SOUTHERNERS HAVE BEEN PAIRING CARROTS AND pecans for ages, aware of how the large amount of oil in the nuts neutralizes the sugar in the carrots. Carrots, however, are basically bland, so when they’re cooked, it’s common practice to perk them up with a few spices. Since this is actually a very elegant soufflé that goes perfectly with most ham and pork dishes, try to use an attractive soufflé dish if at all possible.
MAKES: 6 servings
INGREDIENTS:
- 2 pounds carrots, scraped and quartered
- 8 tablespoons (1 stick) butter, cut into chunks and softened
- 1/4 cup sugar
- 1/4 cup whole milk
- 3 large eggs
- 1/2 cup chopped pecans
- 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg
INSTRUCTIONS:
- Preheat the oven to 350°F.
- Place the quartered carrots in a large saucepan and add enough water to cover them.
- Bring the water to a boil, then reduce the heat to moderate and cook the carrots until tender, which usually takes about 20 minutes.
- Drain the cooked carrots.
- Place the cooked carrots in a food processor.
- Add the softened butter and sugar to the food processor.
- Process the mixture until the carrots, butter, and sugar are well blended.
- Add the whole milk, eggs, chopped pecans, all-purpose flour, baking powder, ground cinnamon, and ground nutmeg to the food processor.
- Process the mixture again until all the ingredients are well combined and the mixture is smooth, making sure to scrape down the sides of the food processor as needed.
- Scrape the carrot mixture into a 1 1/2- to 2-quart soufflé dish or casserole.
- Bake the dish in the preheated oven until the carrot mixture is set, which usually takes about 45 minutes.
- Serve the dish hot.
