Hosts: Mark and Dorte
Appetizers: Mimosa Prawns Roasted with Garlic Butter
Grilled Chicken Satay with Peanut Sauce
Beverage: Dale and Jean
Blue Hawaiian
Rum Royale
Salad: Ahi Poke
Hearts of Palm Salad with Soy-Tarragon Vinaigrette
Beverage: Doug and Peggy
Main Course: Smoked Pork with Maui Onion Marmalade
Aloha Coconut Sweet Potatoes
Gingered Zucchini
Speckled Hawaiian Rice
Beverage: John and Monique
Dessert: Chocolate Macadamia Coconut Tart
Recipes
Boiled Peanuts
1 lb raw peanuts in shell
½ cup Hawaiian rock salt
3-4 star anise
1 tsp sugar
Place peanuts in pot and cover with water. Add rock salt, star anise, and sugar. Bring to boil, cover and simmer for 1 ½ hours. Drain. Refrigerate. Note: If these appear to be too salty at first, let them sit before serving.
Coconut Lime Shrimp Skewers
Serves 12. Time 30 minutes, plus marinating time
1 Tbs each minced fresh ginger, minced garlic, and freshly grated lime zest
2 Tbs fresh lime juice
1 can (14 oz) coconut milk
2 lbs large shrimp (26-30 per lb), peeled and deveined
¼ tsp kosher salt
Fresh lime wedges for squeezing
½ cup toasted, sweetened shredded coconut
- In a medium bowl, combine ginger, garlic, lime zest and juice, and coconut milk. Add shrimp, tossing to coat, and chill, covered, at least 1 hour and up to 1 day.
- Meanwhile, soak skewers in water. Prepare a grill for high heat (450F to 550F; you can hold your hand 5 inches above cooking grate only 2-4 seconds). Push 2 or 3 shrimp onto each skewer in a “C” shape (through each end); cook, turning once, until flesh has just turned pink and is slightly charred, about 3 minutes on each side.
- Arrange skewers on a serving platter and sprinkle evenly with salt, a squeeze of lime juice, and coconut. Serve with extra lime wedges on the side.
Cucumber Relish
4 oz rice vinegar
2 Tbs sugar
2 in/5cm piece cucumber (skin left on)
1 small carrot
3 shallots, finely sliced
1 medium chili, finely sliced
1 Tbs ground roasted peanuts
Boil the sugar and vinegar together until sugar is dissolved and a thin syrup is formed (about 6-7 minutes). Quarter the cucumber lengthways, then slice finely. Halve the carrot lengthways, then slice finely. Add the cucumber, shallots, carrot, and chili to the syrup and mix thoroughly. Sprinkle the peanuts on top, stir once and serve.
Hearts of Palm Salad with Soy-Tarragon Dressing
Makes about 3 cups salad, or 32 servings
(Note: Making this for 8 dinner servings will work as well just by spooning on more salad)
2 (15 oz) cans hearts of palm, cut into ¼ inch dice
2 cups cherry tomatoes, seeded and cut into ¼ inch dice
3 green onions, white and pale green part only, minced
1 Tbs minced fresh flat-leaf parsley
2 Tbs Soy-Tarragon dressing (recipe follows)
32 Belgian endive leaves or baby romaine lettuce leaves, for serving
32 flat-leaf parsley sprigs, for garnish
Combine the hearts of palm, tomatoes, green onion, and parsley in a bowl. Pour the dressing over this and toss lightly to combine.
To serve, spoon 1 ½ tablespoons of the salad onto each endive or romaine leaf and garnish with a parsley sprig. Serve immediately. If as salad plate, arrange romaine or endive on plate, and spoon larger portion of salad over leaf. Garnish same.
Soy-Tarragon Dressing
Makes about 1 cup
¼ cup safflower oil
2 Tbs tarragon vinegar
2 Tbs soy sauce
2 Tbs mayonnaise
2 tsp Ketchup
2 cloves garlic, minced
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
In a small bowl, whisk together the oil, vinegar, soy sauce, mayonnaise, ketchup, and garlic until smooth. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Store the dressing, covered in the refrigerator for up to 2 days.
Make ahead strategy: You can make the salad and the salad dressing as directed up to 8 hours in advance and store separately, covered, in the refrigerator. The endive or lettuce leaves can be trimmed and stored, wrapped in a damp towel in the refrigerator, for up to 24 hours. Assemble the salad and spoon onto the leaves just before serving.
Poke
2 lbs ahi fillets
1 Maui onion, chopped
4 stalks green onions, thinly sliced
1 Tbs grated ginger
2 Hawaiian chili peppers, seed and minced
½ cup soy sauce
1 Tbs sesame oil
Salt to taste
1 tsp toasted sesame seeds
1 tsp black sesame seeds
Fresh chives, cut into ¼ inch lengths, for garnish
Cut fish into cubes. In a large bowl combine fish, onion, green onions, ginger, chili peppers, soy sauce, sesame oil and salt; mix lightly. Chill for several hours. Sprinkle with sesame seeds and chives. Makes 8 servings.
Huli Huli Pig
4-5 lbs pork butt
4-5 Tbs Liquid Smoke
2 Tbs Hawaiian rock salt
Score pork on all sides by slashing diagonally and making slits that are ¼ inch deep and 1 inch apart. Rub Hawaiian salt into the slits, then rub well with liquid smoke on all sides. Wrap pork and seal in aluminum foil. Let pork stand at room temperature for 45 minutes. Place wrapped pork on a rack in shallow roasting pan. Roast at 500F for 45 minutes, then at 400F for 3-4 hours longer. Shred pork and let stand in mild brine solution with a few drops of liquid smoke before serving. Makes 8-10 servings.
