Ripe ... Macadamias

The Age

Saturday April 26, 2008

Tessie Vanderwert

Each year from March to September, mature macadamia nuts fall to the ground from the branches of their tall trees. Grown in coastal Queensland and on the NSW north coast, the nuts are harvested by pinwheel harvesters, the milky-coloured kernels encased in hard shells, the hardest of all commercially grown nuts. A native to east Australia, macadamias have been eaten by indigenous tribes for thousands of years. They have a high level of monounsaturated fats, which are also found in avocado and olive oils. The nuts are cold pressed to make oil for cooking, baking or in salad dressings. Bought nuts should be kept in an airtight container for up to a fortnight but they probably won't last uneaten for that long. Aside from devouring the creamy balls raw or golden-roasted in an oven, macadamias added to home-baked biscuits or biscotti with white chocolate chunks make for an indulgent afternoon tea. For a hearty autumnal weekend dinner, try a roast chicken with macadamia stuffing made with chopped, roasted nuts added to a cooled mixture of sauteed pancetta, onion and garlic. Combine with breadcrumbs, an egg, fresh herbs including sage or thyme and seasoning, stuff the bird and roast with potatoes and seasonal vegetables. Make a basil pesto by substituting macadamias, using either olive oil or for a deeper flavour, macadamia oil. Chopped macadamias can be added to curries such as fish or pork or caramelised in butter with currants and spooned through saffron rice with fresh coriander. Be inspired by a pecan pie and try macadamias instead, served with thick cream. -- TESSIE VANDERWERT