by Larry Geller

If you buy this honey at Costco, you are buying a product that appears to violate the USDA’s COOL (Country-of-Origin Labeling) laws. The honey doesn’t say where it comes from (see: Help stamp out illegal honey sales that hurt Hawaii beekeepers, 5/24/2011). You don’t know if is from China, for example, where the bees might be fed sugar water and the pollen might be filtered out. So it would be better to know, right? For one thing, the Costco honey is very cheap. It competes strongly with local honey.

The lack of a legal label hurts Hawaii beekeepers because not only might customers prefer to buy local, they might prefer not to buy cheap honey from certain countries.

Well, forget COOL. The World Trade Organization has screwed consumers once again, and will harm Hawaii beekeepers:

Country-of-origin labeling (COOL), a 2002 idea that was written into law in the 2008 Farm Bill, is a technical barrier to free trade and therefore violates trade agreements the United States has with other countries including Mexico and Canada, the World Trade Organization ruled on Friday.

In other words, the U.S. has lost its COOL with the WTO.
…
Many U.S. agriculture and environmental groups are upset with the decision, which they say violates consumers' right to know where their food comes from.

[Food Safety News, WTO Strikes Down Country-of-Origin Labeling, 11/19/2011]

The article indicates that the US can appeal. Will we? If consumers say nothing, no, of course not.

We 99%ers need to do something about these trade agreements that benefit corporations and harm us in so many ways.

Guess what—President Obama negotiated another while he was in Honolulu—the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP).. And he is still working on it at his meetings in Bali.

The last thing you need to know about Obama’s negotiations is that he has no authority from Congress to engage in these talks. This was noted by, among others, the American Enterprise Institute, and I can’t believe I’m citing them:

The unauthorized Obama administration. Because the U.S. Constitution gives authority over trade to the Congress, presidents in modern times have not dared to pursue significant trade negotiations without a grant of delegated negotiating authority (sometimes called "fast track" or "trade promotion authority -- TPA"). …. The Obama administration does not have TPA. It has not sought TPA. When Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) moved to offer the president TPA in September, the White House opposed and the measure was voted down.

[American Enterprise Institute, The APECs of the Obama presidency, 11/14/2011]

So we need to understand that with regard to the damage that the TPP will do to American workers (job loss) and consumers (loss of protective rules and laws), it is Obama himself who is planning to screw us.

Permalink posted by Larry @ 11/19/2011 12:31:00 PM  ;  0 comments - add your comment links to this post

by Larry Geller

If you’re headed out to market tomorrow (Saturday), you have a choice. There are two new markets in addition to KCC Farmers Market. One is on the Sears parking lot at Ala Moana Center, the other is in Kakaako.

The KCC Farmers Market hours are 7:30-11:00 a.m. Ala Moana will be open from 9 a.m. till 1 p.m. The Kakaako market, near Ilalo and Ahui Streets, will run from 9 a.m. until 2 p.m.

Some vendors from KCC have moved to Ala Moana. Some are at both. So if your favorite vendor is no longer at KCC, drop by Sears on your way home and see if you find them there.

There’s one more market – at Kakaako. Checking into it after our visit to Sears, we found only a couple of lonely tents and no customers at all.  I don’t hold out much hope for it, especially given the competition. Here’s a pic of the biggest part of it:

How will the market competition sort out? Time will tell. KCC Farmers Market is a popular tourist destination, but tourists don’t buy zucchini, they buy pizza, fried green tomatoes and other prepared food. Many of the vendors at the Sears location say that they hope local buyers will switch. Many of their favorites are already at Sears, including MA`O, North Shore Farms, Otsuji and others. But there will need to be more, and the newcomers might take a cue and get some little signs up with names and prices of their produce.

Right now there’s plenty of parking at Ala Moana Center, so it’s very reasonable to do first KCC and then follow up at Sears if one of your favorite vendors has switched or has sold out of something you need.

This is “eat local” month, and with the new choices, you have less excuse to be seen in a supermarket.

Permalink posted by Larry @ 9/09/2011 05:02:00 PM  ;  0 comments - add your comment links to this post

by Nanette Geller

I haven’t seen frisée (curly endive) at the KCC farmers market for a couple of months, so I was delighted to find this gorgeous bunch yesterday at the MA'O booth.

Since I’d also picked up fresh eggs from Blue Lotus, we were all set for one of our favorite meals, Salad Lyonnais – salad with bacon and eggs.

Click here for details on some Free Range Gourmet variations, including vegetarian and vegan versions.

I keep thick-sliced bacon in the freezer and cut off what I need. Tightly wrapped, it keeps well for a couple of months. It’s easy to cut crosswise strips from the frozen bacon.

Last night, I sautéed some sliced shallots and julienned red pepper in the rendered bacon fat before making the dressing (shallot and red pepper from Pit Farm). The red pepper adds a nice touch of sweetness to contrast with the bitter greens.

To make the dressing, I added red wine vinegar, a touch of Dijon mustard, a little salt, and lots of coarsely ground black pepper to the pan with the bacon fat, bacon, shallots and red pepper.

The frisée was more mature than the tender young frisée I usually buy at SKA, so it was a little on the tough side. I tossed it for a minute in the hot pan with the dressing to wilt it before plating, which left the salad with just the right bite.

The salad is topped with a perfectly poached egg and shaved Parmigiano-Reggiano. The way that the oozy, rich egg yolk combines with the vinegar and bacon fat dressing to coat the greens puts this salad in a class by itself.

The nice folks at MA'O said they had lots of frisée, so I’m hoping they’ll have it again next Saturday. And I hope you’re inspired to try Salad Lyonnaise for yourself.

Permalink posted by Nanette @ 8/07/2011 05:27:00 PM  ;  2 comments - add your comment links to this post

by Nanette Geller

When we lived in Brooklyn, I stood in line outside the local Jewish bakery on Fridays for fresh challah, hot and fragrant from the oven. Even in winter, it was worth the wait. The shiny, dark brown crust hid a tender, golden crumb that was better than cake.

Challah is a lot like France’s luxuriously rich brioche and Hawaii’s beloved Portuguese sweet bread. All are made with lots of eggs. But challah is made without butter or milk, which in a kosher home would make it unusable with meat.

In Hawaii, sweet bread is the bread of choice for French toast. Since moving here, we’ve indulged often in sweet bread French toast, both at home and in restaurants. But good as sweet bread is, challah is even better.

Compared to sweet bread, challah’s crust is browner and the crumb has more structure. Soak sweet bread in milk and eggs too long and it turns to mush. Challah can be soaked through and not fall apart.

I’ve bought challah a couple of times from This Is It, the bagel bakery on Cook Street. It’s available only on Friday mornings, and sells out quickly. A couple of weeks ago, I learned that Ba-Le/La Tour Bakehouse has started supplying challah to Whole Foods, both in Kahala and Kahalui. It’s baked Thursday night only, for delivery on Friday. It’s not available at La Tour Café or the farmers markets where their breads are sold, but I was able to order one for pick up at the KCC market on Saturday.

Saturday evening, I cut off the narrow ends to eat with dinner. At two days old, it was no longer perfectly fresh but still had a satisfying flavor and texture. But it really didn’t matter. What we wanted was challah French toast, and by Sunday morning the slightly dried bread was perfect for soaking up the batter.

The special Free Range Gourmet touch? Orange juice in the egg batter. We love the bright citrus taste and it adds just enough sweetness without being cloying.

For three thick slices of challah I used three eggs (from Blue Lotus, of course) beaten with about three tablespoons of orange juice and three tablespoons of milk, and seasoned with salt, pepper, cardamom and Big Island vanilla.

