A variety of nut butters are now readily available. Angela Day shows you how to use them.
On the menu
Peanut butter tart
Asian prawn salad with cashew nut butter dressing
Macadamia butter biscuits
Tropical nutty rice
Roasted brinjal with almond butter sauce
PEANUT BUTTER TART
Serves 8-10
250g packet of choc mint tennis biscuits
125g butter, melted
400g marshmallows, roughly chopped
30ml milk
180ml smooth peanut butter
300ml cream
5ml vanilla extract
60ml chocolate chips
60ml roasted peanuts, roughly chopped
Place the biscuits in a food processor and process until finely chopped.
Add the melted butter and process until just combined.
Press into a 20cm pie plate and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
Put the marshmallows, milk and peanut butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Cook until melted and smooth. Transfer to a bowl and allow to cool slightly.
Using an electric mixer, beat the cream and vanilla to soft peaks. Add 60ml to the marshmallow mixture and stir vigorously.
Fold in the rest with the chocolate chips.
Spoon on to the prepared biscuit base.
Sprinkle with peanuts and refrigerate for 3-4 hours to set.
ASIAN PRAWN SALAD WITH CASHEW NUT BUTTER DRESSING
Serves 6-8
300g prawn tails
10ml chopped garlic
10ml chopped ginger
1 red chilli, deseeded and finely diced
45ml olive oil
30ml lime juice
salt and pepper
1 savoy cabbage, shredded
1 small cucumber, halved, deseeded and sliced
2 carrots, julienne
125ml cashew nuts, toasted
125ml chopped fresh coriander
30ml black sesame seeds
deep-fried rice noodles to garnish
CASHEW NUT BUTTER DRESSING
60ml cashew nut butter
30ml soy sauce
15ml lime juice
30ml rice wine vinegar
30ml olive oil
10ml sesame oil
In a bowl, combine the prawns with the garlic, ginger, chilli, olive oil, lime juice, and salt and pepper. Cover and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
Remove prawns from the marinade.
Heat a frying pan to hot, then fry prawns until golden. Set aside.
Combine the cabbage, cucumber, carrots, cashew nuts, coriander and sesame seeds in a bowl.
Pour over half the dressing and toss to combine. Stir in the prawns.
Arrange on a serving platter, pour over the rest of the dressing and top with the fried noodles.
DRESSING: Combine all the ingredients in a jug and whisk well.
MACADAMIA BUTTER BISCUITS
Makes 18-20
125g butter
125ml white sugar
125ml light brown sugar
125ml macadamia nut butter
1 extra-large egg
5ml vanilla essence
500ml cake flour
5ml baking powder
2.5ml bicarbonate of soda
125ml white chocolate chips
125ml macadamia nuts, roasted and coarsely chopped
Cream together the butter, sugars and macadamia nut butter.
Beat in the egg and vanilla essence. Add the sifted flour, baking powder and bicarbonate of soda to form a dough.
Stir in the chocolate chips and macadamia nuts. Roll into balls and place on a baking sheet sprayed with non-stick cooking spray.
Flatten slightly with your fingers. Bake in a preheated oven at 180degC for 15-20 minutes.
TROPICAL NUTTY RICE
Serves 6-8
30g butter
3 shallots, halved and sliced
5ml chopped garlic
5ml ground ginger
3ml ground cinnamon
2ml chilli flakes
250ml basmati rice
500ml boiling water
5ml salt
1 red pepper, deseeded and diced
1 pineapple, peeled and cut in chunks
80ml macadamia nut butter
45ml hot water
30ml lime juice
125ml chopped fresh coriander
60ml toasted flaked coconut
60ml toasted macadamia nuts, coarsely chopped
Melt the butter in a saucepan, add the shallots and garlic and cook for 5 minutes.
Add the ginger, cinnamon and chilli and cook until fragrant, about 2 minutes.
Stir in the rice and cook for 1 minute until coated with the spices. Add the boiling water and salt, cover and cook for 20 minutes or until the rice is tender and the liquid has been absorbed.
Stir in the red pepper and pineapple, cover and heat through for 5 minutes.
Meanwhile, mix together the nut butter, hot water and lime juice until well blended.
Remove rice from the heat and gently stir in the nut butter mixture and coriander.
Serve sprinkled with toasted coconut and macadamia nuts.
ROASTED BRINJAL WITH ALMOND BUTTER SAUCE
2 large brinjals, sliced into rounds
olive oil, for drizzling
salt and pepper
ALMOND BUTTER SAUCE
80ml almond butter
125ml coconut milk
5ml brown sugar
15ml fish sauce
5ml chopped garlic
15ml sriracha sauce
15ml fresh lime juice
125ml chopped fresh coriander
5 spring onions, finely sliced
Preheat the oven to 180degC. Brush the brinjal rounds on both sides with olive oil and season with salt and pepper.
Arrange in a single layer on a baking sheet and roast for 20-30 minutes, until tender.
Remove and arrange on a serving platter.
Pour over the sauce and scatter over the spring onions.
SAUCE: In a food processor, combine the almond butter, coconut milk, sugar, fish sauce, garlic, sriracha and lime juice. Blend until smooth.
Pour into a small saucepan over low heat and cook, stirring occasionally, until the sauce is warm and slightly thickened, about 5-7 minutes.
Stir in the coriander and pour over the brinjals.
The Angela Day cookery column is published in The Star, the Cape Argus, the Daily News and the Pretoria News.