Hawaii Day 3: Avocado Bread, Grass Fed Beef, and Raw Quail Egg

Yesterday, we picked up some sweet breads from a bake sale at Hale Okane, the sacred grounds of the Kealaokamalamalama Church. It's an odd little plot of perfectly groomed, fenced in land right on the main drag of Kona. You're normally not allowed to step foot on the land, but apparently church bake sales are an exception. We went for Avocado Bread and Mango Bread - both in the style of a banana bread, and this morning we had a slice for breakfast. The avocado bread was good, though it didn't have that distinct of an avocado flavor.



After breakfast, we headed up the coast and ended up in Hawi, where we sought out a little tiki bar called Luke's Place that we spotted when we were here last summer.



The front of the restaurant has a British Colonial vibe, but around the corner is a full fledged tiki bar. The staff were really friendly, and the food was amazing. We both went for burgers made from local, grass-fed beef that were perfectly cooked, moist, and flavorful.



Back in Kona, we popped into Huggo's On the Rocks again, and I had a 'Polynesian Passion' cocktail - essentially a Chi-Chi with Lilikoi syrup.



When dinner rolled around, we got a little dressed up and went looking for Fujimama's - only to discover it closed. So we returned to Wasabi's instead, and although it's not as fancy as Fujimama's was, we weren't disappointed.



I started off with a Blue Lagoon cocktail, and we noshed on boiled peanuts.



We ordered four rolls for dinner, all of which were great.



We started with the classic spider roll, which is a favorite of both Dan & I and something we invariably order.





Next, we had spicy scallop rolls served in a little boat.





We followed that with a 'Crazy' roll - though I can't recall what was crazy about it.





Much crazier was the 'Sunshine' roll that finished up our meal. It was a roll wrapped in tuna, and topped with both a sizable heap of uni (sea urchin gonads) and a quail egg, raw. That roll was really all about texture, and I was surprised to find that the uni didn't overpower it.

Memento Meal - Secret Ingredient Edition

Thanks to the pesky holidays and full schedules, we haven't had a Memento Meal in ages - not since the one we hosted back in September!

For the uninitiated, or in case you need a refresher, Memento Meal is a potluck dinner concept our friend Jason Phillips came up with, inspired by the film Memento starring Guy Pierce, which is planned backwards but eaten forwards. Here are the basics:

• Each person or couple is assigned one of 6 courses - Appetizer 1, Appetizer 2, Salad, Entree 1, Entree 2, or Dessert.
• The person/couple assigned Dessert decides what they'll make, then lets ONLY the person/couple making Entree 2 know what they're making.
  
• The Entree 2 folks then use the dessert course as inspiration for their course, and let ONLY the people making Entree 1 know.
  
• This is repeated until Appetizer 2 tells Appetizer 1 what they're making. Appetizer 1 remains a secret to everyone except the folks making it, and the Dessert course team doesn't know what anyone else is making.
  
• The night of the meal, each course is prepared in as much secrecy as is possible, and revealed when brought to the table.
  

Our first round was at Anna and Jason's place, and introduced us all to the idea. It wasn't planned to be anything more than a one time potluck, but the group of people they brought together all gelled really well, pushed themselves to create outstanding dishes, and collectively agreed we needed to do it again. Now each round the people responsible for each course shifts by 1, so the dessert folks become the entree 2 folks, and so on. Since that first dinner, each round has introduced a new challenge - beginning with Jacqui & Gerald challenging us all to make Asparagus the star of our dishes, Carolyn & David making the Farmer's Market our primary shopping center, and then Dan & I assigning everyone a color along with their course, and asking that each course focus on that color AND be tropical.

Our group consists of food bloggers, foodies and food professionals with wide ranging experiences, interests and specialties. Some of us love structured nouveau cuisine, while others prefer rustic presentation. Kristin invariably educates us about a new ingredient, Gerald often features his own smoked meats, and I love to play around with molecular gastronomy. Each round, we all push ourselves to create something unique that challenges our skills and palates, and each time I find myself learning new things from the dishes Dan & I create, and from those everyone else does. And drink pairings have become something of a norm, too - with people breaking out some amazing wines, creating custom cocktails, and even finding great non-alcoholic beverages that complement courses. It's a lot of fun - and has even inspired a second Memento group to form!

Tonight was our fifth round, with Marcy & James hosting - and they added a new twist. Each course had to contain one secret ingredient that wasn't disclosed to anyone, not even the preceding course. So Dessert had a secret ingredient that even Entree 2 didn't know about, and so on. During the meal, we all tried to ascertain the secret ingredient in each course. Here's how it all played out:

Our hosts started us off with a delicious onion soup with arugula and homemade croutons paired with Prosecco. After lots of guessing and some clues, we figured out the secret ingredient was veal - broth and meat.

Next up, Carolyn, David and their kids treated us to apricot 5 ways - an apricot nectar drink, chopped apricot and mango with cream cheese and bee pollen on a water cracker, halved apricot with lamb sausage and goat cheddar cheese, halved apricot with goat cheese, thyme, and candied walnut, and bruschetta with goat cheese, apricot and something else I'm forgetting.