The challah was soaked in the batter until it was completely saturated, then fried in about a tablespoon of butter over moderate heat until it was cooked through and beautifully browned on both sides. I cooked the slices whole, then cut them in half to serve.

Ceylon cinnamon, real maple syrup, sliced apple banana (SKA Tropicals). Vietnamese cinnamon is on the table as well. So is calamansi (SKA, not pictured) to squeeze over. Not on the table: butter.

Yee’s Farm Golden Glow mango (Made in Hawaii).

Caffè Americano made with Koko Crater Coffee’s Maika’i espresso.

I love Sunday mornings!

Permalink posted by Nanette @ 7/24/2011 10:42:00 AM  ;  0 comments - add your comment links to this post

by Nanette Geller

Larry loves Vichyssoise, a rich, suave cold soup of leek and potatoes. For all its elegance, it is rooted in French peasant cooking. It starts with a base of Potage Parmentier,  which at its simplest can be made with just leeks, potatoes, water and salt, simmered till tender and enriched before serving with just a touch of cream or butter. Pureeing is optional.

For Vichyssoise, the water is usually replaced with chicken stock and the chilled, pureed soup is enriched with cream. Lots of cream. Ok for an occasional indulgence, but not exactly everyday fare.

Yukon Gold potatoes are more flavorful than the russet potatoes called for in most recipes. When Milner Farm has wonderful Yukon Golds from Twin Bridge Farms on the same day that Pit Farm has their vibrantly fresh leeks, I like to make a treat for Larry.

I started with Julia Child’s basic recipe for Potage Parmentier. Equal parts peeled, sliced potatoes and trimmed, sliced leeks. Cover with water, salt to taste, and simmer until the vegetables are soft. Mash or puree. At this point, it’s already a delicious hot soup even without the addition of a bit of cream.

Blenders turn mashed potatoes to a gluey mess, but work ok on potatoes when there’s liquid. I use my immersion blender right in the cooking pot. It’s easier and less mess than a regular blender.

Now to turn this peasant soup into gourmet fare.

Chill thoroughly. It will thicken a bit. At this stage it will keep for several days in the refrigerator, so I make enough to serve two or three times.

When ready to serve, dilute with milk to the texture of heavy cream.

Blend in about 1 teaspoon of crème fraiche per serving (optional but recommended).

It’s not quite as rich-tasting as an authentic Vichyssoise, but it’s still delicious.

It’s amazing how much more luxurious it tastes served in an elegant glass.

Notes:

Leeks often have quite a bit of dirt between the layers. I’ve found that Pit Farm’s leeks are generally pretty clean, but they should still be carefully washed. Here’s a good description of how to trim, cut and clean them.

The immersion blender is one of my favorite kitchen tools. I hardly ever bother with the regular blender anymore.

I stick with water instead of chicken stock because I want to showcase the pure taste of the fresh vegetables. Feel free to use stock if you prefer.

I use crème fraiche instead of heavy sweet cream. We like the slight tang and rich mouth feel. It also keeps much longer in the refrigerator. Since I use cream only occasionally, and in small amounts, sweet cream spoils long before I can use it up.

Permalink posted by Nanette @ 7/16/2011 06:13:00 PM  ;  0 comments - add your comment links to this post

by Nanette Geller

Pasta alla Norma is a classic Sicilian eggplant and tomato dish created in the 19th century. It was supposedly named in honor of  the Sicilian composer Vincenzo Bellini's enormously popular opera "Norma."  Although sometimes made with spaghetti or other pastas, it is most commonly made with penne.

American recipes sometimes call for fresh ricotta, a soft, creamy product which is universally available here. In Italy, however, it is made with ricotta salata, which is sheep’s milk ricotta that has been salted, pressed and aged. It is a little like feta, but firmer and less salty. It can be grated, shredded or crumbled, and gives the final dish a very different flavor and texture than fresh ricotta. While not available everywhere, I have found it at Kokua, Foodland, and Whole Foods. It’s worth seeking out. In addition to Penne alla Norma I use it frequently for other vegetable-based pastas. Crumbled sheep's milk feta would probably be a better substitute than fresh ricotta and is more readily available than ricotta salata.

Where I do break with tradition is in preparing the eggplant. It is usually sautéed in lots of olive oil, or even deep fried. I prefer to cut the eggplant in thick slices, brush lightly on both sides with olive oil, then broil until the outside is brown and slightly crisp, and the inside is tender. Cut into bite-size pieces and set aside. It can even be made ahead and refrigerated.

Start the sauce by sautéing onion in olive oil with a pinch of salt. I happened to have a little leftover celery and red  bell pepper, so I added them.

Two things missing: I was out of garlic and fresh chilies. Substituted dried chili flakes, left out the garlic. No problem.

When the aromatics are lightly browned, add a can of diced tomatoes (juice and all). Simmer uncovered about 15 to 20 minutes.

I added fresh ground black pepper, a couple of bay leaves, and a good shake of Ceylon cinnamon with the tomatoes. The cinnamon is my own variation – I like Ceylon cinnamon in tomato sauces. It’s not that outrageous in a Sicilian dish, there’s a lot of Moorish influence in Sicilian cooking.

Mint is also my own variation, added as a fragrant garnish instead of basil. It goes well with both eggplant and tomatoes, and keeps within the exotic Sicilian/Moorish theme.

Meanwhile, bring the pasta water to a boil. Add plenty of salt and throw in the pasta. Time it to drain about a minute before it reaches al dente. We’ve switched to whole wheat pastas for robust tomato sauces and actually enjoy the nutty flavor.

When you drain the pasta, reserve some of the starchy, salty cooking water.

Add the pasta and eggplant to the sauce. Stir gently. Add pasta cooking water as needed. The starch in the water helps bring the sauce together.

Continue cooking until the pasta is al dente, adding more of the reserved cooking water if it gets too thick. Taste for seasoning.

Remove from the heat. Stir in shredded ricotta salata and torn-up mint. You can add a little extra virgin olive oil as well.

After plating, top with more cheese and mint.

The eggplant was a beautiful young specimen from Milner farm, firm and almost seedless. Onion, celery and red pepper from Pit Farm. Mint from SKA.

Permalink posted by Nanette @ 7/12/2011 07:56:00 PM  ;  0 comments - add your comment links to this post

by Larry Geller

I walked past one of those chain sushi restaurants downtown just before lunch time yesterday, and I have to tell you, I suddenly really wanted some. But no.

One thing I love about Hawaii is that we can easily get many of the foods we came to love while living in Japan. It’s great to be able to buy locally made natto in almost any supermarket. For lunch, there is a wide variety of Asian dishes available in plate lunches. And yes, there is something like Japanese sushi available from little franchise shops everywhere.

In Japan we loved sushi. We could afford the best, and we had the advantage of being able to read restaurant reviews in Japanese. We also knew people who knew people, if you know what I mean, which is important to get into the best places.

But in Hawaii? Watch out. Sushi, of all foods, needs to be fresh and kept properly. If you’re not eating the fish, some little microbe is.

Now read this to see one reason why we don’t eat sushi here:

There are more than 5,800 places to eat on Oahu but only 10 health inspectors to check them all.  Of the restaurants they do inspect 70 percent have violations.  That's much higher than the rest of the country.

"It's not surprising at all," said Peter Oshiro, Department of Health, Sanitation Branch Supervisor.  "Right now we're at almost one inspection almost every two years so we're not even close to where we're supposed to be and that's the result you're going to see in the field a lot of violations."

[HawaiiNewsNow, Behind the Counter Second Serving: Inspectors hope changes will clean up food industry, 11/18/2010]

So that sushi restaurant I passed likely hasn’t been inspected once in over two years.

