About the author

Mary and Greg Sonnier started their culinary careers at K-Paul’s Louisiana Kitchen under the baton of the legendary late Chef Paul Prudhomme. This is a restaurant still run by the Prudhomme family and celebrated its 40th year in 2019.

Mary and Greg Sonnier run the celebrated Gabrielle Restaurant..named after their eldest child. Devotees to true Cajun cooking their restaurant is the ultimate ‘from scratch’ and without ever wavering, these two have remained true to their culinary values. Don’t be mistaken by the simplicity of their restaurant’s frontage…Gabrielle is a hallowed hall of New Orleans modern fine dining.

pictured left…two Louisiana legends, on the left, the late Leah Chase and on the right Mary Sonnier [recipe author], Gabrielle Restaurant New Orleans.
Recipe copyright © Gabrielle Restaurant, Chef Mary Sonnier 2019

CHOCOLATE PECAN PIE

This brilliant nut cracker will deliver [if you hav patience] perfect pecan and walnut halves. Available from The Food Forest South Australia’s most legendary certified organic farm.

150g dry roasted pecans

3 large eggs, room temp
200g caster sugar
340g dark corn syrup (or dark cane syrup)
30g unsalted butter, melted but cooled
15g vanilla extract…see note
2g salt
150g pecan halves
175g semi-sweet chocolate chips

one 9″ [best metric approximation 25 cm] pie crust shell

note
Cajun cooking takes vanilla seriously and the vanilla extract would not be some fake flavour from the supermarket but true Burbon Vanilla Extract.

1….Grind the roasted pecans in a food processor until they become a relatively smooth butter. 2….Add eggs, sugar, corn syrup, melted butter vanilla and salt. Process until mixed well, being sure to scrape the pecan butter off the sides to be incorporated. Stir the pecan halves into the mixture (do not process!!) 3….Spread the chocolate chips onto the cold pie shell and place pie shell onto a cookie sheet. 4….Pour mixture over the chips and bake (on low shelf) in 350°F/175°C oven for 40 minutes; turn oven down to 325°F/160°C and bake another 30 – 40 minutes or until nicely browned. Remove from oven and allow cooling for at least 2 hours before serving. Chef’s Note : also good without the chocolate