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Recipes

Macadamias are a premium ingredient that complements and adds exclusivity to any menu. Ten years ago, in Australia, it was rare to find a restaurant menu with a meal containing macadamias... now, almost every good restaurant has several menu items containing macadamias featured in the entree, the main course, the dessert, and even in the salad. Here also is where our cold pressed, food grade macadamia oil really shines...in the gourmet kitchen for sauteeing and shallow frying. The trend is gaining popularity - restaurants as far away as Stockholm, Sweden have macadamia deserts on their menus.

Macadamia and Chocolate Biscotti

• 250g plain flour sifted
• 2 tablespoons cocoa
• 175g caster sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 3 eggs lightly beaten
• grated rind of 1 orange
• 150g roasted, unsalted macadamia nuts roughly chopped

Combine flour, cocoa, caster sugar and baking powder in a large bowl and mix well. In a separate bowl combine eggs, orange rind and macadamia nuts and mix well. Make a well in the centre of the dry ingredients, pour in the egg mixture and stir to form a dough. Turn dough onto a lightly floured surface and divide in half. Shape halves into logs, place on a greased and floured baking sheet and bake at 200C for 15 minutes. Remove from oven and when cool enough to handle cut logs into 0.5cm thick slices. Place slices on baking sheets and bake a further 10 - 15 minutes. Cool on a wire rack then store in an air tight container.

Makes approximately 45 biscotti.

Developed by Jane Hann - March 2001

The Fruit & Nut Loaf

• Yeast - 100g
• Water - Approximately 520ml (lukewarm) - Dissolve together
• Sugar - 100g
• Bakers flour - 1000g
• Mixed spice - 10g (yeast activator may be used at manufacturers suggested dosage)
• Salt - 7g
• Margarine/fat - 120g - Bring together till a smooth dough is obtained.
• (Before taking from mixing bowl add:) Dried fruit - 200g
• Macadamia (pieces) -200g

The liquid is put into the bowl first, -The final amount of water added depends on a number of variations, such as how dry the fruit is to the humidity of the day, so, +or - means a little more or a little less than the recipe indicates.

Sieve the dry ingredients together and add on top, with the fat. Mix on a slow speed till smooth and silky and well developed. Add the fruit and nut at the end to avoid crushing the fruit and discolouring the dough, a little water may be needed to dampen the dough very slightly and allow the fruit and nut to 'stick' while mixing is completed. Rest for at least 1-11/2 hour, scale off to required weight, mould up and rest in tins/moulds.

Place into the proover till dough doubles in size, and bake at 200°C. NB. Resting time also depends on current bakery temperatures and weather conditions. They are a guide only. A Pastrycook or Baker will be able to adjust to 'Local' prevailing conditions. Finishing is generally a sugar syrup glaze, brushed all over the top to enhance the appearance. Serve cold or toasted with or without butter.

Peppered Beef & Roast Macadamia Salad

• 1/2 cup raw whole macadamias
• 600G fillet steak
• tablespoon crack black pepper
• 1/4 cup finely chopped macadamias
• macadamia oil to taste


• Salad: 1 bunch rocket or mesclun
• 1 cup finely sliced fennel, white flesh only
• 1 cup shredded red cabbage dressing
• 100ML macadamia oil
• 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice

Roast the raw whole macadamias in a moderate oven until browned. Set aside. Trim any excess fat from steak and brush with macadamia oil. In a mortar and pestle or blender, combine the pepper and chopped macadamias to a coarse paste. Press firmly onto the steak to coat. Preheat a barbecue, grill pan or non stick pan to high, add a little macadamia oil and sear fillet until lightly charred on all sides. Reduce heat to medium high and cook for a further 5 minutes or until cooked as desired. Remove from pan, cover loosely with foil and allow to rest for 10 minutes. Slice thinly. Combine the salad ingredients and arrange salad in centre of plates with the roasted macadamias. Place steak around the outside. Whisk together the dressing ingredients and spoon over the top. Serve immediately with crusty bread. Serves 4.

Char-grilled Pork with Macadamia Peach Salsa

• 4 pork fillets or pork leg steaks
• olive oil
• juice of 1 lemon
• salt and pepper to taste


• Salsa: 1/2 cup roasted macadamias
• 1/2 cup diced peach
• 1/2 red onion, finely chopped
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh coriander
• 1 tablespoon ginger or lime marmalade (optional)
• freshly ground pepper to taste

Brush the pork fillets with oil and some of the lemon juice and season to taste. Cover and refrigerate until ready to cook. Combine all the salsa ingredients in a bowl and mix well. Allow to marinate for 20 minutes, if time allows. Heat a grill pan or barbecue to very high and sear the pork for 2–3 minutes on each side or cook as desired. Serve with the salsa. This is delicious on a bed of mixed leaves or sauteed kippfler potatoes. Serves 4.