The same article mentioned the Chinatown rat situation:

Last year in Chinatown rats were seen crawling all over produce in a market.  Despite that discovery there still isn't a single inspector that checks the area on a regular basis.

I can tell you a thing or two about those rats, of course. Our Department of Health would not approve overtime for inspectors to go out at night and check for rats even after the video was posted.

But back to sushi. If 70 percent of restaurants have violations, how can we trust that little sushi shop to properly care for the fish?

We can’t. Be warned.

For me, it’s a big disappointment not being able to indulge whenever I crave a bit of raw fish on my way through downtown.

Oh, if you like a certain pancake restaurant, keep your eye on the little pitcher they use to bring milk for your coffee. Watch what happens to it when they clean off a table. Does it get washed with the other dirty dishes? No. It is put back next to the coffee machine. I’m guessing that the pitchers may not be washed all day. Suppose some little kid sneezes into one….    ugh.

I reported it to the DOH, but that was over a year ago and the situation is unchanged. I’m going to report it again, but thought I’d let you know about this one, just in case you like those special sourdough pancakes as much as I do.

Welcome to Hawaii, APEC 2011 delegates. At least the water is safe for you to drink.

Permalink posted by Larry @ 7/12/2011 09:13:00 AM  ;  0 comments - add your comment links to this post

by Nanette Geller

Yes, apple pizza. For breakfast. We do like to mix it up on Sundays!

Larry’s the baker chez Free Range Gourmet. He makes the pizza dough and shapes it, ready for me to top and bake.

Lots of grated Parmigiano-Reggiano, coarsely ground black pepper, and a light sprinkle of Ceylon cinnamon.

Sliced Granny Smith apples. We like the tartness, plus they don’t turn to mush when cooked.

Brush with just a little melted butter (optional).

Sprinkle lightly with more grated Parmigiano-Reggiano and a little raw sugar.

Bake on a pizza stone preheated to 500 degrees. This one took about 12 minutes but start checking after about 8 minutes.

Let sit a couple of minutes for the topping to set up. Long enough to grab a photo.

Cut into wedges and enjoy with Caffè Americano (espresso diluted with hot water). Thanks to the Parmigiano-Reggiano and pepper, it’s savory as well as sweet. It would be equally at home in the late afternoon with a glass of Prosecco.

If I had Italian sausage on hand, I’d have scattered some in between the apples – just enough to be a salty/savory contrast to the apples. I’ve sometimes torn up a couple of slices of Prosciutto di Parma to tuck between the apple slices. It becomes crispy and delicious, a texture as well as flavor contrast with the apples.

Permalink posted by Nanette @ 7/10/2011 01:37:00 PM  ;  0 comments - add your comment links to this post

by Nanette Geller

I was planning to serve nattō tomorrow for nattō day, but since it’s already 7/10 in Japan I decided to go ahead and make nattō soba for dinner. We both love soba, and cold nattō soba is one of our favorites.

Cold soba and broth topped with nattō, okra, grated daikon, finely sliced green onion, and finely julienned shiso.

The nattō is lightly chopped.

Grated ginger, grated daikon, and green onion to be added as desired

Mix with chopsticks and it’s ready to slurp.

After we’d finished the soba, we added some hot soba cooking water (soba-yu) to the nattō and broth remaining in the bowl. This makes a light soup to finish the meal.

Permalink posted by Nanette @ 7/09/2011 09:01:00 PM  ;  0 comments - add your comment links to this post

by Nanette Geller

I love the Japanese penchant for numerical puns. Seven can be pronounced “na” and ten can be “to” so 7-10, “na-to,” becomes the excuse for “nattō” day. That means our dinner this Sunday will definitely feature nattō.

When we moved to Japan, Larry’s company sent us to Berlitz for private lessons. Our teachers quickly learned that we already loved Japanese food. One teacher, a gourmet, delighted in trying to find something we wouldn’t eat. He described nattō, which we hadn’t heard of. He loved it, but was certain we would be put off by both the fermented smell and the sticky texture. One day Larry and I had dinner at a hole-in-the-wall place where we ordered a set meal. One dish was small beans. Smelly. Long, slimy threads that stuck to our chopsticks. Nattō! The next day I proudly told the teacher that he was wrong. We loved nattō. Hey, my mom was French. I’d been eating stinky cheese my whole life. After that, he gave up trying to find a traditional Japanese food we wouldn’t enjoy.

The stinky cheese analogy is apt. If tofu is the soy equivalent of cottage cheese, then nattō is like a nice, ripe camembert.

Even in Japan, lots of people won’t eat nattō. It’s popular in the East and North (including Tokyo) but generally shunned in Western Japan (Nagoya, Kyoto, Osaka). As the Wikipedia article notes, it’s typically served at breakfast, usually with a raw egg and shoyu (soy sauce) to mix in before pouring over hot rice. Despite the aggressive smell, it is highly digestible. With high protein and low fat, it’s a good way to start the day.

Although we enjoyed Japanese breakfasts when we stayed in Japanese inns, we most often ate nattō for dinner. And while it does go well with rice, it is equally at home with sake or beer. To serve with drinks, it is often combined with other items. The accompanying shoyu may be mixed with rice vinegar or tart citrus juice. There is often a garnish of thinly sliced green onion or other herb. A bit of hot mustard may be on the side for the diner to add to taste. The bite of the mustard and acid helps to tame the pungent flavor, while the herbs mediate the smell.

Izakaya (Japanese-style pubs) often serve either thin strips of raw squid or cubes of raw tuna mixed with nattō.

Probably my favorite accompaniment is grated daikon radish (daikon oroshi). But then, I love anything with daikon oroshi! We don’t find the nattō texture objectionable, but for people who do the daikon oroshi reduces the stickiness and tames the threads. After grating daikon, drain it to remove excess liquid.

When we moved to Hawaii, we were delighted to find that nattō is readily available, even in supermarkets. Imported nattō from Japan is available frozen, but we prefer the locally-produced Aloha or Maui brands. Here are two preparations which I served as part of Japanese dinners. Both went very well with sake.

Frozen, thinly sliced squid is available at Don Quijote or Marukai. Here, it is arranged with separate piles of nattō and daikon oroshi to be mixed by the diner.

The dressing of grated ginger, shoyu and rice vinegar is underneath the main ingredients, to avoid discoloring the daikon. I advise against using the dressing which comes with the squid.

On top is julienned shiso (perilla) leaf.

A similar preparation with okra. Oddly, the sliminess of the okra and the sliminess of the nattō seem to complement each other. This is Larry’s favorite nattō preparation.

I was delighted to find small, tender okra at Pit Farm. Most of the okra I find in Hawaii is older and tougher than okra in Japan, and doesn’t work as well for this preparation. Instead of steaming or blanching okra, which tends to increase the sliminess, I microwave them whole, covered, with just a splash of water. Cool quickly in ice water and pat dry before slicing. As you can see from the picture, they are very lightly cooked. You can click on the photo to enlarge it.

The daikon is mixed with finely julienned shiso.

The dressing (calamansi juice and shoyu) is underneath the other ingredients. Calamansi isn’t used in Japan but I find it’s a good substitute for sudachi, a small, tart citrus used for both juice and zest.

Permalink posted by Nanette @ 7/08/2011 10:07:00 PM  ;  2 comments - add your comment links to this post

by Nanette Geller

OK, technically, uova in purgatorio is eggs in purgatory, not hell. But then, I’m probably making it hotter than most Italians would. This is another of those classic dishes that come together quickly, using ingredients we usually have on hand, that winds up tasting like a special treat. 

