BLOGGIN' BIN REVUE

BMGE: This Ain’t No Hula Edition

How many times has this happened to you?  Nothing’s better on a hot day than a hot ’80s b-movie about ’80s-hot secret agents played by ’80s Playmates in ’80s-hot action against some ’80s-licious diamond smugglers and a mutant snake.  Yes, the mutant snake is ’80s-hot, too.  You decide to really blow it out and have the whole crew over for Hard Ticket to Hawaii and too much beer, but what do you serve?  What do you serve?

That’s where our own Chef Tom comes in.

I threw on the Chef Tom Signal, which he didn’t respond to because I never told him I built one.   Once that was straightened out, Chef Tom sent in this report:

 

BAD MOVIES, GOOD EATS

This Ain’t No Hula Edition

By Chef Tom.  I have never been to Hawai’i.  And it is a great lament that I haven’t, especially since they have such a pork-centric food culture.  Like whole pigs… roasted for hours.Oh man, I’m drooling on the keyboard.  I should stop.

There is authentic Hawai’ian cooking out there.  However, I’ve never had it.  I’ve only had the pale “Pan Polynesian” cuisine offered at casino buffets and second rate Chinese restaurants — a Hawai’i that seems stuck in the ‘70s with lots of pineapple and corn starch.  And because of that, that’s what I’m going to thrust in your direction: 1970s Polynesian cuisine.

Strap yourself into the DeLorean, we’re going for a ride.

 

  Pork Chops Hawai’ian Style

 

• 6 1″ thick center cut pork chops
• 1 can (13 oz) pineapple chunks
• 2 tbsp soy sauce
• 1 tbsp brown sugar
• a pinch of 5 spice powder (a mix of cinnamon, cloves, fennel seed, star anise and szechuan peppercorns in equal proportions) if not available grind some pepper, corriander and all spice together.
• 1 tbsp cornstarch mixed with 2 tbsp water

Place a skillet on the stove top over high heat with 2 tbsp olive oil.  Brown the pork chops on both sides until nearly done about 4 minutes per side. When done, drain excess fat from the skillet.  Drain pineapple juice and add to skillet.  Add soy sauce, brown sugar and five spices.  Combine and simmer for 20 minutes.  Add pineapple and corn starch and water.  Stir in until thickened.  Return pork chops to pan and let simmer for another three to five minutes.  Serve hot.

 

Orange and Spinach Salad Molokai

• 1 lb raw baby spinach, rinsed and cleaned
• 1/4 lb fresh mushrooms sliced lengthwise
• 1 can water chestnuts, rinsed, drained and diced
• 4 navel oranges, peeled and diced
• 1/4 c olive or vegetable oil
• 2 tbsp vinegar
• 2 tbsp orange juice
• 1 tbsp soy sauce
• 3/4 tsp mustard powder
• 1/4 tsp salt
• pepper to taste

Add spinach, mushrooms, water chestnuts and oranges.  In a bowl, combine, oil, vinegar, orange juice, soy sauce, mustard, salt and pepper and whisk until combined.  Pour over salad and toss until coated.  Serve immediately.

 

 

Samoan Bananas with Coconut Sauce (Toifa’l)

• 6 bananas
• 2 tbsp butter
• 1 c grated fresh or packaged coconut
• 1 c light cream
• 2 tbsp sugar (omit if using packaged coconut)

Sauté whole bananas in butter until soft and keep warm.  In a saucepan, combine the remaining ingredients over low to medium heat, keeping in mind not to boil.  Simmer for 15 to 20 minutes. place bananas in a Pyrex dish and pour the sauce over them.  Decorate with whipped cream and maraschino cherries.