The secret ingredient was goat cheese, featured in the 3 dishes Carolyn & David created (the kids created the others!)

For our salad course, Jacqui & Gerald cooked outside the box in a number of ways, creating a 'salad' of corn, pomegranate seeds, frenched beans, and spiced walnuts in a bowl made of bacon, paired with yam fries and paprika mayo. And their secret ingredient, revealed after lots of guessing and hinted at by the toothpick stuck in the fries? Costco. Their entire course was food sourced at Costco - even the bacon.

Dan & I presented the 1st entree - individual pot pies of lamb, morel mushrooms and root veggies. Though we executed it together, Dan came up with the entire plan, including our secret ingredient: Maraschino Cherries and their juice (recipe below).

The penultimate course was courtesy of Anna & Jason: Roast Duck breast with a balsamic-raspberry reduction over herbed spaetzel, with carrots and leeks, grapes and orange on the side. And for their secret ingredient they melted down the locally made "Confection of the Fairies" - applets and cotlets - to add sweetness to the sauce. When revealed, the entire table roared in laughter, thanks to a shared experience and joke.

Last but not least, Kristin rounded out the meal with a hazelnut butter and jelly bread pudding with pumpkin butter cream sauce that was dense, delicious, and addicting (I couldn't get enough). It was also rich with flavor, and one stood out enough that someone did guess the secret ingredient: cardamom.

Once again the magic of Memento shined through, with several commonalities emerging throughout the meal. Nuts appeared in 4 of 6 courses, with walnuts in 3 of those. Baby animals (veal & lamb) showed up in 3 courses. And 2 secret ingredients were candied fruit. And overarching all of that, the meal was hearty, warm, and rustic - perfect for a crisp February night and to match the style of our gracious hosts, Marcy & James.

Next up is our final round in this rotation - with Kristin in control of the theme. Can't wait for the challenge!

Lamb, Morel, Root Vegetable and Maraschino Pot Pie
2 cups cake flour
1 tspn salt
2/3 cup butter
6-7 Tbspn cold water
4 Tbspn oil
2 pounds lamb necks
Salt and pepper to taste
2 medium white onion, diced
4 large peeled carrots, diced
1 large turnip, diced
2 Yukon Gold potatoes, diced
6 ribs celery, diced
2 tspn fresh chopped rosemary
2 tspn fresh chopped thyme
4 cloves garlic, sliced
1 cup red wine
1 cup maraschino cherry juice
6 cups beef broth
2 Tbspn balsamic vinegar
2 cinnamon sticks
2 tspn allspice
2 tspn curry powder
1 star anise
1 cup chopped morel mushrooms
1/2 cup chopped maraschino cherries

In a mixing bowl, stir together flour and salt. Cut in butter until pieces are the size of small peas. Sprinkle 1 Tbpsn over part of the mixture. Gently toss with a fork. Push to the side of the bowl. Repeat until all flour mixture is moistened and dough can form a ball. On a lightly floured surface, flatten the dough with your hands and roll out to 1/8 inch thickness. Cut to size of tops of casserole dishes. Place between layers of parchment paper and refrigerate.

In a medium roast pot, add oil and cook the stewed lamb until brown, about 5 minutes. Remove meat. Add more oil and add celery, garlic and onions, and slowly cook until caramelized. Season with curry powder and salt and pepper. Once mixture is cooked (about 10 minutes) add carrots, turnips and potatoes and mix for about 2 minutes. Add all your meat back into pan. Add rosemary and thyme. Deglaze the meat with red wine and cherry juice, then add your stock and vinegar. Add allspice, star anise, cinnamon, mushrooms, cherries, cover, and cook for 45 minutes on low to medium flame. Remove from heat. Remove neck bones and discard.

Fill casserole dishes with meat mixture. Cover top of each with a pastry dough round. Bake in 350-degree oven for 20 minutes until golden brown.

Sweet & Spicy Steak w/ Smashed Potatoes & Steamed Asparagus

Rounding out our week of dry rubs, tonight I mixed some brown sugar, minced garlic, chili powder, cayenne, and onion powder together and rubbed it on a couple 4 oz steaks. Unfortunately, I forgot to dry the steaks thoroughly before I did so, so my 'dry' rub became a pretty wet rub. Nonetheless, when seared in a very hot pan, they formed a crispy, sweet & spicy & savory crust.

We had the steaks with some steamed asparagus (seasoned with just salt & pepper) and some smashed Yukon gold potatoes.

Kobe Meatballs & Spaghetti

Meat Loaf, Potatoes & Spinach

Tonight, we made a mostly-classic meatloaf, using ground beef from Skagit River Ranch, eggs, bread crumbs and ketchup... though I replaced 1/3 of the ketchup with mustard, and another third with black bean paste, and I drizzled a little sriracha sauce on top of the loaf before baking, for some added spice. The loaf cooks for 1 hour at 350, so I tossed some chopped purple potatoes with some garlic and olive oil, and threw that in the oven, too. When that all came out, I cooked up some fresh spinach with shallots, olive oil, and a little balsamic vinegar.