Start by sautéing an onion in olive oil with a pinch of salt, sliced if you like it chunky, diced if you prefer a smoother sauce. We like chunky. Have you noticed that practically everything I cook starts with sautéed onion? Here, I used a red onion from Pit Farm. I let it get medium brown before adding the rest of the aromatics, which don’t take as long.

It’s completely non-traditional, but I also like to add some minced fresh ginger (also from Pit), which I think goes really well with tomatoes. I added a couple of sliced Thai chilies (from Pit), but if you want less heat you could use something milder. If I’m out of fresh chilies I use crushed dry ones, or else add a spoonful of Chinese-style chili-garlic sauce together with the tomatoes.

Minced garlic, which burns easily, goes in after the other aromatics. When the garlic is fragrant I add a can of diced tomatoes (14 ounces for the two of us). Feel free to use crushed tomatoes for a smoother sauce. In goes a bay leaf and a couple of cinnamon leaves from Wailea Ag Group (or a good shake of Ceylon cinnamon). Freshly ground black pepper, taste for salt, cover and simmer. Cinnamon, like ginger, is my own variation.

After about 15 minutes, the whole apartment smells fantastic. This is when Larry magically appears in the kitchen to ask how long till dinner. Actually, the sauce can be prepared ahead to this point. I sometimes make extra and put half away for another night. If it’s too thin, just simmer uncovered for a few minutes. We like it pretty thick.

When we’re ready to eat, I slip a couple of eggs right into the hot sauce and simmer, covered, until the white is barely set and the yolk is still runny. This is a duck egg from Blue Lotus but chicken eggs are fine. Either way, for undercooked eggs I would only use very fresh eggs from a trusted source.

A nice extra touch is a lightly-toasted slice of crusty country-style bread (Ba-Le Bakery) placed under the egg and sauce. The chopped Italian parsley (Milner Farm) adds fresh flavor as well as looking pretty. Feel free to grate on some cheese at the table.

A simple salad, a glass of wine, more bread – heavenly!

Permalink posted by Nanette @ 7/08/2011 04:03:00 PM  ;  0 comments - add your comment links to this post

by Nanette Geller

In all cultures, Spring is a time to celebrate rebirth and renewal. Nowhere is it greeted more joyously than in Japan, where the unfolding of the season brings one symbol after another into focus as an excuse to party. February’s plum blossoms remind us that the snow will soon melt.  A couple of months later, weather programs report the cherry blossom front as it moves north, lingering for just a few precious days in each location.

The first bamboo shoots of Spring are greeted not only with joy, but also with appetite. The mountain ranges to the East and West of the ancient capitol of Kyoto are home to both temples and bamboo forests. Small wonder, then, that Kyoto cuisine includes special Spring dishes, many of them in the Buddhist vegetarian tradition, celebrating the season with fresh bamboo shoots.

Another Japanese ingredient which shouts “Spring” is ki-no-me, the tender young leaves of the sansho bush (Japanese prickly ash, closely related to Sichuan pepper). The way they harmonize with bamboo shoots is a perfect illustration of the saying “what grows together goes together.” Ki-no-me can be used whole, laid across the top of a dish as a fragrant last-minute garnish. They can also be blanched and blended with sweet white miso for a thick dressing which is delicious with bamboo shoots.

One typical Spring favorite in Kyoto is waka-take-ni, a simple simmered dish of wakame seaweed and bamboo shoots (takenoko). In temple cooking it is simmered with a vegetarian broth, but in homes and restaurants can be made with katsuo dashi (stock made from shaved dried bonito and kelp). It is served topped with fresh ki-no-me as the perfect finishing touch.

I recently used fresh Big Island hearts of palm (from Wailea Ag Group) in a dish which is often made with bamboo shoots: sautéed and coated with katsuo shavings. The texture and flavor were not the same, but were remarkably reminiscent of bamboo shoot.

I decided to try substituting hearts of palm in waka-take-ni. 

I used katsuo dashi with a glug each of sake and mirin. I wanted to maintain the color so I used just a touch of shoyu and then added salt to taste. I also added some ginger juice, typical in this dish (just squeeze some freshly grated ginger with your fingers and discard the pulp). Kyoto cuisine features delicate seasoning so I kept it on the light side. The idea is to enhance the flavors of the main ingredients, not mask them.

While the cut-up hearts of palm were simmering, I soaked dry wakame to rehydrate it. When the hearts of palm were almost tender I added the wakame and continued simmering until both were tender. I allowed it to cool to room temperature before plating.

In the absence of ki-no-me, I added a few drops of ginger juice as a finishing touch. Next time (and there will be a next time!) I think I’ll try a light sprinkle of grated lemon zest as well.

No one could mistake this for bamboo shoot, but the dish was definitely successful. Of course, without bamboo shoot I can’t call it waka-take-ni. I wonder if anyone else has ever made simmered wakame and hearts of palm?

Wailea Ag Group will be at KCC farmers market tomorrow with fresh hearts of palm. Go ahead and try it, it’s delicious cooked or raw. And if you decide to simmer it with wakame, let me know how it turns out.

Permalink posted by Nanette @ 6/17/2011 02:26:00 PM  ;  2 comments - add your comment links to this post

by Nanette Geller

Big Island Abalone will be bringing their incredible Kona Kea shrimp to the KCC farmers market tomorrow. Sweet, fresh, never frozen. I’d forgotten how much better really good, really fresh shrimp are compared to frozen.

Click here to see how I made them last week.

Even leftover, they were still delicious.

Permalink posted by Nanette @ 6/17/2011 11:06:00 AM  ;  0 comments - add your comment links to this post

by Nanette Geller

I have quite a backlog of posts I want to write. I’m going to try to catch up but meanwhile things may not be in the order we ate them!

A couple of weeks ago, I bought some “super colossal” shrimp on sale. As I wrote here, words like colossal are not actually meaningful for shrimp. These were U-8, which means under eight shrimp per pound. I bought six and wound up serving just two each, which was ample.

Since they were easy-peel, all I had to do was defrost them overnight in the refrigerator, then leave them in cold, very salty water for about 15 minutes to freshen them.

I marinated them for about 30 minutes with olive oil, cumin, smoked paprika, and a pinch of cayenne. Bamboo skewers (soaked in water while the shrimp marinated) helped keep them from curling while they cooked.

A quick broil, just a couple of minutes on each side, and they were ready to serve. Cooking them in the shell adds flavor and helps keep the flesh moist.

Yukon Gold potatoes (from Milner Farms) roasted with Penzey’s Turkish seasoning.

Long beans (from Ho Farms) seared in hot oil until they started to brown, then simmered with Andy’s salsa until the salsa reduced to a glaze.

Fresh hearts of palm (Wailea Ag Group) marinated in a light dressing of olive oil, Myer lemon juice (also Wailea Ag Group), Dijon mustard, salt, pepper, and fresh thyme (SKA Tropicals).

Calamansi to squeeze over the shrimp (also SKA).

Not pictured: a platter of lovely green leaf lettuce, a gift from my friend, picked that day in her friend’s organic garden.

These were good, but a few days later we found fresh Kona Kea shrimp at the KCC farmer’s market. The fresh, local shrimp were so much better that I doubt I’ll bother buying frozen shrimp again.

Permalink posted by Nanette @ 6/16/2011 05:40:00 PM  ;  0 comments - add your comment links to this post

by Larry Geller

A letter signed from the Milk and Honey Farm, Pahoa, Big Island, Hawaii is spreading around the Internet with titles such as “Dairy Farmers fight radiation with Boron.”

Not to worry, your milk is not going to be contaminated with boron any time soon.

The letter begins:

An open letter from organic dairy farmers in Hawaii shows how to reduce radiation in milk and veggies.

