Mesculin Salad with UJ's Walnut oil

Ingredients

• 4 oz mesculin or baby romaine or baby spinach
• 2 oz goat cheese, crumbled or cut into small pieces
• 1/2 cup UJ's walnut meal
• 3 Tbsp  dried blueberries

Dressing

• 4 Tbsp  UJ's Walnut Oil
• 1 1/2 Tbsp  balsamic or red wine vinegar
• 1 tsp prepared mustard
• Salt and pepper to taste

Method

Toss the salad greens in a bowl with half the dressing.

Whisk the dressing ingredients together until thoroughly combined.

In a small bowl thoroughly mix walnuts meal, blueberries and cheese with the other half of the vinaigrette.

Arrange the greens on appetiser plates.

Garnish with goat cheese, walnuts and blueberries.

Hazelnut Fudge

Ingredients

1/3 cup UJ's Hazelnut Meal

180 gm ground hazelnuts

1/2 cup sesame seeds (ground in a coffee grinder)

1/2 cup cocoa

7 dried figs (chopped)

1 prune (chopped)

3/4 to 1 cup dates (chopped)

Method

Process on high speed until crumbly texture.

It should hold together when ready, if not, add a bit more liquid and process a bit longer.

Press into a flat tin and refrigerate for 30 minutes until firm.

Slice into bars and serve.

We love this with some plain greek yoghurt and fresh blueberries.

Hazelnut Hummus

Ingredients

• 1 can chickpeas
• 1 cup shelled and roasted hazelnuts 
• 2 T. sesame 'tahini' paste
• 2-3 T Hazelnut Oil 
• 2 T pure maple syrup
• 2 T freshly squeezed orange juice 
• 1 t sea salt
• 1/4 t cayenne pepper 
• 1/4 t ground cinnamon
• 1/4 t ground nutmeg
• 1/8 t smoked paprika 

Method

Using a heavy duty blender, process all ingredients until smooth. Spoon out into a serving dish and drizzle with hazelnut oil. Garnish with hazelnuts, if desired.

Makes enough to serve a small group (4-6 people) as an appetizer.

We love having this alongside warm half baked baguette on a cheese platter with some Hazelnut or Walnut spread and Marlborough wine.

Uncle Joe's Walnut or Hazelnut Macaroons

Ingredients

180 gm Uncle Joe's Hazelnut Meal (or walnut meal)

200 gm castor sugar

2 egg whites

1 teaspoon vanilla essence

100 gm dark chocolate (melted), or homemade cocoa icing

Method

Preheat the oven to 180oC.

Place the hazelnut (or walnut) meal, sugar, egg whites and vanilla in a bowl or food processor and mix into a thick paste.

Place tablespoons of mixture about 2 cm apart on baking paper on a tray and bake for about 15 minutes or until lightly golden.

Cool on a wire rack. Ice with melted chocolate or cocoa icing. Allow to set before serving. Makes approx 20 macaroons. Enjoy these lovely afternoon treats!

Just plain nuts

We pride ourselves on "cracking to order", so we deliver the freshest, highest quality product.

A small handful of nuts a day is a healthy, easy snack to fill your afternoon snack cravings. 

Hazelnut Coffee Cake

Ingredients

140g Uncle Joe's Hazelnut Meal

4 egg whites

250 gm caster sugar

1/2 tsp vanilla essence

4 drops of vinegar

Serve with

300ml fresh cream

250g fresh berries

icing sugar

Method

Beat egg whites until stiff, add sugar and continue beating until satiny smooth.

Add vanilla and vinegar, then fold in Uncle Joe's Hazelnut Meal.

Bake in two sponge tins (baking paper on bottom), for 45 minutes at 180oC, until crisp and lightly browned.

Cool on wire rack.

To serve, put whipped cream on one half, place the fruit (lychees or strawberries) and then top with the other half.

Sprinkle with a bit of icing sugar.

Serve as a dessert or with coffee.

Meringue can be made the day before.