Pecan Crusts: Chef’s Tricks for Home Cooks

Atlanta – Most people have a simple goal in the kitchen: to cook well without too much fuss and time. Home cooks are always on the lookout for tricks and techniques that simultaneously simplify and enliven the mealtime making. The Georgia Pecan Commission has found some ways to add restaurant-style dazzle to main dishes while exerting minimum effort.

“Pecans can be used in more ways than ever,” says Buddy Leger, chairman of the Georgia Pecan Commission, who estimates that 90 million pounds of pecans were harvested last fall in Georgia, the nation’s leader in pecan production. “Word is getting out that pecans are not just for desserts. It is a versatile nut and, if stored properly, will add extra taste year-round to salads, side dishes and even main dishes, too.”

According to Leger, restaurant chefs nationwide have gotten the message, and they are often using pecan crusts in entrees. Though you’d expect most chef techniques to be too advanced or time consuming for hurried home cooks, at Georgia Brown’s restaurant in Washington D.C., executive chef Matthew Reyes says one of his favorite tricks is easy for anyone to do.

“Pecan-crusting foods is a great way to add flavor, texture and a mouthwatering look to all kinds of dishes,” adds Reyes. “We use it with chicken, salmon, duck and our signature lamb chops. The pecan crust works with lots of different foods because pecans have a slightly sweet, earthy crunch that improves just about everything.”

At its simplest, a pecan crust is made the same way as a classic bread crumb crust—a quick dredge of flour, a little dip in some eggs and then a coating of chopped pecans. This simple, natural gilding can enhance all kinds of meat, fish and poultry and pecans boost their flavor and add moisture and crunch. Pecans also add nutritional value to recipes. To take the flavor up a notch, a variety of spices can be added. Some recipes make a paste of pecans and seasonings, which naturally clings to foods without the need for eggs or flour. Since the pecan crust holds in the natural moisture of foods, most dishes can be made ahead of time and gently reheated—a real convenience for entertaining menus.

A crunchy mantle of pecans can also dress up breakfast or brunch dishes like French toast or homemade scones and muffins, adding another layer of flavor and texture. And in fruit crisps, pecans mixed with oats, sugar and butter are a classic “crust.” Sprinkled on thickly before cooking or baking, these kinds of pecan crusts require little more effort than it takes to chop nuts. For more convenience, pecans can be finely chopped in a food processor in a large batch and kept frozen for up to two years without losing flavor or texture.

Besides boosting the flavor, texture and appearance of meats, chicken and baked recipes, pecan crusting also upgrades the healthfulness of dishes. According to research at Harvard Medical School, Loma Linda University, the Iowa Women’s Health Study and results of the Mediterranean Diet conferences, pecans have been shown to be useful in preventing cardiovascular problems. This is due to the high content of monounsaturated fat, so called “good fat,” found in nuts. Pecans are rich in oleic acid, a monounsaturated fat believed to be helpful in preventing heart disease.

Another study suggests that adding a handful (about ¾ cup) of pecans a day to your diet may help lower levels of unhealthy LDL cholesterol while not affecting the “good” HDL cholesterol levels. In this study published in the March 2000 edition of the Journal of the American Dietetic Association, subjects who ate ¾ cup a day of pecans saw their LDL levels drop by ten percent in six weeks.

With so many meals behind us and yet to come, it’s worth knowing that pecans are as good-for-you as they are good tasting. And with the clever use of pecan crusts, it’s easier than ever to work this wholesome nut year-round into everyday dishes.

Sidebar Box: Nutty Tips for Jazzing up Everyday Meals

According to the Georgia Pecan Commission, you don’t have to be an award-winning chef to make gold-medal meals. Crusting not only gives meals a professional look, but a sweet, crunchy texture that will have everyone asking for the recipe. And, to make it even easier, here are a few tried-and-true tips that can make the process not only simple, but also virtually foolproof.

• Add a cheese course to a meal. A variety of cheeses are easy to keep on hand and by serving them with a crusty bread, a sliced fruit and toasted pecans you’ve added an easy and elegant extension to the meal.
• Keep fresh pecans on hand—a little goes a long way toward adding zest to plain foods such as rice, pasta and vegetables. Pecans can be frozen and used as needed for at least two years without loss of flavor or texture.
• Make a big deal out of something simple. An ordinary green salad, for example, topped with pecans and a slice of prosciutto is suddenly elevated to a separate course.
• Some ingredients pack more punch than others. Roasted peppers, spiced pecans and wild dried mushrooms are just a few examples of things to keep on hand for adding last minute “oomph” to main dishes.

Source: Georgia Pecan Commission