make these nuts

I have no good reason to blog about pecans, except I can't stop thinking about them and maybe writing it out will get them off my mind enough so that I can go to bed in peace. :)

And I have no pictures, because I already ate them all (the pecans, not the pictures). (I do wish I were one of those slick food blogs with gorgeous pictures of everything. Sorry.)

Today I came home from school absolutely exhausted (blame that on being up til 3 a.m. last night working), and sat on the couch for a while debating nap or work, nap or work (the nap won eventually), and went to the kitchen to get something to eat because I hadn't eaten much all day. And unfortunately saw the pecans. The pecans which I'd almost forgotten about. The pecans which I made a couple weeks ago to go on a really yummy salad with fresh strawberries and feta. At the time I couldn't stop eating them so I put them in a jar on a high shelf and told myself I was only going to get them down to use on another salad. In moderation.

So today in a moment of very bad judgment I decided to eat just a couple, and before I knew it I had taken the little jar up and down off the top shelf 3 different times, and it was empty. This is why not to eat when you're really tired. And also why not to keep these things on hand. I don't usually scarf down treats-- I mean, I can keep chocolate or ice cream around and not touch it for weeks. But these are somehow a whole different level of addictive.

But if you want fantastic nuts for ice cream, on a sweet/savory salad, or just as a really to-die-for snack, you should try these. I'm sure it would work with any nut, although I really love pecans.

There are a lot of recipes for candied nuts. Lots call for corn syrup, or butter, or boiling syrup to this or that temperature, and various complications. And then there's sweet-savory nuts: nuts roasted with olive oil, some sugar, salt, and rosemary or other herbs are pretty heavenly as well. But the day I was making the strawberry salad I just wanted something dead quick and simple, and decided to just go with melted sugar. Once you bring sugar almost to the edge of burning it develops incredible flavor-- and that's all you need for killer nuts.

Candied Pecans
This is less of a recipe than a very loose set of instructions. I didn't measure so I'm just guessing at proportions here.

1 c. pecans (chopped or whole, up to you)
1/4 c. sugar
1/4 t. salt

Before you start get ready whatever you are going to put the candied pecans onto. They will stick to whatever it is. I just used a regular plate but it was a bit hard to pry some of them off, so I wish I'd greased it, or used my Silpat, or a piece of waxed paper.

Stir pecans around over medium heat in a pan until they begin to toast-- that will give them a lot more flavor. When you start to smell them or they start to look like they are getting some color, add the sugar.

Once you add the sugar you want to stir constantly (use a heat resistant spatula), and the rest of the process will only take a couple minutes. The sugar will start to melt (turn to liquid, crazy!) Keep stirring and it will coat the pecans. How dark you let it get is up to you. I like it just one shade shy of burnt. Don't take them off too soon or you will end up with pecans that taste like sugar, without any of the delicious complexity of almost-burned sugar.

As soon as they are done enough for you, scoop or pour out of the pan onto whatever you're going to put them on. Sprinkle with salt and spread them apart with a couple forks. The sugar will harden really quickly and then you'll have to break them apart, so better to separate them a little first.

Try not to eat them all at once.