Green Beans with Pecans

  • Salt and pepper
  • 2lb (1kg) green beans trimmed and halved on the diagonal
  • 5 tbs unsalted butter
  • 1 cup chopped pecans

    Bring a large pot 3/4 full of water to a boil.
    Salt the water, add the beans, and cook until crisp-tender, 4 to 5 mins
    In a large frying pan over medium heat, melt the butter.

    Add the pecans and cook, stirring often, until the nuts are lightly browned.
    Add the beans and toss to coat with the butter. Add 3/4 tsp salt and 1/2 tsp pepper,
    cover partially, and cook, tossing and stirring occasionally, until the beans are heated through, another 5-6 minutes.
    Taste and adjust seasoning. Serve hot
    (makes 8 to 10 servings)

    Cape Brandy Pudding

  • 250g dates, stoned and finely chopped
  • 5ml bicarb. of soda
  • 250 ml boiling water
  • 125 g butter
  • 250 ml sugar
  • 2 eggs beaten
  • 500 ml cake flour
  • 5ml baking powder
  • 2ml salt
  • 250 ml walnuts, or fresh pecan nuts, finely chopped

    SAUCE

  • 250 ml sugar
  • 15 ml brandy
  • 150 ml water
  • 5 ml vanilla essence
  • 1 ml salt
  • 125 ml brandy

    1 Divide dates into two equal portions and place in separate bowls
    2 Add bicarb to one ad pour boiling water over. Mix well and leave to cool
    3. Cream butter and sugar together and beat eggs in thoroughly
    4. Sift flour, baking powder and salt and fold into mixture
    5. Add dry portion of dates and nuts, mixing well to blend
    6. Stir in bicarb and date mixture and mix thoroughly, then turn into a large baking dish and bake at 180C for about 40 minutes.

    7. To prepare sauce, heat sugar, butter and water together in a saucepan for 5 minutes. Remove from stove and stir in vanilla essence, salt and brandy.
    8. Pour sauce over pudding as soon as it comes out of the oven and serve hot or cold with whipped cream (I have served it with custard and icecream)

    Amanda

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