OK – so nuts are generally addictive without adding anything else to make them more so. But this recipe elevates plain nuts to a dish that will impress your guests and have them reaching for the bowl. I promise, there will be few left if you serve them with drinks.
You can be as creative as you want with this recipe, adding all types of ingredients to create your own flavours and signature. There are only two rules: you need to choose plain, unsalted nuts; and you need to watch the oven – the nuts can burn very quickly and easily rendering them only fit for the bin!
Any nut will work in this dish, as will most woody, oily herbs and spices such as rosemary, thyme, orange and lemon zest, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Salt and pepper can be added in copious amounts, as can honey, butter and oil.
In this recipe, I have gone for a simple approach, choosing only macadamia nuts and using just two core ingredients: honey and rosemary.
500g macadamia nuts
2 tbls freshly chopped rosemary
1 tbls honey
salt and pepper
Pre heat the oven to 180C and line a baking tray with baking paper.
Scatter the nuts evenly over the tray and place them in the oven for about 15-20 minutes. The intent, is not to roast them but rather to get them hot and ready for the other ingredients. So, it’s important to have everything ready for the next stage.
Remove the nuts from the oven and transfer them to clean bowl. Add the honey and the rosemary and then season liberally with salt and pepper. Mix well to ensure each is well coated.
Pour the nuts back onto the same oven tray and make sure they are all evenly spread out to ensure they cook evenly. Place the tray back in the oven for a further 15-20 minutes. Gently turn the nuts half way through the cooking time. The nuts are done when they are golden, nutty brown.
Remove the nuts from the oven and take them off the tray to stop the cooking process. The honey will be scalding, so be careful and allow them to cool completely before you touch them. When they are cool, transfer them into a bowl and serve.
Enjoy,
M.Wag.
