Curried Maple Pecans Recipe

Curried Maple Pecans

from Stonewall Kitchen Winter Celebrations by Jonathan King, Jim Stott & Kathy Gunst

Ingredients:

1 tablespoon unsalted butter
1/2 teaspoon curry powder
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon salt
Generous grinding freshly ground black pepper
1 cup (3 1/2 ounces) pecan halves
1/4 cup maple syrup

This and many other wonderful recipes may be found in Stonewall Kitchen Winter Celebrations
by Jonathan King, Jim Stott & Kathy Gunst from Chronicle Books

We like to serve these sweet and slightly spicy nuts with cocktails, cheese platters, sprinkled over salads, and in Butternut Squash Soup with Curried Pecans, Apples, and Goat Cheese. Make a double or triple batch to have some on hand for last-minute entertaining, or to bring as a house gift.

1. In a large, heavy skillet, melt the butter over low heat. Add the curry, ginger, salt, and pepper, stirring well to mix the spices into the butter. Let cook 2 minutes.

2. Add the pecans and cook another 2 minutes. Pour the maple syrup on top and, stirring frequently, cook another 2 to 3 minutes, or until the syrup has thickened a bit and the nuts look glazed.

3. Pour the nuts onto waxed or parchment paper or foil, being careful to separate them, as they tend to clump together.

When cool, move the nuts to a well-sealed container in a cool spot.

VARIATIONS:
Try this recipe using a mixture of nuts: walnuts, almonds, pistachios, Brazil nuts, etc.

Add a dash of cayenne pepper along with the curry and ginger for a slightly spicy bite.

Substitute a flowery honey, such as orange blossom, for the maple syrup.

Add 1/8 teaspoon ground cumin with the curry and ginger.