Wingnut-Braised Lamb Shanks

For a special, seasonal, comforting meal this week, I took inspiration from a new cookbook I picked up at work called Simply Organic: A Cookbook for Sustainable, Seasonal, and Local Ingredients. As the name suggests, it features recipes grouped by season, and focuses on primary ingredients that are readily available from organic producers while in season. I'm not clear how a cookbook that's not specific to any region could be 'local' - and many ingredients are things that don't grow everywhere - but I can at least appreciate the suggestions of sourcing locally.

This recipe also marked our return to the U-District Farmers Market after a month or so of being too busy with packing/moving/unpacking. Despite the pouring down rain, it felt good to be back, and the smiles of our favorite farmers when we walked up reminded us of the many reasons we go.

Dinner tonight was a wine-braised lamb shank over mashed potatoes. We used a wine called 'wingnut' that I picked out based on the name alone, because that word makes me smile. I'd never heard it before I moved to Bellingham for college, but it became part of my vernacular to describe someone who's a little odd - or downright nuts.

The potatoes and lamb both came from Olsen Farms (of Colville, WA), who always treat us great and make us feel so welcome. The onion, garlic and carrots we purchased from other farmers at the market, and the rosemary we 'foraged' from a bush planted in the sidewalk across from Luau.

It wasn't clear whether to cover the pan while braising, so I made that assumption while cooking. It may have been done a little earlier than the full 2 hours, as I could see the meat separating from the bone after about 1 hr 20 minutes, but being the first time with this recipe, I went with the full 2 hours. The meat was mostly very tender, and incredibly flavorful. Perfect for a rainy day in November here in the Northwest.

Zinfandel-Braised Lamb Shanks

4 lamb shanks (about 3 lbs), cut across the bone by your butcher into 3 inch slices
1/2 tspn salt
1/2 tspn ground pepper
1 bottle (750 ml) hearty red Zinfandel
4 carrots, cut into 1-inch pieces
1 large onion, sliced
1 whole head of garlic, cut into thick slices
1 tspn mustard seeds
5 whole juniper berries (optional)
3 Tbspn unsalted butter
1/4 cup chopped fresh rosemary

Preheat overn to 500 degrees F. Put the lamb in a heavy roasting pan and sprinkle with 1/4 tspn salt & 1/4 tspn pepper. Roast for 30 minutes, turning once, or until browned. Reduce the oven temperature to 350 Add the Zinfandel, carrots, onion, garlic, mustard seeds and juniper berries to the pan. Roast for 2 hours, or until the lamb is very tender and nearly falling off the bone, turning the shanks and basing with the sauce every 20 minutes. Remove the lamb, carrots, onions, and garlic to a large platter. Keep warm. Strain the sauce through a sieve and into a small saucepan. Bring to a boil over high heat. Cook for 5 minutes, or until reduced by half. If the sauce seems too thin, lower the heat to medium and reduce to the desired thickness. Whisk in the butter. Add the remaining 1/4 tspn salt & pepper, or season to taste. Pour the sauce over the meat and carrots and sprinkle with rosemary.

Stuffed Acorn Squash

Dan & I got it in our heads to make a stuffed squash this week, and bought an acorn squash and some great Skagit River Ranch chicken sausage at the market Saturday. But when I consulted my library of cookbooks, all the acorn squash recipes involved baking it with butter and maple syrup or brown sugar - nothing savory. So we winged it.

I chopped up some onion and garlic and tossed it in a pan with some butter and olive oil, over medium heat. Then I added the sausage, crumbled, and began cooking that. Then I chopped up some leftover walnut bread I've been saving in the freezer, and tossed that in. Because the bread was so dry, I poured a little orange juice on top, tossed in some seasoning and fennel seeds, then put on the cover. Finally, I cut up some leftover greens, tossed them until they began to wilt, then pulled it all off the heat. I cut the squash in half and cleaned it out, then stuffed each half with the filling. I realized I hadn't included anything to really hold all that together, so I sprinkled on a little parmesan cheese. The whole shebang went in the oven for 40 minutes at 375 degrees.

The filling got a little more dry than necessary, but remained tasty. If we redo this, I'd probably brush the squash halves with olive oil and bake it for 20 minutes on it's own, perhaps with some foil over it to trap in moisture, then stuff the shells and pop them back in to heat it all through and finish cooking the squash.

Carne Asada Tacos & Butter Cake

For dinner tonight, we marinated some stir-fry beef (thinly sliced pieces) from Skagit River Ranch that we've been taking out of and putting back in the freezer again and again. It seemed cursed, as every time we planned to use it, we ended up needing to change our plans for one reason or another. Thankfully, it turned out to be anything but cursed, making a delicious carne asada taco paired with some avocado, heirloom tomato, and cheese.



For dessert, we dug into a big slice of buttery bundt cake that Jonathan made and sent us home with (along with some beer he brewed, which we'll surely be writing about in the future). The cake reportedly included an entire pound of butter, and it was certainly buttery and delicious.