Tour of Fifty States: Hawaii's meals

Aloha!  We are having a Hawaii-themed weekend of meals! Lotsa ono grinds, brah, ya? 

There are so many wonderful foods available in this beautiful state, and I couldn't decide…so we’re having food related to Hawaii at every meal! 

As I write this, there is a pork butt in the crock pot, cooking all day, to be pulled pork sandwiches for tonight’s dinner.  It can’t compare to being roasted with hot lava rocks in an imu wrapped in taro and banana leaves, but I don’t think the neighborhood would allow us to dig a large pit and put a pig in it for the day…so the crock pot it is.  ;)

For breakfast Saturday and Sunday we are having fresh tropical fruit that is normally grown in Hawaii…but sadly, due to costs of transportation, we can’t get anything grown in Hawaii – the only ones I can find have Guatemala stickers on them, but at least the kids will get to try some new things.  We’ll be having eggs with Spam, an island favorite.  I've always liked it…I don’t know if the kids will, but this is an adventure! 

When we talked about the Hawaii meal, my dad asked me if we would be making Loco Moco.  I told Bill what it is, and he said “No way!”  I bet he likes it. 

Aloha from SC!

Menu: 

Friday dinner: Kalua Pulled Pork, Mac Salad (purchased), Ahi Poke, Macadamia Nut Pie

Saturday breakfast:  Eggs scrambled with onions, cheese and Spam, toasted Hawaiian bread, chunks of pineapple, papaya, mango, and coconut

Saturday dinner:  Loco Moco, Lomi Lomi Salmon, Haupia

Saturday breakfast:  Eggs on English Muffins with Spam slices and cheese, chunks of pineapple, papaya, mango, and coconut

Sunday dinner:  Huli Huli Chicken, Corn on the Cob, Grilled Pineapple

Outcome:  This weekend was fun!  I greeted each of the kids with a lei when they entered the house, and we had Hawaiian music playing all evening.  The pulled pork was very, very tender and delicious.  Probably the easiest thing I've ever made.  The Ahi Poke (raw tuna, diced, with seasonings) was a hit.  I only got one tuna steak so we’d all have a little, but the flavor was outstanding.   We absolutely loved the Macadamia Nut Pie – kind of like Pecan Pie, but much better.  Breakfast included fresh fruit both days, and eggs with Spam.  Bill liked the jalapeno Spam!

Saturday evening we had Loco Moco.  The only one of us who was brave enough to try a runny egg on top was Ben, and he said he loved the way the yolk flavored the burger and the rice.  Dessert was Haupia, or coconut pudding.  It was super easy to make and it had a creamy richness to it.  I toasted some coconut for the top of the pudding, and the crunch added nicely to it.  I think the hit of the weekend was the Huli Huli chicken.  The marinade for the thighs was just perfect and we’re definitely making it again.  We had thunderstorms all day, so we weren't able to grill, so we baked the thighs, basting frequently, and we ended up broiling the pineapple slices.  Overall, we think that all of the kids truly enjoyed the weekend full of Aloha!

Next up:  Bill’s turn!  He chose Nebraska!

 

Kalua Pulled Pork

Prep time:  5 min.  Cook time:  12 hr.

Ingredients

• 3 ½ -4 lb. pork butt roast
• 1 Tbsp. sea salt
• 1 Tbsp. liquid smoke

Directions

1. Pierce the pork butt all over with a knife. Rub the roast with the sea salt. Then rub the entire roast with the liquid smoke.
2. Place the pork butt into a slow cooker on low for 10-12 hours, turning once during cooking.
3. Remove the pork butt from the crockpot and shred the meat using 2 forks.
4. Add the pork back to the drippings to moisten the meat before serving.
5. Serve pulled pork on Hawaiian hamburger rolls.  Serves 10-12.

   

   Kalua Pulled Pork topped with Pineapple Slaw, Mac Salad, and Ahi Poke

 Ahi Poke

Prep time:  5 min. Chill time:  1 hour

Ingredients

•  ½ cup green onion, sliced
• 1 shallot, sliced
• 3 Tbsp. soy sauce
• 1 tsp. sesame oil
• 1 tsp. chili garlic sauce (I used 4 shakes Tabasco instead)
• 1 Tbsp. sesame seeds
• 1 lb Ahi (Yellowfin) Tuna, cut to 1/2” cubes, chilled

  

  Isn't that Tuna pretty?