“Boron is widely recognized as extremely safe and can be used to capture radioactivity on our soils, gardens, orchards, etc. It also can be safely ingested by humans and animals. Boron will accept radiation and ionize it within our bodies, after which our bodies will safely excrement the boron and radioactivity.”

I had not heard of the “Milk and Honey Farm” prior to the circulation of the letter.

First of all, it won’t work. Boron does absorb any stray neutron that comes its way, which is why isotopes of boron are used in control rods in nuclear reactors. But that’s all boron does, and in reactors, it emits an alpha particle. The alpha particle won’t feed the chain reaction that is the basis for operation of a nuclear reactor. It can also be used, if dumped as borax on top of a bunch of exposed fuel rods, to absorb some of the radiation so it won’t go into the air.

It does nothing for radiation emitters inside your body (or a cow’s). They just continue to emit, and maybe a neutron, if it finds some boron, will get absorbed. But iodine-131, for example, doesn’t emit neutrons.

Meanwhile, your body continues to get irradiated. In particular, the thyroid would absorb and concentrate radioactive iodine. Cesium 137, like Iodine 131, is a beta emitter and also emits hard gamma rays.

In any case, there does not seem to be enough radiation around to justify arbitrarily dosing cows with Borax. There is at least one paper that may relate to this, and it warns of the risks of using manure from cows dosed with borates.

I had not heard of the Milk and Honey Farm prior to the circulation of the letter. Milk in Hawaii comes primarily from the Continent, unrefrigerated, and is re-pasteurized by Meadow Gold prior to distribution. The two local commercial dairies, one on the Big Island and one on Oahu, are regulated. According to the Department of Agriculture, those dairies will not be feeding Borax to their cows.

There are other situations where people get together to share milk from a privately owned cow, for example. Usually they want to have the opportunity of drinking raw milk, which they can do by forming a “hui” to share the milk among themselves. Of course, that has great risk, which is why milk is pasteurized to begin with.  There’s no need to start a debate about that, only to know that the milk from those cows won’t find its way into your breakfast cereal.

Please support local agriculture. We enjoy the “Hawaii Fresh” brand, available from Kokua Market, Foodland, Whole Foods and elsewhere. It is pasteurized through a low-temperature process (not “ultra-pasteurized”) and retains its good, wholesome taste.

Permalink posted by Larry @ 6/14/2011 10:52:00 AM  ;  1 comments - add your comment links to this post

by Nanette Geller

I was already at the KCC Farmers Market yesterday when the tweet came in from @hnlfarmers: “Big Island Abalone debuting fresh Kona Kea Pacific White Shrimp. Never frozen, fresh by the bag.”

If you’ve only eaten frozen shrimp, you can’t imagine how much better fresh shrimp can be. But they have to be very fresh, and properly handled. Shrimp spoil so quickly that they are almost always frozen, which is much better than fresh shrimp which have begun to deteriorate. Even when you buy them at a fish counter, they’re usually previously frozen and defrosted. I used to find Kauai shrimp, which were farmed in an ecologically sound way, but they shut down. I’d heard that shrimp were being farmed near Kona, but this is the first time I’ve seen them at the market.

These were big, ten per pound. They looked wonderful and (even more important) smelled fresh. They were also expensive, $15 for a one-pound bag. I hesitated, but fortunately greed won out.

With frozen shrimp, my strategy is to compensate for the loss of flavor and texture. But for these beauties I wanted to keep it simple, adding just a few ingredients to bring out the crustacean’s inherent sweetness.

I decided to go back to my favorite way of cooking the Kauai shrimp, a slight variation on a recipe I’d seen Mario Batali make on TV. Batali sautéed the shrimp in olive oil with garlic and chilies, then added white wine and finished with mint. My Free Range Gourmet touch is to add lots of julienned fresh ginger along with the garlic and chilies. Ginger goes so well with Mediterranean flavors, I’m convinced that if fresh ginger had been readily available it would be used as freely as it is in Asia.

When I cook shrimp this way, I usually just serve them in a shallow bowl, with bread to sop up the juices. Last night I decided to serve them with spaghetti.

Even though they are large, these shrimp were so clean that I didn’t have to devein them. All I did was clip off the two long whiskers, rinse, and pat dry. I like to cook shrimp with the shell. It contributes to the flavor and helps protect the shrimp from overcooking. Plus, it’s more fun to eat. The heads also contribute lots of flavor.

I sautéed garlic, ginger, and chilies with a big pinch of salt in olive oil . When the aromatics were soft (and starting to smell wonderful!) I added the shrimp and tossed them around to pick up the flavors. Then I added about 1/4 bottle of dry white wine, cooked just until the shrimp were completely red, and removed the shrimp to a plate, allowing the juices to continue boiling to concentrate the flavors. Meanwhile, I was also boiling 1/4 pound of spaghetti.

When the spaghetti was about a minute short of al dente I drained it and added it to the cooking juices to finish cooking to the al dente stage. Most of the liquid was soaked up by the pasta. I turned off the heat and finished the spaghetti with a little more olive oil and a handful of mint cut in chiffonade. After plating the spaghetti and shrimp I added more mint. I cooked all the shrimp, but only used six for the two of us. The remaining shrimp will make another meal, served cold or just warmed through.

The shrimp tasted like shrimp, with just a subtle enhancement from the aromatics and wine. Meanwhile, the spaghetti picked up lots of flavor from the shrimp. My big splurge paid off. We feasted like kings, for about the cost of a plate lunch.

Permalink posted by Nanette @ 6/12/2011 10:01:00 PM  ;  2 comments - add your comment links to this post

by Larry Geller

American beekeepers are struggling to remain in business even as the US government, with the assistance apparently of large retailer such as Costco, appear to be working against them.

Probably most people are familiar with “colony collapse disorder,” the not-yet-understood malady that is drastically reducing bee populations in many areas of North America.

Colony collapse disorder and other bee maladies are a clear threat to Hawaii honey production. But it’s not just honey. Bees are necessary to sustain agriculture. Without beekeepers and their armies of little pollinators, farmers would be missing the crops that depend on the bees. So it should be recognized that we need to keep both the local bees and their keepers in business.

“You can buy local honey. Local honey is available at stores only because there is a local beekeeper who went to the trouble of harvesting it, so the more beekeepers there are, the more honey there is. We [have], over the last twenty-five years, seen an alarming decline in the number of beekeepers. The interest is resurging, which is the best news for American bees, actually, more beekeepers!”

[VOANews.com, Scientist Working to Save Bees Is Winner of Environmental Prize, 5/25/2011]

The news would be really good in Hawaii if our local honey were not competing with illegally labeled, cheaper, and often adulterated honey. The “resurging” hasn’t started here, and it won’t if cheap imports can compete illegally.

Beekeeping is not a terribly lucrative business to begin with. When a big box store sells a cheap, illegally labeled import, it hurts domestic producers. American honey is supposed to be protected by Country of Origin Labeling (COOL) if sold in interstate trade. Like this honey you can buy cheaply at Costco:

On the left side of the label is a little USDA seal. Here’s a blowup of that:

Since the label carries a “USDA Organic” seal, the regs require that it also say, on the same label, "Product of" followed by the country, or countries, of origin.

Without the country of origin, the assumption is that the honey is made in the USA. But this honey is not. And because of that, we can’t even trust that it is “Pure” as it says, because honey can be cut with sugar syrup or other adulterants.

Here's the back label. Still no country of origin. It’s just the nutrition facts.

The customer has no way of knowing where this honey comes from.

