Hawaiian Beef Stew Thickened with Poi

What follows is a classic local dish: a basic beef stew thickened with poi instead of the usual flour-water mixture.

INGREDIENTS

• 2 to 3 pounds of stew beer
• Flour
• Salt
• Pepper
• Vegetable oil, or bacon drippings
• Raw vegetables (carrots, onions, potatoes, other root vegetables)
• 1 to 2 cups Tomatoes, peeled and seeded
• 2 teaspoons Hawaiian salt (or kosher salt)
• 1 cup poi

INSTRUCTIONS

Dredge 2-3 pounds of stew beef lightly in a blend of flour, salt and pepper. Brown in vegetable oil or bacon drippings in deep, heavy-bottomed Dutch oven. Cover with water, bring to a boil, turn down heat and simmer for an hour. Add 2-3 cups of raw vegetables: chunks of carrot, onion, potato and other root vegetable (chunks of peeled, boiled taro are good, too). Add 1-2 cups of peeled, seeded tomatoes (may be frozen or canned) and 2 teaspoons Hawaiian salt (or kosher salt). More water may be added, if necessary. Simmer one hour. Just before serving, add 1 cup poi to thicken stew: stir and add more poi if needed. up to 2 cups. Serve hot over steamed Japanese-style rice. Pass Hawaiian chili pepper water (tiny red-hot chilies steeped in boiling water, then bottled) and trimmed green onions for those who like a little fire.

Laulau for two!

from http://onokinegrindz.typepad.com/: When I was much younger, we would eat Hawaiian food once a month at Helena’s.  In my opinon, Helena’s serves some of the finest Hawaiian food in the Islands.  Back in those days, wrapped inside thelaulau, was a huge chunk of fat and a small piece of salted butterfish which were both used to flavor thelaulau.  These days, the fat is gone, but the small piece of salted butterfish is still there.  The pork, salted butterfish and lu’au leaves make this a staple at any authentic lu’au.

Laulau (makes two)

• 1/2 pound lu’au leaves* (about 8-10)
• 2 1-ounce pieces salted butterfish*
• 1/3 pound pork*, cut into chunks
• 4 ti leaves, to wrap laulau
• Hawaiian salt, to taste (if desired)

**NOTE**

• If lu’au leaves are not available, use spinach leaves.
• More lu’au leaves can be used if desired.  However, I don’t recommend using more than 6 or 7 leaves for each laulau.
• If salted butterfish is unavailable, use fresh butterfish and add 1/2 teaspoon Hawaiian salt to each laulau.
• For more flavor, add a chunk of pork fat to eachlaulau.
• A small chicken thigh with the skin intact, or chunks of beef may be used as a substitute for pork, if desired.

Remove ribs from ti leaves (leave stem intact), then rinse well and pat dry.  Set aside.

Rinse lu’au leaves well and trim, removing stem and ribs.  Place lu’au leaves into piles of four-five leaves each, then place pork (or chicken/beef) in the center of each pile of lu’au leaves and top with a piece of salted butterfish.  Wrap lu’au leaves tightly around the filling, keeping the “gathered” end on the bottom of the “parcel”.  (If using spinach, use as many leaves as necessary to wrap the filling completely.)

Arrange two ti leaves into an “+”, then place a parcel in the center.  Gather the ends of the ti leaves together to create a “bundle”.  Take one of the stem ends and wrap around the rest of the leaves securing the bundle by tying it in a knot.  If your leaves are too small, use kitchen twine to tie the ti leaves together.

Place inside a steamer basket and steam for one hour and thirty minutes.  Check the steamer often to make sure there is enough water.  (If using spinach, thelaulau should be steamed for 40 – 50 minutes.)

Unwrap laulau from ti leaves to serve.  Serve with some Hawaiian salt and chili pepper water.

Chop Chae

Ingredients:

• 2 bundles long rice
• 4 dried mushrooms
• 1/2 lb beef
• 1 medium carrot
• 1 stalk celery
• 1 medium onion
• 1/2 lb green beens
• 1 can (15 oz) bamboo shoots
• 2 tablespoons sesame oil
• 2 tablespoons soy sauce
• 1 tablespoon sugar
• Dash pepper
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 cup water

Procedure
Soak long rice and mushrooms in warm water for 30 minutes. Cut beef into thin 2-inch strips. Remove stems from mushrooms. Cut mushroom caps and vegetables into thin strips or slices. Cut bundle of soaked long rice in half and cook in 1 1/2 quarts boiling water for 1 minute; drain thoroughly. In a large skillet, heat sesame oil. Fry beef for 1 minute. Add vegetables; saute 2 minutes. Combine soy sauce, sugar, salt, pepper, monosodium glutamate and water. Stir long rice and soy sauce mixture into vegetables; cook 1 to 2 minutes. Makes 6 servings.

Smoked Beef- Recipe

by David Fuertes

30 pounds sliced beef (1” wide x 8” long)
1 cup garlic
3 ¼ cup garlic
3 ¼ cups brown sugar
1 ½ cups Apple Cider Vinegar
1 ½ cups sea salt
5 ounces Worcestershire Sauce
¼ cup Tender Quick

Hang in a “hot smoke” house for 4-6 hours (in a hot smoke house the heat comes from the bottom.) Bring the heat up to 350 degrees. Hang the meat high enough so that of the fat drips and causes flames, you don’t burn all the meat.

Green Frittata

1-2 large bunches of chard or other greens

1 bunch green onions

2 tsp olive oil or butter

4 eggs (free range is preferable)

1/2 cup milk, yogurt or broth

1/4c grated Romano

Chili flakes if desired

Pinch of salt

Wash and chop the greens and onions. Sauté in a large frying pan with oil/butter until wilted. Add egg mixed with yogurt or broth. Add to greens, top with cheese and chili flakes. Cook at low to medium until eggs are set on the bottom. Place under broiler briefly to set the top. Serve with salsa.