Directions

1. Mix the first 6 ingredients together and chill. 
2. Combine with the tuna when serving over lettuce.
3. Serves 5 as an appetizer or small salad.

Macadamia Nut Pie

Prep time:  10 min.  Cook time:   45 min.

Ingredients

• 1 pie shell, unbaked
• 1 cup light brown sugar, packed
• 1 cup light corn syrup
• 3 eggs, slightly beaten
• 3 Tbsp. melted butter
• 1 tsp. vanilla extract
• pinch of salt
• 2 cups macadamia nuts, coarsely chopped

Directions      

1. In a large bowl, combine brown sugar and corn syrup and mix well. Crack eggs into a separate bowl and beat slightly. Add to sugar mixture.
2. Melt butter, cool slightly and add to sugar mixture. Add vanilla and salt and use whip to mix until everything is well combined.
3. Add macadamia nuts, mix well and pour into unbaked pie shell.
4. Bake in preheated 350 degree oven for 45 to 50 minutes or until center is done. Cool. Serve with whipping cream or ice cream as desired.
5. Serves 8
   
   
   

   

   Macadamia Nut Pie with Vanilla Ice Cream

Loco Moco

Ingredients

• 5 hamburger patties, cooked
• 2 cups cooked rice
• 2 cups prepared brown gravy
• 5 over easy or sunny side up eggs

Directions

1. Over a bed of rice, place one cooked hamburger patty, cover with brown gravy, and place an egg on top.
2. Serves 5

   

   Loco Moco with a Hard Fried Egg on top

Lomi Lomi Salmon

Ingredients

• 1 lb. salmon filet(s)
• Salt
• 1 tomato, diced
• 1 onion, diced
• 1 Tbsp. lime juice
• Dash Tabasco
• 1 Tbsp. sugar
• 1 tsp. black pepper
• ¼ cup pineapple juice

Directions

1. Cover the salmon filets heavily with salt, place in a dish and cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate overnight.
2. The next day, rinse the salmon very thoroughly in running water, then dice the salmon into ¼” pieces and combine with the remaining ingredients.
3. Serves 10 as an appetizer or 5 as a side dish.

   

   Lomi Lomi Salmon

Haupia

Ingredients

• 1 (16 oz.) can Coconut Milk
• 1 cup water
• 5 Tbsp. cornstarch
• 5 Tbsp. sugar
• 4 Tbsp. shredded coconut

Directions

1. Mix ½ cup water and the cornstarch, set aside.
2. In a small pot, bring ½ cup water, the coconut milk, and sugar to a boil.
3. Slowly pour in the cornstarch mixture, whisking constantly, until thickened.
4. Pour into an 8” by 8” dish, and chill.
5. Toast the shredded coconut on a cookie sheet under the broiler until golden brown, then sprinkle over the pudding.   
6. Cut into squares when completely chilled.
7. Serves 8. 

   

   Haupia...yum!

   
   

   

   Haupia

Huli Huli Chicken

Ingredients

• ½ cup brown sugar
• ½ cup ketchup
• ½ cup soy sauce
• 3 Tbsp. Sherry
• 1 Tbsp. minced fresh ginger root
• 1 Tbsp. minced garlic
• ½ cup pineapple juice
• 5 green onions, sliced
• 10 Chicken thighs

Directions

1. Combine all the first 8 ingredients for the marinade (except for the chicken.)
2. Reserve ½ of the marinade in a separate container to baste the chicken with while cooking.
3. Place the chicken thighs in a dish or large ziptop bag and add the rest of the marinade; place in the refrigerator overnight.
4. Grill (medium heat) or bake (at 350 F) the chicken thighs until the meat is thoroughly cooked, turning and brushing frequently with the reserved marinade. 
5. Serves 5.

Huli Huli Chicken, Grilled Pineapple, and Sweet Corn

Here are some bonus pictures!

Some Hawaiian treats I found!

Our lovely centerpiece

This sure was a tough nut to crack, no pun intended!

Papaya, 2 kinds of mango, bananas, and fresh pineapple!

Scrambled eggs with Spam and Mushrooms and toasted Hawaiian bread...took the picture before the cheese melted!  

English Muffin topped with a slice of Spam, over easy eggs, and cheese (Open faced Egg McMuffins)