A slightly indented stamp elsewhere on the bottle says “Made in Brazil.” It’s exactly the color of the rest of the bottle. If the manufacturer tried to hide this information, they could not have done better. In fact, it’s not clear whether just the bottle is made in Brazil or the honey as well.

What to do? Dr. Michael M. Kliks,  President of the, Hawaii Beekeepers' Association, is very concerned. He suggests that Hawaii should have its own Country of Origin Legislation, as several other states do (and thanks to Dr. Kliks for the two label pics)..

Until the next legislative session, though, if you are interested in supporting both beekeepers and sustainable agriculture in Hawaii, how about writing to the USDA to ask them to enforce their regulations, which they could easily do on a phone call to Costco.  Or write to Costco yourself and ask them to pull this illegal honey off their shelves.

For the USDA, here’s a contact, including phone number:

Julie Lewis, Acting Chief
Country of Origin Labeling Branch
Room 2607-S, Stop 0254
1400 Independence Ave. SW
Washington, DC  20250-0254
(202)205-9356

For Costco, here’s their corporate address and phone. Tell them that selling this illegal honey hurts all American beekeepers, including ours in Hawaii. Who to ask for? I usually start at the top. Hey, this is a violation of federal law, you’d think their CEO would be concerned.

Costco Corporate Office
999 Lake Dr. Issaquah, WA 98027
(425)313-8100

Permalink posted by Larry @ 5/24/2011 07:55:00 PM  ;  2 comments - add your comment links to this post

by Nanette Geller

Spaghetti alla Carbonara is fast, easy, and delicious. It’s also convenient, made with staples we usually have on hand: pasta, bacon, eggs, cheese, black pepper. Problem is, it is very rich. Looking at this recipe by Mario Batali, it’s just too rich to justify even as an occasional treat. And there’s no way we’re going to compromise with bastardized versions made with “low fat” bacon, eggs, and cheese. With something this simple, use great ingredients or don’t bother.

Fortunately, there’s another way to bring the calories down. Here’s the simple change that cuts calories and fat in half: change the words “Servings: 4” to “servings: 8.”

Bear with me. If you look at almost any American pasta recipe, a pound of pasta is used for four servings. Occasionally it will say four to six. But if you look at a box of pasta, a serving is two ounces and a pound of pasta is meant to serve eight. Supersize me?

By serving a modest portion of pasta with plenty of healthy, low-calorie vegetables on the side, we get to savor one of the world’s great dishes without feeling guilty. And savor it we do!

Don’t get me wrong. Even with smaller portions this is hardly diet food. I did a rough calculation and it comes out about 700 calories, so this is still an occasional splurge. But it’s a lot more reasonable than 1400 calories.

In Rome, where the dish seems to have originated during or just after WWII, the meat of choice is guanciale and the cheese is Pecorino Romano. Thick-cut bacon or pancetta can be used instead of guanciale, and some recipes use Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese. Spaghetti is the usual pasta, but other shapes can be used. Sometimes onion or garlic is added. American recipes often include cream, which I personally think detracts from the balance of the dish.

I pretty much follow Mario Batali’s recipe, making a quarter recipe for the two of us.

We’ve switched to whole wheat pasta for hearty sauces, but prefer a good-quality semolina spaghetti for Spaghetti alla Carbonara. Whole wheat changed the balance of the dish.

I sometimes use bacon or pancetta but guanciale really does taste best. I keep it in the freezer and cut off what I need.

One addition to the Mario Batali recipe: after rendering the fat from the guanciale I sauté a sliced onion in the fat. Of course, I think everything’s better with sautéed onion.

Since we always have a chunk of Parmigiano-Reggiano in the fridge, I follow Batali’s lead and use that instead of pecorino. Grating it fresh really does make a difference. You can see a plate with the cheese and grater behind the wine glass, ready to add extra at the table. (Click on the photo to enlarge.)

If I have a duck egg (from Blue Lotus at the KCC farmers market), it gives the dish extra richness and depth of flavor. Since I’m using only one egg for two servings, I can’t serve a raw yolk on each plate. I just add the yolk along with the white. If I were making this for an odd number of people, I’d round up on the eggs (two eggs for three people, etc.).

I coarsely grind lots of Penzeys Tellicherry black pepper just before cooking and we add more at the table.

Here, I’ve substituted sliced shiitake mushrooms sautéed in olive oil for the guanciale. As in my vegetarian versions of Salad Lyonnaise, the shiitake provide a “meaty” texture and flavor.

I’m not sure if I can get away with calling this a “vegetarian Spaghetti alla Carbonara”, but it makes a very satisfying dinner.

Permalink posted by Nanette @ 5/21/2011 12:17:00 PM  ;  0 comments - add your comment links to this post

by Nanette Geller

A couple of weeks ago, I bought “colossal” frozen shrimp on sale. Words like “colossal” “jumbo” “medium” etc. have no real meaning for shrimp. These were “13/15” which means they run 13 to 15 shrimp per pound. Lower numbers mean larger shrimp, and these were quite large. They were also “easy peel” which means the shell was split along the back and the vein removed.

Since they were still frozen, I left them in the refrigerator to defrost slowly overnight. Defrosting them quickly, either in the microwave or under cold running water, results in significant loss of quality. Besides flavor loss, they get an unpleasant mushy texture. Defrosting them at room temperature risks spoilage as well as lower quality.

Even with the slow defrost, frozen shrimp can be improved by soaking briefly in cold, very salty water. It firms the flesh and brings out the shrimp’s naturally sweet taste. I soaked these for about fifteen minutes, then drained, rinsed, and patted dry. If they were smaller or without shells I would have soaked them only five to ten minutes. This should be done just before preparing them.

I marinated the shrimp for about twenty minutes with pesto (from J’s Seasonings) and olive oil (enough to make the pesto runny), then broiled them, turning once. Cooking shrimp with the shells gives me a little leeway on timing – shelled shrimp go from undercooked to overcooked in seconds. Shell-on shrimp also taste better and are fun to eat. Since these are split, some of the flesh is exposed so there’s plenty of contact with the marinade.

Roasted Yukon Gold potatoes (Milner Farm), sugar snap peas (Pit Farm), baby romaine (Otsuji Farm).

Hidden behind the water glass: the pan juices from the shrimp for spooning over or mopping up with bread; calamansi to squeeze over everything.

Permalink posted by Nanette @ 5/20/2011 04:35:00 PM  ;  1 comments - add your comment links to this post

by Nanette Geller

I'm not a morning person. I love breakfast but I’m not coherent enough to cook until after I’ve had my breakfast (including coffee). Fortunately, Larry is a morning person. While he doesn’t do much cooking at night, he has become a breakfast master. My usual weekday breakfast is oatmeal, which Larry cooks to perfection. Sundays, however, he likes to let loose with something special, like these cottage cheese pancakes. I actually adapted them about 40 years ago from a recipe by Edward Espe Brown and taught Larry how to make them. They’re still one of our favorites.

These are really easy to make and way healthier than most pancake recipes. Even made with low fat cottage cheese, they’re so moist and rich-tasting that they don’t need butter on top.

Here’s the basic recipe for one serving. It’s easy to multiply.

1/3 cup cottage cheese
1 egg, separated
1 tablespoon whole wheat flour (or other whole grain flour)

- Mix the cottage cheese, egg yolk and flour
- Beat the egg whites to medium-firm peaks (a little beyond soft peak stage)
- Fold the whites into the cottage cheese mixture
- Cook on a lightly oiled griddle or pan on medium heat (300 degrees on the electric griddle)

Notes:
- We prefer both the flavor and texture of Nancy’s lowfat cottage cheese, available at health food stores and some supermarkets.
- Egg whites whip better at room temperature.
- Use a clean, dry glass or stainless steel bowl to whip the whites. Even a tiny bit of fat or moisture will prevent proper whipping. Plastic bowls can have traces of fat.
- Stir about a quarter of the beaten egg whites into the cottage cheese mixture to lighten it before folding in the rest.
- Don’t make them too big or the edges will dry out before the center cooks.

