Main Dish Monday

This is a very special week with the high anticipated H50/NCIS LA crossover episode “Pa Make Loa”.  So getting  myself all excited to the point of planning a special meal in anticipation for friends coming over (okay maybe imagining).  This should be at least something to welcome your new found friends to the Hawaiian culture if they haven't tried it before.

So maybe sit back let everyone kind of get acquainted.  Introduce them to the people the culture, the sites and most definitely the food.  Now remember this is my take on some of the island cuisine.  


But I hope you try this yourselves, for  any reason.  Most are quite simple and can be replicated any time of the week, but there is something to be said about those Monday nights.

Hawaiian Plantation Iced Tea

1 quart boiling hot water
4  tea bags
1 quart ice cold water
16oz pineapple juice
1 fresh pineapple - peeled, cored, and cut into spears

1. Pour the barely boiling hot water into a large pitcher, and add the tea bags. Steep the tea 2 to 4 minutes. Remove the tea bags, and pour in the ice water. Pour in the pineapple juice. Refrigerate until thoroughly chilled, about 1 1/2 hours.
2. Pour the tea over ice, garnish with pineapple spears, and serve.

           Tropical Salad with Pineapple Vinaigrette



6 slices bacon
1/4 cup pineapple juice
3 Tbsp red wine vinegar
1/4 cup olive oil
salt and pepper to taste
1- 10 oz package chopped romaine lettuce
1 cup diced fresh pineapple
1/2 cup chopped and toasted macadamia nuts
3 green onions, chopped
1/4 cup flaked coconut, toasted

1. Place bacon in a large, deep skillet. Cook over medium high heat until evenly brown. Drain, crumble and set aside.
2. In a cruet or jar with a lid, combine pineapple juice, red wine vinegar, oil, pepper and salt. Cover and shake well. 
3. In a large bowl, toss together the lettuce, pineapple, macadamia nuts, green onions and bacon. Pour dressing over salad and toss to coat. Garnish with toasted coconut.

Hawaiian Chicken Kabobs

3 Tbsp soy sauce

3 Tbsp brown sugar

2 Tbsp sherry

1 Tbsp sesame oil

1/4 tsp ground ginger

1/4 tsp garlic powder

8 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves - cut into 2 inch pieces

1 (20 ounce) can pineapple chunks, drained

skewers

1. In a shallow glass dish, mix the soy sauce, brown sugar, sherry, sesame oil, ginger, and garlic powder. Stir the chicken pieces and pineapple into the marinade until well coated. Cover, and marinate in the refrigerator at least 2 hours. 
2. Preheat grill to medium-high heat. 
3. Lightly oil the grill grate. Thread chicken and pineapple alternately onto skewers. Grill 15 to 20 minutes, turning occasionally, or until chicken juices run clear.

Malasadas

1  package active dry yeast

1 tsp white sugar

1/4 cup warm water (110 degrees)

6 eggs

6 cups all-purpose flour

1/2 cup white sugar

1/4 cup butter, melted

1 cup evaporated milk

1 cup water

1 tsp salt

2 quarts vegetable oil for frying

2 cups white sugar

1. Dissolve yeast and 1 teaspoon sugar in 1/4 cup warm water; set aside.
2. In small bowl, beat eggs until thick. 
3. Put flour in large bowl, making a well in the center. Into the well add yeast, eggs, 1/2 cup sugar, melted butter, milk, 1 cup water, and salt. Beat thoroughly to form a soft, smooth dough. Cover, let dough rise until doubled. 
4. Heat oil to 375 degrees F, drop dough by big teaspoonfuls into oil, fry until golden brown. Drain on paper towels, shake in a bag of sugar to coat, and serve hot.