layer. Roll out dough, and place bottom crust over pecan mixture.
• In a large bowl, combine apples, sugar, flour, cinnamon and nutmeg. Pour into crust in pan. Top with second crust. Fold edges of crust over, and flute to seal edges. Make several small slits in the top to allow steam to escape.
• Place pan on foil or cookie sheet during baking to guard against spillage. Bake in preheated oven for 40 to 50 minutes, or until crust is golden brown and apples are tender.
• Cool pie in pan for 5 minutes. Place serving plate over pie, and flip to invert, being careful not to come in contact with molten sugar. If some of the nuts stick to the pan, remove them with a knife, and place on pie. Allow to cool for 1 hour.

TEXAS PECAN PIE

Steps:

• In a bowl, combine the flour and salt; cut in shortening until crumbly. Gradually add cold water, tossing with a fork until a ball forms. , Roll out dough to fit a 9-in. pie plate. Transfer crust to pie plate. Trim crust to 1/2 in. beyond edge of plate; flute edges. Sprinkle with pecans; set aside., In a small bowl, beat the corn syrup, eggs, sugar, vanilla and salt until well blended. Pour over pecans. , Bake at 350° for 45-50 minutes or until a knife inserted in the center comes our clean. Cool on a wire rack.

CHEF JOHN'S PECAN PIE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
• Roll pie dough in a 9 1/2-inch glass pie dish and crimp the edges. Cover dough in parchment paper and press paper down to line the dough; pour pie weights on top of the parchment paper and spread evenly over the bottom.
• Bake in the preheated oven for 20 minutes. Remove parchment paper and pie weights to a bowl. Bake crust until lightly golden and set, about 10 minutes more.
• Spread pecans out on a baking sheet. Bake in the oven until lightly toasted, 7 to 8 minutes.
• Stir brown sugar, butter, white sugar, corn syrup, flour, milk, bourbon, vanilla extract, and salt together in a saucepan over medium heat; bring to a boil, whisking constantly. Remove from heat and cool for 5 to 10 minutes.
• Whisk eggs in a large bowl. Slowly drizzle sugar mixture into eggs, whisking constantly.
• Spread pecans out in the bottom of the crust. Pour sugar mixture over nuts and gently stir with a spatula to coat all of the nuts.
• Bake pie in the preheated oven until crust is golden brown and pie is set, 40 to 45 minutes. Cool completely.

BASIC PECAN PIE RECIPE BY TASTY

Steps:

• Make the crust: Sift the flour and salt together into a large bowl.
• Using only your fingertips, pinch the cubes of butter into the flour, breaking up the butter as you go, until no large lumps remain. Shake the bowl to coax the large chunks of butter to the surface.
• Mix the egg yolks and ice water together in a small bowl with a fork until evenly combined.
• Add the liquid to the flour mixture, reserving ¼ or so in case you don't need all of it--you don't want the pastry to be too wet. Quickly mix everything together with a fork until the dough just starts to come together. Add more liquid to the driest parts of the dough if needed. The dough is ready when it holds together in a ball when squeezed in your palm.
• Transfer the dough to a clean surface and bring together in a disc. Wrap the dough disc in plastic wrap and chill in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes, or up to 4 days.
• Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C).
• Lightly flour a clean surface and unwrap the disc of chilled dough. Flour the top of the dough. Start to roll out the dough, turning every few rolls.. If any cracks form, smush them back together. Roll out the dough to a circle about ⅛-inch (3 mm) thick and place into a 9-inch (22 cm) pie dish. Trim any excess dough around the sides, then crimp the edges in a decorative pattern.
• Place a piece of parchment in the center of the pie crust and add the pie weights or dried beans. 9. Bake for 15 minutes, until lightly golden brown.
• Make the filling: In a large bowl, whisk together 1½ cups (185 G) pecans, corn syrup, eggs, sugar, vanilla, melted butter, and salt.
• Carefully lift the parchment with the pie weights from the par-baked pie crust, then pour in the filling. Arrange the remaining ½ cup (62 G) pecans in concentric circles on top.
• Return the pie to the oven for 20 minutes, then cover with a piece of foil and continue baking for 40 minutes, until the filling is completely set. Let the pie cool completely.
• Slice and serve the pie chilled or at room temperature.
• Enjoy!