Variations:
- Add some spices to the cottage cheese mixture. Larry often uses cardamom or nutmeg and cinnamon.
- After dropping batter onto the griddle, put some blueberries or other fruit on top of each pancake. It will heat through when you cook the second side.
- Go savory. Add whatever spices you like (curry powder would be nice) and serve with a salad for lunch or dinner.

Here, Larry used cardamom and frozen blueberries (the blueberries are hidden underneath). Cardamom seems to go especially well with blueberry.

There’s sliced banana and real maple syrup for topping. Not strictly necessary, but it does taste good! The pancakes are already moist, so we can use just a little syrup for flavor. I also like to squeeze on a little citrus. Here, we have calamansi for a sweet-tart accent.

Also on the menu: mango, Americano coffee (espresso diluted with hot water) and conversation.

Permalink posted by Nanette @ 5/15/2011 03:31:00 PM  ;  0 comments - add your comment links to this post

by Nanette Geller

Last week I wrote about the passing of Jeffrey Yee and described how I had used his Korean sauce with ahi steaks. The other Ohana Seafoods marinade that I always keep on hand is the Japanese-style white miso sauce. Miso is often used as a pickling medium in Japan, with white miso being used most commonly for seafood and chicken, and red miso for red meats or vegetables. White miso is especially good with oily fish like butterfish, which is how we often see it here in Hawaii. The salty miso cuts the “fishiness” while deepening the rich flavor and accenting the luxurious texture.

In Hawaii, miso butterfish is commonly cooked in a pan with the marinade, which is used as a sauce. This is, in fact, the method that I use for salmon with Korean sauce and sorrel. For butterfish, however, I prefer to use it as the Japanese do. After marinating the fish for one to three days I lightly rinse off the marinade, pat the fish dry, and broil it. The result is succulent, moist flesh contrasting with crispy, savory skin.

The butterfish (from Straight from the Source at the Wednesday farmers market at Blaisdell) was marinated for two days. In Japan, broiled fish is often served with grated daikon radish to cut the oiliness and aid digestion. It’s also delicious, one of those felicitous pairings that are better than the sum of its parts.

Broiled shiitake mushrooms with a bit of soy sauce, calamansi juice, and ginger.

Japanese cucumber thinly sliced, salted, and left with a weight on top for half and hour to draw out the excess liquid. Squeeze dry and taste for salt. If too salty rinse and again squeeze dry. Mix with Japanese rice vinegar, a little sugar, and just a touch of soy sauce.

Greens dressed with peanut butter, mirin, and key lime juice.

When we’d finished our sake, I served rice with furikake (seasoned seaweed sprinkles) and clear soup with wakame seaweed, green onion and ginger.

The fish is cured by the salty miso marinade, so it keeps well for a few days in the refrigerator. I usually make extra so we can enjoy a second dinner later in the week.

I was thinking of Jeffrey Yee while I prepared this dinner with the leftover miso butterfish. Nobu Matsuhisa is famous for his miso-marinated butterfish (black cod), but his restaurants are far too pricy for most of us to visit even once. How fortunate we are in Hawaii that this exquisite dish is available at an affordable price in local restaurants or to be prepared at home! Ohana Seafoods marinated miso butterfish is available in some supermarkets and even at Costco but I prefer to buy it (either the marinated fish or just the marinade) at KCC Farmers Market. I will miss chatting with Jeffrey, but his family is carrying on with both the products and the farmers market stand.

Leftover butterfish, reheated in the toaster oven, served on a shiso leaf with grated daikon, broiled shiitake and calamansi.

Pit Farm had long, thin green peppers they labeled as “sweet peppers.” Although they were longer than the ones in Japan, I was pretty sure they were shishito peppers, which are sweet but with a mild heat as well. I cut off the stems and sautéed them whole with a little oil and a pinch of salt over high heat until the skins were blistered all over. Add mirin and soy sauce, reduce to a glaze, and allow to cool. Just before serving I added some shaved katsuobushi (dried bonito).

Lightly pickled baby hakurei turnips.

Cucumber (prepared as above) with wakame seaweed.

The sake is Tsukinokatsura. It was our favorite when we lived in Japan but until recently we couldn’t find it here. It’s now available at The Sake Shop and Tamura’s.

We opted to skip rice and soup in order to leave room for a luscious, perfectly ripe cherimoya for dessert.

Permalink posted by Nanette @ 5/13/2011 03:49:00 PM  ;  0 comments - add your comment links to this post

by Nanette Geller

When I arrived at KCC Farmers market last Saturday, I was saddened to learn that Jeffrey Yee of Ohana Seafoods had passed away. He has been a friendly presence at the KCC market almost from the beginning. Even before that, we used to buy his wonderful Asian-style marinated fish at the Manoa Marketplace farmers market.

We especially enjoy the misozuke butterfish and Korean style saba (mackerel). If you have bought miso-marinated butterfish, or eaten it in a restaurant, it was probably his. Fortunately for Honolulu fish lovers, his family will carry on his legacy.

A couple of years ago, instead of buying already marinated fish, I started buying jars of Ohana’s sauces to use with fish purchased elsewhere. Both the miso and Korean style sauces are staples in my fridge. In fact, just a few days before, I made misozuke butterfish and planned to use the leftover fish for dinner Saturday. When I saw that Fresh From the Source was making a rare KCC appearance with auction-fresh fish, I decided instead to buy some locally-caught ahi and in Jeffrey’s memory prepare it with his Korean sauce.

The ahi steaks were marinated for about an hour in Ohana Seafoods’ Korean sauce, then patted dry with a paper towel before sautéing in a little butter until medium-rare. While the ahi rested, I deglazed the pan with dry sherry, then added a spoonful of crème fraiche and a little bit of the marinade. The sauce was allowed to reduce a little. In went a handful of chopped green onion and it was ready to serve. The sauce brought out the “meatiness” of the ahi without overwhelming it.

The Yukon Gold potatoes were prepared in a way popularized by Jacques Pepin. The potatoes are first cooked, covered, until almost tender in chicken stock with a little butter. The cover is removed and the stock is allowed to boil off. Press down lightly on each potato to crack it slightly. The potatoes are then browned on both sides in the butter. Here is a recipe. Potatoes and baby romaine from Milner Farm, tomatoes from North Shore Farms.

It may seem odd to combine a slightly spicy shoyu-based sauce with butter and cream, but in fact they complement each other quite nicely. I like to use the Korean sauce for salmon which I marinate for a couple of hours and then cook in a covered pan with the marinade, some crème fraiche, and a lot of chopped sorrel. The salmon steams while the marinade, cream and sorrel come together into a sauce which is rich, tart, and complex.

We love mackerel, but it isn’t available fresh in Honolulu. The frozen fillets are improved by marinating for a day or two in Ohana’s Korean sauce before patting dry and broiling. It’s equally at home as part of a Western dinner or a Japanese dinner.

The company name is Ohana Seafoods but that doesn’t mean their sauces should be limited to fish. The Korean style sauce is terrific with meats or vegetables as well. Go ahead and experiment! Jeffrey would approve.

