Macadamia-crusted scallops with fennel and grapefruit salad

Brought to you by FairPrice

Pressed for Good Health

Great for your health and high in flavour, FairPrice Macadamia Oil is versatile enough for any method of cooking

ANNETTE TAN, food@newstoday.com.sg

Whenever my friends or family visit Australia, I always ask them to bring home a bag of macadamia nuts for me. I love this almost creamy nut for its delicate flavour. I often eat them plain, but also use it to make cookies and to even coat meats with.

The oil from macadamia nuts is just as flavourful, wonderfully healthy and rich with antioxidants. It is also higher in monounsaturated fats than other quality oils, such as olive and canola. The sweet and nutty flavour of macadamia oil makes it ideal for use in salad dressings and marinades. It is also cholesterol- and trans fat-free.

Like grapeseed oil — another healthful oil — macadamia nut oil has a high smoke point. That means your food doesn't burn as quickly under high heat. This makes macadamia oil ideal for roasting, baking and stir-frying as well.

Another special property of macadamia oil is that it helps your food retain more nutrients and absorb less fat than other regular cooking oils. So, what's not to like?

I used FairPrice Macadamia Oil — which is 100 per cent cold pressed, and has no preservatives or additives — to make this decidedly Australian dish of crusted scallops with a grapefruit and fennel salad.

The delicate, piquant flavours of this dish make it an elegant appetiser at a dinner party or a gorgeous light lunch that is especially suited to our sweltering weather.

To serve this as a main course, you could place the scallops on a bed of creamy mashed potatoes and drizzle with a sweet balsamic vinegar glaze.

FairPrice Macadamia Oil ($8.95, 500ml) is available at all FairPrice supermarkets

Macadamia-crusted scallops with fennel and grapefruit salad

Serves 2-4

6 scallops
8 macadamia nuts, roughly chopped
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp ground black pepper
3 tbsp FairPrice Macadamia Oil
1 bulb fennel
1 pink grapefruit
3 tbsp balsamic vinegar
2 tbsp FairPrice Macadamia Oil
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 ground black pepper

1. Cut scallops into half crosswise so you get 12 discs of scallops. Sprinkle with salt and pepper.
   
2. Place the chopped macadamia nuts in a saucer.
   
3. Heat the three tablespoons of macadamia oil in a skillet and dredge each piece of scallop with chopped macadamia nuts.
   
4. Fry the coated scallops in the oil for 2 minutes on each side. The coating of nuts may fall off the scallops, but don't worry about that. Just ensure they don't burn.
   
5. Remove the scallops from the oil. Scoop up the nuts from the pan and scatter on top of the scallops. Set aside.
   
6. To make the salad, wash the bulb of fennel and thinly slice it. You could also use a mandolin to cut fine slices into a bowl.
   
7. Skin the grapefruit and cut the flesh into small wedges. Place in a bowl with the fennel.
   
8. To make the dressing, mix the balsamic vinegar, two tablespoons of macadamia oil, salt and pepper and then pour over the fennel and grapefruit. Toss to mix evenly.
   
9. Arrange the salad on a plate and gently place the scallops on top. Serve immediately.
   

From TODAY, Makan – Thursday, 18-Jun-2009

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