Macadamia Rocky Road

• 90G unsalted macadamia whole and halves
• 200G marshmallows
• 1/2 cup glaze cherries, chopped
• 1/4 cup desicated coconut (optional)
• 500G chocolate

Toss together the macadamias, marshmallows, cherries and coconut and scatter over the base of a lined lamington tin. Melt the chocolate in a double saucepan or in a microwave and pour evenly over the top, smoothing the top. Refrigerate until set, then cut into pieces with a hot sharp knife. Store in a sealed container in a cool place or the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks.

Char-grilled vegetable salad with goats cheese, prosciutto & macadamia nut dressing

• 300g sweet potato whole and unpeeled
• 2 bunches asparagus
• 80g prosciutto finely sliced
• 50g baby spinach leaves
• 150g matured goats cheese finely sliced
• Dressing:
• 1 tablespoon macadamia nut oil
• 80g lightly roasted macadamia nut roughly chopped
• 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
• 2 tablespoons olive oil

Steam or microwave sweet potato until just tender. Cool, peel and cut diagonally into 1 cm slices. Brush sweet potato slices and asparagus lightly with macadamia nut oil and then chargrill until cooked through. Chargrill prosciutto until crisp. To make dressing heat 1 tablespoon macadamia nut oil in a nonstick frypan. Add chopped nuts and stirfry until golden. Add vinegar and olive oil and whisk until well combined.

To serve salad arrange baby spinach, sweet potato, asparagus, prosciutto and goats cheese on individual plates. Drizzle with dressing. Serves 4 as an entrée or light lunch

Developed by Jane Hann – March 2001

Spaghetti with Macadamia Pesto and Semi-Dried Tomatoes

• Serves 2
• 250g (1/2 pkt) spaghetti
• 100g (1/3 cup) macadamia basil pesto
• 75g - 100g semi-dried tomatoes
• Salt and freshly cracked pepper
• 100ml cream (optional)
• Garnish: extra chopped toasted macadamias
• Pesto:
• 2 cups basil leaves, tightly packed
• 160g (1 cup) unsalted macadamias
• 3 cloves garlic, peeled
• 125ml macadamia oil
• 65g freshly grated parmesan
• 1/2 tsp sea salt

Make the pesto first: wash and dry the leaves thoroughly. Put them in a food processor or blender with the macadamias and garlic and process until well combined. Scrape down sides and process again. Add the cheese and salt, process again, then slowly drizzle in the oil, keeping the machine running. Process until smooth. Scrape pesto into a tightly sealed jar or plastic container until ready to use – a film of macadamia oil over the top will help to preserve it. Store in refrigerator.

Cook the spaghetti in plenty of rapidly boiling salted water. Drain pasta, reserving 2 – 3 tablespoons pasta water. Mix pesto with pasta water then toss with spaghetti until well combined. Add the cream for a smoother sauce. Toss through semi-dried tomatoes and taste for seasoning. Top with a few extra chopped toasted macadamias.

Macadamia Meringues

• 1 cup chopped raw macadamias
• 1¼ cups of castor sugar
• A pinch of cream of tartar
• 3 egg whites
• 1 teaspoon ginger powder
• 40 whole macadamias
• 2 teaspoons finely diced glaze ginger

Preheat oven to 120°C. Combine the chopped macadamias and ¼ cup of the castor sugar in a food processor and process until finely chopped. In a separate bowl beat the egg whites and cream of tartar until soft peaks form. Gradually beat in remaining cup of sugar until sugar has dissolved and mixture is stiff. Fold in the macadamia mixture and both gingers. Place teaspoon of mixture on oven trays lined with baking paper, allowing room for spreading. Top with a macadamia and bake for 40-45 minutes or until dry and crisp but not browned. Makes about 48 meringues. To Make chocolate meringues, substitute 2 teaspoons of cocoa powder for the ginger powder.

Pear and red wine glazed kangaroo fillet with macadamias

• 1 tablespoon macadamia oil
• 1/2 cup raw or roasted macadamias
• 600G thick loin fillets of kangaroo (can substitute beef or venison)
• freshly ground black pepper to taste
• 1/2 cup red wine
• 1 fresh or tinned pear, peeled and sliced
• 1/4 cup pear juice
• 2 tablespoons red currant or cranberry jelly

Heat macadamia oil in a large heavy-based pan. If using raw macadamias, add them to the pan and cook over a medium heat until golden brown. Remove and drain on kitchen paper. Season kangaroo with pepper, add to the hot oil and cook for 2–3 minutes on each side or until cooked as desired (medium rare is the most tender). Remove from the pan, cover with foil and keep warm. Deglaze pan with red wine and pear juice, add pears and jelly and cook for 2–3 minutes or until sauce is glaze consistency. Return kangaroo and macadamias to pan, turning to coat with the glaze. Serve with the glaze spooned over and around the plate. Serves 4.