With a rich, buttery flavour, creamy crunch and a hint of sweetness, macadamias are one of our best-loved native ingredients. 

“I love how they sit on that candlenut sort of side,” Bero says. “But the more you roast them, those different stages of roasting give you different flavours. And then there’s also that creaminess, and the oiliness that comes from them.”

There’s no question that macadamias are delicious on their own, but they can also be the ultimate cook’s companion, elevating the tastes and textures of any dish they’re added to.

“They suck up flavours,” Bero says. “Flavours just stick to them. So you can really change macadamias to get what you want from them. They have their own flavour, but will also absorb other flavours, and really enhance them.”

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This means the mighty macadamia can be used in a variety of ways, to add a truly special homegrown touch to sweets, savoury mains, salads and side dishes.

“They can be used in so many different ways,” Bero says. “You can make macadamia creams, to enhance a vegetable dish, or a macadamia butter. Or you could add them to something like a stew, to add that little bit of crunch. It’s one of those ingredients that we should be using a lot more.”

In season 2 of Make it delicious. – Flavours of Australia, Bero and fellow chef Darren Robertson show you how to make a moreish macadamia dukkah, which Roberston has paired with a sweet and tender pumpkin side to add texture and contrast. 

“Macadamia dukkah is a really good thing to have in your pantry,” Bero says. “Make a batch of it, and you’ll find you’ll be using it more and more in other dishes.”

You can find the recipe for hasselback pumpkin with macadamia dukkah, along with all episodes of Make it delicious. – Flavours of Australia at delicious.com.au/makeitdelicious.