Maui Onion Marmalade
¼ cup clarified butter
5 large Maui onions
½ cup medium sherry
¾ tsp kosher salt
½ tsp freshly ground white pepper
Heat clarified butter in a large, heavy sauté pan over medium heat. Add the onions and cook slowly, stirring frequently, until they are translucent, about 5 minutes. Add the sherry, salt, and pepper and continue cooking, stirring occasionally, until the onions are caramelized and very soft, about 1 hour. Transfer to a bowl and let cool to room temperature.
Make-ahead strategy: You can prepare the onion marmalade as directed up to 2 days in advance and store, covered, in the refrigerator. Allow to return to room temperature before serving.
Aloha Sweet Potatoes
4-5 medium sweet potatoes
½ cup butter
1 cup brown sugar
½ cup water
¼ cup shredded (unsweetened) coconut
Boil sweet potatoes in their jackets until tender, about 25 minutes. Let cool, then peel and cut into slices ½ inch thick. In a large skillet melt butter. Stir in brown sugar and water and cook on medium heat about 5 minutes. Reduce heat and add sweet potatoes to skillet. Cook gently; tossing lightly until sweet potatoes are glazed. Sprinkle with coconut before serving. Makes 8 servings.
Gingered Zucchini
4 medium zucchini
2 Tbs oil
1 tsp sugar
2 Tbs soy sauce
1 Tbs grated fresh ginger
½ tsp salt
1 tsp sesame oil
Cut zucchini into ¼ inch think julienne strips. Heat a wok or skillet and add oil. Add zucchini and toss gently for 1 minute. Add all the remaining ingredients and stir fry for another few seconds or until the sauce is hot. Makes 8 servings.
Speckled Hawaiian Rice
2 cups short grain rice
4 cups water
½ cup pineapple juice, divided into ¼ cups
1 cup red bell pepper
1/3 cup snipped fresh pineapple mint, mint, or lemon basil
1 tsp salt
¼ tsp pepper
In a medium saucepan, bring rice, water, ¼ cup pineapple juice, and 1 tsp salt to boiling. Reduce heat and simmer, covered, 20 minutes or until rice is tender. Stir in mint, red bell pepper, remaining ¼ cup pineapple juice, and pepper. Serve warm. 8-10 servings.
Chocolate Coconut Macadamia Nut Tart
Makes one 10-inch tart, or 8 to 10 servings
Crust
6 Tbs unsalted butter, at room temperature
½ cup powdered sugar
1 large egg
2 tsp vanilla extract
1 2/3 cups all-purpose flour
Nut layer
6 Tbs unsalted butter
½ cup sugar
1 cup macadamia nuts, toasted
½ cup freshly grated coconut meat (or unsweetened coconut)
½ cup heavy cream
Chocolate layer
½ cup heavy cream
½ cup sour cream
2 large eggs
1/ Tbs cornstarch
½ cup semisweet chocolate, finely chopped
Whipped cream, for garnish
Macadamia nuts, toasted and coarsely chopped, for garnish
Raspberries, for garnish
Mint leaves, for garnish
To make crust, in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream the butter and powdered sugar on low speed. Ad the egg and vanilla and beat on high speed for 2 minutes. Reduce the speed and slowly add the flour until the dough begins to come together in walnut-sized clumps. Turn the dough out on to a work surface and lightly knead it together. Shape the dough into a disk and wrap in plastic wrap; refrigerate until firm, at least 30 minutes.
Unwrap the dough and set it on a lightly floured work surface. Using a floured rolling pin roll the dough into a circle 12 to 13 inches in diameter. Keep turning the dough one-eighth turn as you roll, to maintain the circular shape. If the dough begins to stick, dust the work surface with a little more flour. Transfer the dough to a 10-inch tart pan with a removable bottom. Fold any overhanging back into the pan and press it gently into the sides of the pan to form a strong rim. Prick the bottom in several places with a fork. Place the tart in the freezer for 30 minutes before baking.
Preheat the oven to 375F. Remove the tart shell from the freezer and set in on a sturdy baking sheet. Line the dough with parchment paper and fill with uncooked rice, dried beans, or pie weights. Bake until the edges are just beginning to color, about 15 minutes. Remove the parchment paper and weights carefully and return the tart shell to the oven. Bake until the shell is lightly golden, about 10 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack and cool to room temperature.
To make the nut layer, in a small, heavy saucepan, melt the butter over medium heat. Add the sugar and cook, stirring, until the sugar has dissolved. Increase the heat and cook to a medium, golden caramel color, about 3 minutes. Remove the pan from the heat and add the nuts, coconut, and cream, stirring to coat the nuts. Pour the mixture into the tart shell.
To make the chocolate layer, in a small saucepan, combine the cream and the sour cream. Bring to a boil over medium heat. In a small bowl, whisk together the eggs and cornstarch. Pour half the cream into the egg mixture, whisking until smooth. Return the egg mixture to the pan and cook, stirring until the mixture thickens and coats the back of a wooden spoon, about 2 minutes. Take care not to let the custard boil or it will curdle. Remove the pan from the heat. Immediately add the chocolate and stir until it has completely melted and is smooth. Carefully spoon the chocolate custard over the nut layer in the tart shell, beginning around the outside rim and working toward the center; smooth the top with a spatula. Chill the tart until the chocolate is set, about 2 hours.
To serve, cut into wedges and garnish with whipped cream, chopped macadamia nuts, raspberries, and mint leaves.
Make-ahead strategy: You can prepare the tart as directed up to 24 hours in advance. Store, loosely covered, in the refrigerator. Allow to come to room temperature before serving.
