I just bought 2 pounds of pecans from a friend who received them from a fresh source. I know of all kinds of regular things to do with pecans, but short of making more or bigger dishes that happen to have some pecans in them, what are good things to do with 2 lbs of pecans?
I should mention that I'm vegan, so veg-friendly suggestions particularly welcome.
Best Answer
I'm not sure why the rush. Pecans are not a cheap ingredient where I am, and I actually have to slow myself down from using too many.
A perhaps unusual preparation is to grind your pecans and coat whatever your main is with them as if the pecans were bread crumbs. This could be done with egg plant, for example.
As an omnivore I really enjoy fish coated with ground nuts.
One of my favorite ways to do green beans is to roast them under a broiler with onions and pecans until all ingredients are toasty and golden.
Pecan pie is one of my favorite desserts, and with a replacement for heavy cream my recipe could be made vegan. Google appears to agree that this is a definite option for vegans. Another excellent recipe if you can save your pecans for fall is a pumpkin pie base with a pecan pie topping. Oh. My. Goodness. So decadent. There are many options out there.
I rarely make cookies without pecans. In fact, my ideal cookie is pecans held together by cookie dough. I love pecans in muffins. They also taste good in quick breads - zucchini, banana, and many others. You can also grind the pecans and use them with white or whole wheat flour in a bread recipe.