Culinary Tradition and Innovation: Potluck with Georgia Pecans

During the holidays, an appetite for great food is equaled only by the desire for good company. Bringing the two together in the dining room, however, is the challenge of every host, especially in these busy times. Paradoxically, the best solution for modern hosts seems to be an old-fashioned American one: the potluck.

Also known as a covered-dish supper or a BYOF (Bring Your Own Food) get-together, these traditional communal dinners, where everyone pitches in a dish, make more sense than ever for contemporary entertaining. Likewise, classic American ingredients, such as Georgia pecans, that ease the work but instantly boost the pleasure of home cooking, have never been more practical for modern meals. Pecans are the only tree nut that is truly native to the United States and over 500 varieties of Pecans exist today. Over 1,000 cultivars have been released over the history of pecan culture. Only three are common and all three are available in Georgia orchards.

Rediscovering the no-fuss appeal of potlucks and ready-to-use pecans brings new meaning to the term “comfort” food, especially for the holiday host whose best intent is to banish all entertaining stress and enjoy the guests as well as all the goodies on the table.

Portioning out the work is the primary benefit of the potluck dinner. But judging by the latest generation of community cookbooks—those virtual archives of American taste—the opportunity for a diverse food selection at a potluck buffet is another big benefit of the team approach to dinner party menus. Although generations ago the typical potluck spread was dominated by a monotony of casseroles and more than a few quivering red or green molded “salads,” today’s potluck table is usually a much more unpredictable and interesting smorgasbord.

Fill a plate at a potluck these days and you’re more apt to enjoy a global variety of dishes with distinctive seasonings, textures, and ingredients. Even single vegetable dishes have more pluck these days, as proven in a recipe for Broccoli Gratin with Horseradish and Georgia Pecans, adapted from a Junior League Cookbook. With a quick culinary turn of the wrist, the nutty crunch of pecans and the spicy horseradish push the taste of broccoli beyond simple to superb. In another community cookbook recipe adaptation, Easy Fettuccine with Smoked Salmon, Peas, and Toasted Georgia Pecans, home cooks find the ideal upgrade for the venerable tuna noodle casserole. Once a mainstay of our grandmothers’ potluck plate, the elementary tuna-noodle concoction graduates to a classier blend of pasta studded with silky salmon, garlic, imported cheese, and nutty pieces of pecans. Though more sophisticated than the tuna casserole classic, this updated version is no more trouble to prepare since it too relies on ready-to-use staples from the pantry and refrigerator. Convenience, it seems, has always been in fashion.

Healthfulness, however, is a relatively new trend in potluck party dishes. Which is not to say that our cooks of yesteryear didn’t care about serving nutritious dishes—they simply weren’t aware of the health risks of many common ingredients the way we are today. Consequently, the crowd-pleasing cooking of a generation ago was often a minefield of high-saturated fat foods as well as some unnatural processed products and less nutritious canned ingredients. Now we know better. Potluck platters and salads in this new century feature leaner meat and dairy products, more fresh vegetables, whole grains, and foods that contain good-for-you fats such as olive oil, fish, and Georgia pecans. Mono-unsaturated fat, the kind found in many vegetable oils and pecans, can actually help prevent heart disease. In fact, just ¾ cup of pecans added to daily meals has been shown to lower levels of so-called “bad” LDL cholesterol.

Pecans are also a welcome sight at parties and potlucks for those weight-conscious guests who remain aware of their carb intake. With only 9 grams of carbohydrate per ½ cup serving, pecans are a match for any moderate- or low-carb lifestyle. And although this chewy Southern nut helps limit carb counts, it still adds important nutrients to the diet, including fiber, minerals, and the highly-protective anti-oxidant, Vitamin E.

“Finally, nutritionists and weight loss professionals are now realizing what we’ve known all along,” says Charles M. “Buddy” Leger, chairman of the Georgia Pecan Commission. “If consumed in moderation, pecans are a nutritious, natural, and satisfying ingredient for virtually any healthy diet.”

Being a scrumptious, crunchy morsel doesn’t hurt the pecan’s popularity either. To enjoy these nuts at their peak of goodness, the Georgia Pecan Commission recommends keeping pecans refrigerated in airtight containers for up to nine months, or freezing them in Zip-loc bags up to two years.

