Garlic Roasted Pecans
As long as I can remember, Lamar Sawyer (long-time partner-in-crime and friend of my parents) has contributed 3 fundamental dishes to both Thanksgiving and Christmas dinners: Garlic Roasted Pecans, Pecan Dressing, and Caesar Salad. These recipes have become so characteristic of his persona, and so integral to our celebration of the holidays, that the festivities just wouldn't be the same without them, or without him for that matter!
This year, he has passed on his famous recipes to the younger generation of festivity-frequenters. I made his famous Garlic Pecans this weekend and they were absolutely delicious, a big hit with the Italians. Maybe it was my imagination, but delectable as they were, it seemed like something was missing. I couldn't help but recall Lamar's ominous words when he sent me the recipe: "I did leave out enough of the details so that the success will be dependent upon the cook’s skills. People always said there was Lamar spit included, but I’m not talking."
Lamar and Chanda’s Garlic Pecans
Ingredients:
• Shallow oven pans or cookie sheets
• Cast iron skillet
• Shelled medium pecan halves, one pound
• Tabasco sauce
• Garlic head
• Butter, 1 stick
• Salt (fine ground)
1. Peel garlic (10-12 cloves), slice thinly alternating between long dimension and short dimension successive cloves.
2. Melt 3 tablespoon of butter in skillet, add garlic to cover bottom
3. Sauté garlic for two minutes, turn off heat.
4. Sprinkle 1 teaspoon of salt over pecans
5. Add 20-25 dashes of Tabasco.
6. Add pecans, mixing thoroughly to coat all pecans with butter, garlic, salt and Tabasco mixture.
7. Pour skillet contents onto cookie sheets, arranging one pecan deep. Keep the pecans away from the edge of the pan to prevent burning from reflected heat.
8. Bake slowly (275-300 degrees) for 25-40 minutes, depending on oven. The key indicator that they are ready is when the garlic starts to turn brown.
9. When the pecans are ready, allow them to cool to be able to touch the pecans without pain.
10. Place the warm pecans in a jar or other airtight container. (They should keep for a year unless opened.)
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3 comments:
Mmmmm! I can't wait to get my hand on some of these...and when I say "some" I mean buckets. Darn these addictive little morsels of savory goodness! Thanks to Lamar for providing the much-adored L&C Recipe, sans spit.
The cruelty of these morsels is the meager annual dose that is delivered. An entire year passes, and then at last the container arrives, and although the container seems huge, it empties instantly and mysteriously.
One one in the household claims resposibility. The dogs just look the other way. But, within hours, the pecans are gone, suddenly, swiftly, and without regard for the those left behind. Woe unto anyone receiving such a gift. "Beauty would not beauty be if it did not fade." So, it follows, that yummy would not yummy be if it did not disappear. - Brent
I've made Lamar's pecans and caesar dressing before and they have come out good, but never the same as when he makes them. Oh well. It must be his magic touch! I guess I'll have to wait til' Thanksgiving.
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