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Celebrate Pecan Month With Sweet and Savory Dishes

Celebrate Pecan Month With Sweet and Savory Dishes
Pecan Grove
Pecan Grove

Say “pecans” and most people think of pies and other delicious desserts. But the rich flavor of the pecan makes it ideal for savory dishes, too. And since April is National Pecan Month, it’s the perfect time to enjoy these versatile nuts!

Pecan trees are related to hickory trees and grow native in many areas of the south eastern states. Picking up the ripe nuts before squirrels do is the hard part. But in case the squirrels are faster than you, pecans are readily available whole or already cracked in the store. (Note: Wild pecans are harder to crack than the paper shell nuts that are sold commercially – in either case, a good nutcracker will be your best friend.)

Our Amish-made ice cream freezers have leak-proof fiberglass tubs - a vast improvement over traditional wooden tubs. At Lehmans.com.
Our Amish-made ice cream freezers have leak-proof fiberglass tubs – a vast improvement over traditional wooden tubs. At Lehmans.com.

Homemade Butter Pecan Ice Cream

Lehman’s
This was my Mommy’s favorite ice cream; I think of her every time I have it.
Homemade Butter Pecan Ice Cream

Ingredients

  • 1/3 chopped pecans
  • 1 Tablespoon butter
  • 1 cup brown sugar
  • 2 eggs, beaten
  • 1 1/2 cups half and half
  • 1/2 cup heavy cream
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla
  • 1 vanilla bean seed – save the pod for flavoring sugar (optional)

Instructions

  1. In a small skillet over low heat, cook pecans in butter until lightly browned and fragrant, stirring constantly, about 3-5 minutes (watch out, they will burn easily).
  2. Remove them from skillet and set aside
  3. Whisk eggs in a mixing bowl and set aside.
  4. Combine brown sugar and half and half in a sauce pan and mix well. Bring brown sugar mixture to a boil – over low heat, then remove from heat.
  5. Place a small amount of the brown sugar mixture into eggs and blend, whisking as you do.
  6. When egg mixture is warm whisk egg mixture into brown sugar mixture, whisking constantly.
  7. Over low heat cook the custard, stirring occasionally until the custard will coat the back of a spoon. The custard mixture is ready when you can draw your finger down the back of the coated spoon and see a clear line.
  8. Remove custard from heat and stir in cream, vanilla, vanilla bean, and pecans.
  9. Allow custard to cool, then pour into ice cream maker and churn, following the manufacturer’s directions.
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Dori Fritzinger

Dori Fritzinger

She lives and works with her multi-generational family in the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains in North Carolina. They have a farm of cows and calves, wool sheep, dairy goats, rabbits, ducks, geese, chickens, honeybees, a horse and a donkey.

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