For more information and recipes featuring Georgia pecans, visit the Georgia Pecan Commission’s web site at www.georgiapecans.org

 

Side Bar:

Potluck Planning
For both guests and hosts of a potluck event, there are several planning tips and tricks that can make the meal more carefree and creative. Here are a few essential ones:

-Plan the menu by food categories—appetizers, main dishes, vegetables and salads, desserts, breads, and beverages. The coordinator can assign foods to guests or let them sign up for what they’d like to bring, but either way the goal should be to have an interesting mix of dishes that will also be sensitive to any food allergies or restrictions among the invited.

-Those who don’t cook can still help by bringing healthy ready-to-eat nibbles such as pecan halves, baby carrots, or cheese. Contributing non-food items such as napkins, cups, glasses, plates, and tableware is also a help.

- Bring a dish that transports easily and simple to serve. To transport a hot casserole, wrap it in foil and then pack it in a shallow box with newspaper or towels all around to minimize movement.

- If you’re bringing an appetizer, plan to arrive a few minutes early to get the food on the table before the other guests arrive. Presenting these first course dishes attractively also helps set the celebratory tone of the party. A simple cheese platter, for instance, can be dressed up with pretty fruits and berries, mounds of toasted pecans, and an arrangement of interesting crackers.

- Serve the meal buffet-style, arranged logically with main entrees then the supporting cast of side dishes, salads, and breads. If the selection needs some sprucing up, consider a generous sprinkling of fresh herbs, chopped pecans, or a few edible flowers for garnish here and there.

- Be responsible for cutting, slicing, or scooping the food before putting it on the serving table so guests can easily serve themselves. This will keep the buffet line moving while the dishes are still warm.

-It’s often best to serve desserts from a separate table. That way, guests who are ready for dessert won’t be jostling with those who are still getting dinner. The considerate host may also put a few healthy treat alternatives on the dessert table for guests who are avoiding high-carb sweets or desserts rich in saturated fats. Light fruits such as mixed berries or savory snacks like spiced, toasted pecans are simple ways to accommodate these preferences.

- Potlucks are an ideal forum for exchanging taste-tested recipes. To facilitate this sharing, it’s helpful to have stamped blank postcards on hand. When a guest or the host tastes a dish they would like to be able to make, they can put their address on the postcard and give it to the person who has agreed to share the recipe. At home, that person can copy the recipe onto the postcard and simply drop it in the mail.

Source: Georgia Pecan Commission
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Broccoli Gratin with Horseradish and Pecans
Baked vegetable dishes are a perennial potluck favorite and a staple of community cookbooks. This one combines a familiar green veggie with some delicious surprise ingredients: pecans for crunch and richness, and horseradish for spice.

Prep time: 10 minutes Cooking and Baking time: 30 minutes

Serves 8
2 bags (10 oz each) frozen broccoli flowerets
1/2 cup roasted red pepper strips
1/2 cup Georgia pecan halves
1/4 teaspoon each salt and black pepper
3 tablespoons butter, divided
1/4 cup mayonnaise
2 tablespoons prepared horseradish sauce
1/4 cup dry coarse breadcrumbs
2 tablespoons grated Parmesan
Fresh lemon juice to sprinkle

Heat oven to 350°F. Lightly oil a 9-inch round baking dish or pie plate. Thaw broccoli in skillet over medium heat. Drain well. Transfer to bowl and add red pepper and pecans. Sprinkle with salt and pepper.
In same skillet, melt 2 tablespoons butter. Whisk in mayonnaise and horseradish sauce and cook over low, stirring, to make a smooth sauce. Pour sauce over broccoli, peppers, and pecans and stir gently to coat. Spread mixture in prepared baking dish; sprinkle with breadcrumbs and cheese. Dot with remaining tablespoon butter and bake on top rack in oven for 20 to 25 minutes until golden. Serve warm.

Nutrition information per serving – calories: 179; protein: 4g; carbs: 8g; saturated fat: 5g; monounsaturated fat: 6g; polyunsaturated fat: 4g; cholesterol: 18mg; fiber: 3g; sodium 235mg.

Source: Georgia Pecan Commission
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Easy Fettuccine with Smoked Salmon, Peas and Toasted 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.


Source: Georgia Pecan Commission