Pecans

Pecans are among the richest and most flavourful of all tree nuts, with a natural sweetness and smooth, buttery texture that sets them apart from walnuts, which they superficially resemble. They’re native to North America and remain most closely associated with Southern US cooking, though they’re now grown commercially in Australia, particularly in northern New South Wales and Queensland.

Pecans are enormously versatile. They’re excellent eaten raw as a snack, toasted for salads and grain bowls, chopped into biscuit and cake batters, or used as the star of pecan pie. Their high oil content gives them a satisfying richness but also means they can go rancid relatively quickly — storing them in the fridge or freezer extends their shelf life considerably.