“I have paired the oysters with a dusting of native pepper and a few carpels of acidic finger lime or blood lime, which will make any Sydney rock or Angasi oyster sing, and also speak proudly of the uniqueness of this land.” – Matt Preston
23 ways to cook with native ingredients this NAIDOC Week
Native ingredients are available year-round but NAIDOC (National Aboriginals’ and Islanders’ Day Observance Committee) week is a great time to start your journey with Indigenous ingredients. Make the most of treasures like finger lime, wattleseed, kangaroo, bush tomato, saltbush, quandong, bush tomato and more, as you learn, connect, and honour Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander culture. This year’s theme “Keep the Fire Burning! Blak, Loud & Proud.” celebrates the enduring strength and vitality of First Nations culture.
Blinis with ricotta, Warndu dukkah and pickled quandongs
“These blinis are the perfect canape. Not only can you add absolutely anything to them, they can be flavoured sweet or savoury.” – Rebecca Sullivan
River mint, pea and warrigal greens soup with saltbush butter sourdough
Nornie Bero combines a trio of native ingredients in a vibrant dish that comes with a hint of mint.
Pommes guafrettes, bugs, finger lime and caviar
A luxurious canapé to start any special occasion.
Kangaroo osso buco
Nornie Bero cooks kangaroo tail until perfectly tender in this Australian take on the comfort food classic, osso buco.
Yabby tails with buckwheat pikelets and creme fraiche
If you can’t get a reservation at Sydney’s Bennelong restaurant, this is the next best thing. Yep – do try this at home.
Barbecued seafood paella
Nornie Bero adds Australian flavour to a classic Spanish dish.
Saltbush lamb lollipops with river mint sauce
Take these little lamb lollipops to the next level with this punchy native seasoning.
Baked yams with charred pepperberry figs and crispy saltbush
Nornie Bero combines her favourite root vegetable with zingy native flavours and some meltingly sweet figs.
Semur (stew) with okra and cassava
The Mabu Mabu founder and CEO shares a vegetarian one-pot family favourite.
Bush tomato chips
Celebrate the humble spud with this Aussie take on crispy baked chips. It’s a tasty treat best enjoyed with a cold beer.
Wattleseed scones
Nornie Bero's simple wattleseed scone recipe.
Saltbush pepperberry crocodile
“Crocodile can be tough, so tenderise your fillet with a mallet before you cook it – it’s similar to calamari in that it hardens quickly. You’ll most likely buy the tail fillet, but I prefer cooking with ‘croc chops’ (with the bone in), as the marrow adds more flavour.“ – Nornie Bero
Quandong and strawberry gum pavlova with chocolate wattleseed cream
Nornie Bero takes the classic pavlova and makes it even more Australian, with native ingredients that bring unique flavours.
Kangaroo tail stew with pepperberry roasted heirloom carrots
A lesser-used cut of kangaroo becomes rich and tender in Nornie Bero’s spin on slow-cooked stew, enriched with Australian bush herbs and spices.