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Believe it or not, the macadamia nut tree was first grown only for ornamental purposes. Thankfully, someone experimented with the nuts and discovered their butter-like, slightly sweet nature. This bread is so rich you won’t need to butter it.

This recipe appeared in the article Chile-Spiced Brunch Ideas for Mother’s Day on the Burn! Blog.

Ingredients

1 1/2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/8 teaspoon ground ginger
1 1/4 cups mashed ripe bananas (about 3 large)
1 tablespoon grated lemon peel
2 teaspoons pasilla chile powder or paste
1/2 cup sugar
1/4 cup firmly packed dark brown sugar
1/2 cup butter, softened
1/4 cup milk
1 large egg
1 cup chopped unsalted, toasted macadamia nuts

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 350°degrees.
Grease two 6-cup muffin pans.
2. Sift the flour, baking soda, salt, nutmeg, and ginger into a large bowl. In a separate bowl, combine the bananas, lemon peel, pasilla powder or paste, both sugars, butter, milk, and eggs. Combine the wet mixture with the dry ingredients. Fold in half the nuts.
3. Divide the batter equally among the prepared muffin cups. Sprinkle the tops of the muffins with the remaining macadamia nuts. Bake for about 25 minutes or until the muffins are golden brown and a toothpick inserted into the center of one comes out clean. Transfer the muffins to a wire rack to cool.

This recipe appeared in the article “Retro-Grilling” by Dr. BBQ, Ray Lampe. Learn more about Dr. BBQ on his website here. There must be a federal law requiring steaks to be served with baked potatoes. Russets are the best baking potatoes, so use them in this dish.

Ingredients

4 medium russet potatoes, scrubbed and dried
1 stick butter, softened
2 tablespoons minced chives
1 tablespoon minced Italian parsley
1/2 cup cooked, crumbled bacon

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F.

Bake the potatoes in the oven for about an hour, or until they are easily pierced by a fork.  While the potatoes are baking, combine in a bowl the butter, chives, and parsley and mix well.  Remove the potatoes from the oven, cut them in half lengthwise, and score the flesh with a knife.  Top with the chive butter and sprinkle the bacon over the top.

This dish is really worth the effort as it makes a very elegant and highly tropical presentation. To test if a coconut is fresh, pound a nail into one of the “eyes,” drain the coconut water and taste. If it tastes sweet it is fresh. Go ahead, mix a drink with some of the coconut water and rum or Scotch. You’ll be surprised by how good it tastes. Open the coconut by baking at 375 degrees F. for 15 minutes and let cool. Then, using a hacksaw, cut it in half. From the article Mango Madness!

Ingredients

2 fresh coconuts, drained, liquid reserved, and cut in half
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tablespoon butter
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 pound skinless chicken, cut in 1-inch cubes
1 onion, minced
1 Scotch bonnet or habanero, stemmed, seeded and minced
1 tablespoon minced fresh ginger
1 tablespoon chopped cilantro
2 teaspoons ground cardamom
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
2 teaspoons curry paste (available in Asian markets)
1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
1 tablespoon cornstarch
1/2 cup light cream
1 large ripe mango, peeled and diced
Garnishes: Chopped fresh cilantro, reserved toasted grated coconut

Instructions

Cut the coconuts in half and cut out the coconut meat, leaving 1/4-inch of the meat attached to the nuts. Cut 2 cups of the meat into thin slivers and grate 1 cup of the remaining meat.

Preheat the broiler and sprinkle the grated coconut onto a pan and place it under the broiler. Toast for 5 to 10 minutes, shaking the pan frequently, until the coconut is golden brown.

Sauté the garlic for 1 minute in the butter and oil in a large skillet. Add the chicken and saute until browned. Remove and keep warm. Add the onion, Scotch bonnet, ginger, and reserved coconut slivers. Saute for an additional 5 minutes.

Stir in the reserved coconut water and cilantro and return the chicken. Add the cardamom, cinnamon, curry paste, cumin, and cloves, cover and simmer for 30 minutes.

Mix the cornstarch with the cream in a small bowl. Add to the chicken mixture along with the mango and cook for 5 minutes or until thickened.

Spoon the mixture into the coconut shells, garnish with the chopped cilantro and toasted coconut and serve.

Chris Schlesinger, of the East Coast Grill in Cambridge, Massachusetts, sent us this recipe, which was published in an early issue of Chile Pepper magazine. The sharp spiciness of the chile combines easily with mellow sweetness of the mango to create a strong by not overpowering accompaniment for the creamy taste of the scallops. From the article Mango Madness!

Ingredients

1 cup rocotillo chiles, seeds and stems removed, minced, or substitute 1 habanero plus 5 yellow wax chiles
1 small purple onion, diced
1 green bell pepper, stemmed, seeded and diced
1 red bell pepper, stemmed, seeded and diced
2 ripe mangos, peeled and diced
Juice of 3 oranges
1/2 cup pineapple juice
Juice of 4 limes
1/4 cup chopped cilantro
2 pounds sea scallops
Water
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

Instructions

To make the relish, in a bowl combine all the ingredients, except the scallops, water, salt, and pepper and mix well.

Blanch the scallops in boiling water in a saucepan for 2 1/2 minutes. Drain, pat dry, and sprinkle with the salt and pepper.

Thread the scallops on skewers and grill over a medium hot fire until they are golden brown on the outside and opaque throughout, about 2 to 3 minutes per side.

Make a bed of the relish on each plate and place the scallops on top and serve.

The word chutney comes from the Sanskrit word chatni, and in India, refers to relishes that are used to accent other dishes. They can be sweet, sour, hot, or mild. This is a hot and sweet version.  Serve with curries or other Indian foods.

From the article “Perfectly Pungent Peaches” by Dave DeWitt here.

Ingredients

1 teaspoon dried crushed habanero chiles

2 pounds peaches, peeled, pitted, and diced

2 cups white vinegar

1 1/4 cup light brown sugar

1/4 cup lemon juice

1 medium onion, minced

1/2 cup raisins

2 teaspoons mustard seeds

1 teaspoon grated fresh ginger

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon ground allspice

Instructions

Combine all the ingredients in a saucepan, bring to a boil, reduce the heat and simmer for 45 minutes to an hour, or until the sauce is thick, stirring occasionally and skimming off any foam that forms.  Cool, place in jars, and refrigerate.  Variation: Puree the mixture for a smoother chutney.

Heat level: Medium Hot