Aloha Dining: a fresh taste of the past

The spirit of aloha was ever-present during my first meal in Hawaii. Out from the shadows of swaying palms, a Hawaiian Adonis coaxed a hypnotic note from a conch shell, and another ran from tiki torch to tiki torch in preparation for the luau. Okay, it was touristy, but the sounds of the drums and ukuleles moved me as much as they moved the hips of the hula girls. Before the fire dancers signaled an end to the performance, the native feast began.

The pupus, or appetizers, consisted of lomi lomi salmon (salted fish, green onions, and tomatoes) and poke (sliced or cubed, raw fish). Reflecting the melting pot that Hawaii has become, the luau also featured Japanese sushi and sashimi, Portuguese sausages, Chinese noodles, English macaroni salad, and Asian sticky rice. Steaming from the imu (an underground oven pit lined with hot rocks) were kalua pork, fish laulau wrapped in ti leaves, and sweet potatoes. The vivid colors of island greens and fragrant native fruits adorned the tables. And no luau would be complete without pasty gray poi, the sticky staple that’s made from boiling and mashing taro root. Banana bread, cakes, and haupia, a cubed coconut custard, topped it all off for those who had room for dessert.

The luau featured just about everything that is considered Hawaiian food these days, but islanders use to live on a healthier diet of fresh fish and indigenous produce. Captain Cook, missionaries, and whalers have all impacted this Eden, but traditional Hawaii is rising again. Along with a resurgent interest and pride in the old culture and customs, chefs are creating dishes that celebrate the past. Organic ingredients abound in Hawaii, with farmers markets open everyday on most islands. You’ll find those famous sweet Maui onions, papayas, mangoes, and macadamia nuts, along with such unusual local delicacies as fern shoots, pomelos, and cherimoyas.

Aloha: What a wonderful word. Besides connoting both hello and goodbye, it also signifies love, kindness, compassion, and more to Hawaiians. The best meals, luau-size or intimate, are imbued with the spirit of aloha. You don’t have to dig an imu to feel it: Put on a pareau or Hawaiian shirt, some flip-flops, and a flowery lei, and try these recipes. d

SEAFOOD LAULAU

Executive Chef Guy Higa, Kauai Marriott Resort & Beach Club, Kauai, Hawaii. Serves 4

INGREDIENTS

8 ti leaves, with center stem removed*

12 oz. fresh spinach, divided into 3 oz. servings

8 2-oz. pieces firm-flesh fish, such as ahi tuna and/or salmon, as preferred

4 scallops

8 shrimp

4 tsp. kosher salt

4 lemon slices

4 tomato slices

PREPARATION

For each plate: Cross ti leaves with stem side facing up. Stack the ingredients: Place one-half of the spinach in the center of two ti leaves. Top with 1 piece of fish. Place one scallop on top, and position two shrimp around the

scallop. Top that with one more piece of fish. Sprinkle with kosher salt, and top with one slice of tomato. Finish with the remaining spinach and lemon slice, then cross the ti leaves, and tie with the stems you removed from the leaves, or with string. Place in steamer basket; cover and steam for 15-20 minutes. Remove the ti leaves before eating, and enjoy.

* You can use banana leaves in place of ti leaves; both can be ordered from a florist. Or you can use two sheets of aluminum foil instead.

[Note] Serve the laulau with whole baked sweet potatoes or sticky rice on the side, as the Hawaiians like to do.

Laulau, the name for taro tops, is always part of traditional offerings to the many gods of Old Hawaii. It also means wrapping, or a wrapped package, and individual servings of food wrapped in ti or banana leaves. “Laulau were used for wrapping and carrying bundles, as well as for medicinal purposes, blessings, good luck, and spiritual, purposes” explains executive chef Guy Higa of the Kauai Marriott Resort & Beach Club. “They were presented as a gift to the Hawaiian gods. And they served to prevent food from burning in the imu.”

PEPPERED ROASTED PINEAPPLE

Pastry Chef Ashley Nakano, Four Seasons Resort Hualalai at Historic Ka’upulehu, Kailua-Kona, Hawaii. Serves 4

INGREDIENTS

1 fresh pineapple

2 tbs. granulated sugar

1 cinnamon stick

1 tbs. pink peppercorns

1/2 Hawaiian vanilla bean, split

4 scoops ice cream or sorbet, if desired

PREPARATION

Remove pineapple skin with a sharp knife. Hollow out the center core of the pineapple. Cut the pineapple in half horizontally. Using one half of the pineapple, cut into four rings (each should be approximately 1/2-inch thick). Place rings separately into a 9 x 14 pan. Chop the other pineapple half into small pieces, and put into a blender; add sugar, and process on puree setting. Strain, and pour pineapple puree over the pineapple rings. Add the cinnamon stick, peppercorns, and vanilla bean. Roast for 30-40 minutes in a 350℉ oven. After it is done, strain the resulting juice, and set aside. When ready to serve, pour the juice into soup bowls (approximately 1/2 cup each), and center a pineapple ring in each. Delicious with a scoop of your favorite ice cream or sorbet.

WATERCRESS VAKAMITI*

Executive Chef Stephen Marquard, Outrigger Keauhou Beach Resort, Hawaii. Serves 4

INGREDIENTS

4 cups watercress, cut in 1-inch pieces (tender tops only)

1 cup coconut milk

3 tbs. lemon juice

1/2 tsp. fresh red Hawaiian chili, minced

2 tbs. minced red onion

salt, to taste

PREPARATION

Boil watercress in a pot of salted water for 2 minutes, then drain, and plunge into ice water. Squeeze out excess water from watercress. Mix remaining ingredients in a small mixing bowl. Add cooked watercress to the coconut mixture (dressing) just before serving.

* Vakamiti is the Fijian name for this coconut dressing. Fresh fern shoots or dark green cabbages such as choi sum or pak choy may be substituted for the watercress. You can use any fresh chili with desired hotness, or you can use red chili flakes to taste.

Luaus are held to commemorate important events. If you go to Hawaii, you have to experience a luau for a taste of island food, music, and dance. They may not include as many drummers or dancers, but locals put on their own for special events. A keiki’s first birthday is a common reason and an important event in Hawaii, as too many Hawaiian children never made it to that milestone in the old days. These luaus are usually more low-key than the resorts’, but a church choir has been known to make an appearance, and often the guests will do a dance or song as a gift to the host family.

Judith Lazarus

Aloha Dining