Herbed Pecan Sauce Recipes

BUTTER PECAN SAUCE

Steps:

• In a heavy saucepan, combine the sugars and cornstarch. Gradually stir in cream until smooth. Bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring constantly; cook and stir until slightly thickened, 2-3 minutes. , Remove from the heat; stir in butter until melted. Add the pecans. Serve warm over ice cream.

TOASTED PECAN AND HERBED CHEESE BALL BITES

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°F. Spread the nuts onto a cookie sheet and bake for 7 to 8 minutes or until the nuts begin to brown and become aromatic. Remove from oven and let cool. Coarsely chop ¼ cup of pecans; set aside. Finely chop the remaining 1¼ cups of pecans and mix with ¼ cup of chopped parsley in a medium bowl; set aside. Line a cookie sheet with plastic wrap.
• Make the cheese mix: In the bowl of a mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, mix the cream cheese, garlic and fines herbs cheese, goat cheese, salt and hot sauce until smooth. Mix in the remaining ¼ cup parsley, the scallions, pimento peppers and the coarsely chopped pecans. Use a tablespoon measure to transfer tablespoons of the cheese mixture to the prepared cookie sheet to make about 30 mounds. Refrigerate for 15 minutes. Remove the cookie sheet from the refrigerator and roll the mounds into balls. Coat the balls with the reserved pecan and parsley mixture.
• Refrigerate until ready to use. Serve with crackers, crudités or grilled bread, if desired.

PECAN CARAMEL SAUCE

Steps:

• Stir butter and brown sugar together in a saucepan over medium heat until melted. Stir in heavy whipping cream and salt; bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium and simmer until thickened, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat to cool slightly, 3 to 5 minutes. Stir in chopped pecans.

SUMMER HERB PESTO

Steps:

• Blend the garlic, basil, parsley, spinach, oregano, pine nuts, Parmesan cheese, salt, pepper, and olive oil in a blender or food processor until smooth.

SOUTHERN SPICED PECANS

Steps:

• In a large skillet, melt butter. Add cumin and cayenne; cook and stir for 1 minute. Remove from the heat; stir in the pecans, sugar and salt; toss to coat. , Spread in a single layer in a greased 15x10x1-in. baking pan. Bake at 300° for 25-30 minutes or until lightly browned, stirring occasionally. Cool. Store in an airtight container.

SPAGHETTI WITH PECAN-HERB PESTO

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Scatter the pecans on a rimmed sheet pan and toast until they are fragrant and a shade or two darker, 7 to 8 minutes. Cool.
• Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the pasta to the boiling water and cook according to the package directions until al dente. Drain, reserving about 1/2 cup pasta water.
• Meanwhile, put the pecans in a food processor with the lemon zest, basil, parsley and garlic and pulse six or seven times to make a chunky paste. Scrape down the sides of the work bowl and, with the processor running, add the olive oil in a steady stream to make an almost-smooth pesto.
• Scrape the pesto into a large serving bowl and stir in the cheese. Season with salt. Add the spaghetti and toss, adding the reserved pasta water to loosen, if needed.

HERBED CREPES WITH RICOTTA, GREEN PEPPERS AND TOMATO SAUCE

Steps:

• Making the Crêpe Filling: Add the oil to a pan, over a medium heat, and when it is hot, reduce the heat to medium-low and cook the bell pepper, stirring, until it is softened, add the garlic, and cook the mixture, stirring, for 1 minute. In a bowl stir together the bell pepper mixture, the ricotta, and 1/3 cup of the Parmesan with salt and pepper to taste and let the filling cool.
• Making the Crêpe Batter: In a blender or food processor, blend the flour, the broth, the eggs, the butter, and the salt for 5 seconds. Turn off the motor, with a rubber spatula scrape down the sides of the container, and blend the batter for 20 seconds more. Transfer the batter to a bowl, stir in the herbs, and let the batter stand, covered, for 1 hour. The batter may be made 1 day in advance and kept covered and chilled. This makes enough batter for about 12 crêpes.
• Making the Herbed Crêpes: Heat a crepe pan or non-stick skillet measuring 6" to 7" across the bottom over moderate heat until it is hot. Brush the pan lightly with the butter, heat it until it is hot but not smoking, and remove it from the heat. Stir the batter, half fill a 1/4-cup measure with it, and pour the batter into the pan. Tilt and rotate the pan quickly to cover the bottom with a layer of batter and return any excess batter to the bowl. Return the pan to the heat, loosen the edge of the crêpe with a spatula, and cook the crêpe for 1 minute, or until the top appears almost dry. Turn the crêpe, cook the other side lightly, and transfer the crêpe to a plate. Make the rest of the crêpes with the remaining batter in the same manner, brushing the pan lightly with butter as necessary. The crêpes may be made 3 days in advance, kept stacked with a sheet of greaseproof paper between each crêpe, wrapped in plastic wrap, and chilled.
• Assembling the Crêpes: Spread about 2 tablespoons of the filling on each crêpe and roll up jelly-roll fashion. Arrange the crêpes, seam sides down, in a buttered shallow baking dish just large enough to hold them in one layer, brush them lightly with the butter, and sprinkle them with the remaining Parmesan. Bake the crêpes in the middle of a preheated 400°F oven for 20 minutes and serve them with the sauce.
• Making the Tomato Sauce: Roughly chop the canned tomatoes in the can with the edge of a spoon, then add them with the juice to a pan, stir in the salt, the sugar, the tomato paste, the basil, and the cayenne, bring the mixture to a boil, and simmer it, stirring, for 20 minutes. Add the fresh tomatoes and cook the mixture for 5 minutes. Serve the sauce warm. Makes about 1 1/4 cups.
• Notes: If you want this to be a vegetarian dish, use vegetable broth. For variation, or if you prefer, use spinach in place of the green pepper. If you like your food spicy, add half a fresh jalapeno pepper to the tomato sauce.

HERBED PECAN SAUCE

Steps:

• Place cheese in food processor; process, using on/off motion, until finely chopped.
• Add spinach, pecans, parsley and basil, garlic, and salt; process until evenly chopped.
• With motor running, gradually add oil; process until mixture is smooth.
• Serve at room temperature or chilled; or spoon into saucepan and heat, stirring over low heat until hot.
• Notes: * fresh, firmly packed - washed and dried