Presenting The Little Aussie Nut
The Age
Monday June 12, 1995
Macadamia nuts are delicious, nutritious and no longer a luxury.
MANY years ago, the late French cook and author Simone Beck came to Australia to give cooking demonstrations. She introduced the audience to a special cake made with a nut she had discovered in America.
The nut was, of course, the macadamia and everyone present was quick to inform her that it was an Australian native. It was a luxury at the time, but quite familiar to everyone.
Last year, for the first time, local macadamia nut production outstripped that of the United States, making Australia the world's largest producer.
Most plantations are found in northern New South Wales and south- east Queensland. The trees are highly decorative, having lovely, long, feathery flowers.
The nuts have been enjoyed by the Aborigines for centuries as ``kindal-kindal". We are acquainted with their deliciously rich flavor and special texture but what is possibly not as well known is that macadamias are rich in monosaturated oils, minerals and vitamins.
Macadamias can be made into a spread, added to cakes, desserts or icecream, make wonderful crunchy candied dishes, are great in a tart instead of walnuts, almonds or pecan nuts and provide a beautiful balance with salad vegetables or chicken. When ground, they can also be substituted for candlenuts, which are used in some Asian curries as a rich thickening for the sauce.
The best way to roast macadamia nuts is to preheat the oven to 120 degrees, then place them in a shallow pan no more than two centimetres deep to allow for good air circulation. Don't roast whole nuts with little pieces as the tiny pieces will burn. Roast them for about 40 minutes, stirring occasionally, and take them from the oven as soon as they begin to color, as browning continues after they are removed.
Served hot with a scattering of salt, they make a tasty nibble with drinks. For sweet dishes, allow the nuts to cool and store them in a tightly sealed jar in the refrigerator.
You can fry them in a pan with a little oil if you prefer but you will need to keep the nuts moving and watch them constantly. Fried nuts do not roast as evenly to the centre. They are better in dishes such as the chicken one included here.
Macadamia banana cake.
A slightly different version of the familiar banana cake. Some glace pineapple and toasted macadamia nuts create a good balance of sweetness and crunchiness. The cake keeps very well and does not need any icing but for a special occasion you could decorate it or just sift over a little icing sugar to give a frosted effect.
Ingredients.
2 medium-sized bananas (about 1 cup mashed).
1 tablespoon lemon juice.
125 g butter.
1/2 cup castor sugar.
2 eggs.
1 1/2 cups self-raising flour.
1 teaspoon bicarbonate of soda.
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon.
1/4 cup glace pineapple.
1/3 cup roughly chopped toasted macadamia nuts.
between 1/3 and 1/2 cup milk.
Method.
Mash the bananas well, add lemon and mix through. In a separate bowl, cream the butter with the sugar until light and fluffy.
Beat the eggs and add to the butter and sugar a little at a time, mixing well. Sift the flour with bicarbonate of soda, add the cinnamon and fold in mashed banana, pineapple, the nuts and a third of a cup of milk. If the mixture is too stiff, add a little more milk. Stir well with a wooden spoon.
Butter the base and the sides of a 20-centimetre cake tin and line the base with non-stick baking paper. Put the mixture into the tin and smooth the top. Bake in a moderate oven (180 degrees) for about 50 minutes or until it tests clean when a fine skewer is inserted.
Remove and leave to stand for five minutes before inverting on to a cake rack. Leave to cool completely before storing in a cake tin.
Sift icing sugar over the top just before serving.
Macadamia nut salad.
A colorful first course or a light lunch dish.
Ingredients.
1 medium-size avocado.
1 tablespoon lemon juice.
2 celery stalks, finely sliced.
1 small odorless or salad onion, cut into thin half rings.
2 tomatoes, peeled and cut into segments.
1/2 large mignonette lettuce or a whole small one.
3/4 cup roasted macadamia nuts.
salt and pepper.
4 tablespoons olive oil.
1 tablespoon white wine vinegar.
1 teaspoon French mustard.
few drops hot sauce such as Tabasco.
Method.
Peel and stone the avocado and cut into two-centimetre cubes.
Drizzle with lemon and stir gently to coat. Mix the avocado with the celery, onion and tomato.
Tear the lettuce roughly into pieces and put into a salad bowl. Add avocado mix and season well with salt and pepper. Scatter over nuts.
Mix together the oil, vinegar, mustard and Tabasco and pour over the salad. Serve immediately.
Chicken with a honeyed macadamia nut sauce.
This is best made with a plain honey, as a flowery one could be cloying. Serves 4.
Ingredients.
4 chicken breasts, boned and skinned.
a little pepper.
some plain flour.
1 egg.
breadcrumbs made from stale bread.
3 tablespoons oil.
1/3 cup macadamia nuts.
1 tablespoon honey.
1 tablespoon soy sauce.
3/4 cup chicken stock.
2 teaspoons cornflour.
Method.
Wrap the chicken breasts with plastic wrap or waxed greaseproof paper and flatten so they are an even thickness. Season with pepper and dust the outside with plain flour. Beat the egg and dip the chicken into this and then into breadcrumbs. Transfer to a plate and chill for 30 minutes so the crumb coating sets firmly.
Heat half the oil and fry the nuts, turning over frequently so they color evenly. Place them on kitchen paper to drain and chop very roughly. They should be in big pieces.
Mix the honey with the soy sauce and chicken stock. When ready to cook, heat the remaining oil in a frypan in which the chicken will cook in a single layer. Add the chicken and cook until it is golden brown on both sides and cooked in the centre. You need to regulate the heat so the crumbs don't burn before the chicken is cooked through.
Drain on kitchen paper.
Wipe out the pan and pour in the honey mixture. Bring to a boil then mix in the nuts. Mix the cornflour with enough liquid to make a thin paste and add to the honey mixture, stirring constantly. It will thicken almost immediately. Put the chicken on warmed plates and pour sauce over the top.
© 1995 The Age