Permalink posted by Nanette @ 5/06/2011 10:17:00 PM  ;  2 comments - add your comment links to this post

by Nanette Geller

With all that thunder and lightening Monday night, we wanted something warm and comforting for dinner. At KCC Saturday I bought a bunch of beautiful choi sum from Otsuji Farm and Tokyo negi (Japanese long onions) from Milner Farm. Perfect for gyoza soup! We didn’t take a picture, but I do have a photo taken a couple of weeks ago with pretty much the same ingredients. Click on the photo if you want to enlarge it.

This is a more elegant version of a very quick dinner I wrote about in March. Even with the embellishments, it’s still fast, still easy, and definitely comforting.

For the broth: a quart of chicken stock simmered with some shaoxing (Chinese rice wine), a sliced carrot, a couple of peeled garlic cloves, lots of julienned ginger, and a couple of star anise. Simmer until the carrot is tender. Instead of salt I added about a teaspoon of nam pla (Thai fish sauce).

Add frozen gyoza (potstickers) and boil until almost cooked, about 5 minutes.

Add Tokyo negi cut into 1-2 inch pieces and choi sum (or other greens) cut into bite size. Boil until the veggies are just tender.

Serve in large bowls topped with cilantro and finely sliced green onion. If the gyoza come with dipping sauce serve it in small individual dishes. On the table: calamansi, more cilantro and green onion to be added to taste. It’s not in this photo but on Monday we drank shaoxing, which certainly upped the comfort level.

By the way, I know that I really should call those dumplings “potstickers” but after 16 years in Japan I’m imprinted with “gyoza.” Whatever they’re called, they’ve earned a place in my freezer. In addition to using them for a quick Chinese-style soup, I sometimes serve them like ravioli. You’d be surprised how well they take to pesto!

Permalink posted by Nanette @ 5/04/2011 09:45:00 PM  ;  0 comments - add your comment links to this post

by Nanette Geller

Salad Lyonnais is a French bistro classic. Simple: frisée or other hearty greens tossed with a hot bacon dressing and topped with a poached egg. We love it.

Frisée doesn’t do well in hot weather, so we’re getting to the end of the season. I always check for it on Saturdays at SKA Tropicals and if they have frisée we’re having salad Lyonnais for dinner.

I order both duck and chicken eggs from Blue Lotus Farm, so I know they’re fresh. Chicken eggs are fine, but poached duck eggs are truly luxurious. The yolks are larger and richer.

A note on poaching eggs: most recipes say to poach them for 3 to 5 minutes but I find that anything over 2 minutes leaves the yolks too firm. Maybe it’s because I start with room temperaure eggs. I bring about 2 inches of water to a boil in a skillet with a cover. I don’t add vinegar, which isn’t needed if the eggs are fresh (and I wouldn’t eat soft-cooked eggs if they’re not perfectly fresh). Break each egg into a separate dish and slip them into the water. Turn the heat down to keep the water at a bare simmer. Cover and set the timer for 90 seconds. By the time I actually get the eggs out, using a slotted spoon, it’s almost 2 minutes and the eggs are perfect. Drain briefly on a paper towel.

Wash the frisée and tear or cut into bite-size pieces.

Cut thick-sliced bacon crosswise into strips. Cook slowly until most of the fat is rendered. I like to remove the bacon before making the dressing, then add it to the salad at the end. That way it stays crisp.

Sauté some chopped shallot or onion and a pinch of salt in the bacon fat until soft and just starting to brown. The salt helps the onion to soften by releasing its water. I use either shallots or red onion from Pit Farm.

Add red wine vinegar, coarsely ground black pepper, and a touch of Dijon mustard. Add a bit of salt if needed but taste first because the bacon and mustard both add salt. Take off the heat; it can be reheated before adding to the greens.

While the eggs are poaching, toss the salad with the hot dressing and divide onto individual plates. Add the bacon and top with the poached eggs.

The soft egg yolk combines with the dressing for an incredibly rich flavor and unctuous mouth feel that contrasts perfectly with the slight bitterness and hearty texture of the greens.

Here, I added roasted Yukon gold potatoes from Milner Farm and crumbled ricotta salata cheese. Ricotta salata is made from sheep's milk ricotta that is salted and aged. It’s similar to feta but firmer and less salty. I often find it at Kokua Market.

Here, I’ve used guanciale instead of bacon and shaved Parmigiano-Reggiano over the top.

I find guanciale at Whole Foods. I’ve also used pancetta. All delicious.

Cured meats such as bacon, pancetta, and guanciale are loaded with umami, the “fifth taste” which seems to make the entire dish taste better. True Parmigiano-Reggiano also is very high in umami (unlike generic “parmesan” cheeses). Using both makes this combination exceptionally satisfying.

I sometimes make this ovo-lacto vegetarian variation using fresh shiitake instead of bacon. We enjoy it just as much.

Mushrooms, especially shiitake, have lots of umami which gives them a “meaty” flavor and makes them a good stand-in for bacon. The shiitake texture also is “meatier” than other mushrooms. Still, any fresh mushroom, even inexpensive white mushrooms, would be good.

I start by sautéing thick-sliced fresh shiitake in a couple of tablespoons of olive oil on medium-high heat. When sautéing mushrooms, don’t add salt until they’re cooked through. Adding salt at the start would draw out the water content, so they steam and wind up limp, instead of sautéing to a slightly crisp exterior with tender interior.

The mushrooms will immediately absorb all the oil but there’s no need to add more. As they cook, they will start to release some of the oil. When they are done, sprinkle with salt to taste and remove from the pan. Don’t wash the pan, which should have a flavorful residue from the shiitake.

Add some chopped onion or shallot to the pan with a pinch of salt, and a little more olive oil if needed. To up the umami quotient, I sometimes add a couple of diced sun-dried tomatoes with a little of their oil; you will not need to add any extra olive oil. Sauté until the onion is soft and just beginning to brown. As with the classic version, add vinegar, Dijon mustard, coarsely-ground black pepper and salt to taste, toss the hot dressing with the greens, plate individually and top with a poached egg. Here, I added shaved  Parmigiano-Reggiano. (Use a vegetable peeler to shave hard cheese.)

I wondered if I could come up with a vegan main dish salad that would be as satisfying as salad Lyonnaise. The base, of course, is the vegetarian shiitake salad minus the egg and cheese, which by itself makes a wonderful first course. But I wanted a proper main dish that would stand on its own merits and could be enjoyed by everyone.

It always irritates me when I see vegetarians and vegans offered a main course that simply removes the meat or dairy, leaving what amounts to a side dish. I also don’t care for meat substitutes. Tofu sometimes works, but it can be a non sequitur. Here, it just wouldn’t give me the texture and flavor I was looking for.

I decided on cannellini beans, which have a lovely creamy texture and mild flavor. In general canned beans can be pretty good, but the canned cannellini I’ve tried all had a mushy texture and tinny taste so I always use dried beans. Just soak overnight and cook until tender in plenty of water with a couple of cloves of garlic, a bay leaf, a few black peppercorns, a glug of olive oil, and maybe a sprig of fresh thyme. Add salt towards the end. And make enough for leftovers.

I marinated the beans with olive oil, fresh thyme, and a little minced garlic. I wouldn’t call them a stand-in for the poached egg, but they did provide a nice creamy texture to contrast with the sturdy greens and the flavor balanced the sharp dressing without clashing.

I still wanted something to make this vegan salad seem special, not just an adaptation of a dish that normally contains meat. I tried papadums toasted briefly under the broiler. Perfect! The crispy, salty, savory papadum was just the finishing touch it needed.

OK, this is getting pretty far from the original. I don’t think I can get away with calling it a “vegan salad Lyonnaise.” But I wouldn’t hesitate to serve it to anyone, including carnivores.

Permalink posted by Nanette @ 5/01/2011 06:17:00 PM  ;  0 comments - add your comment links to this post