Recipes

Tiki spice guava wood smoked Hawaiian sea salt

ATTENTION…this is the first update since I started this website! It’s because I’m to busy smoking salt! Plus I just plain old don’t like typing. Anyway, here are some new recipes and some great photos of the food taken by my good friend Jo Evans. I’m not making any promises…but I’ll try not to be so lame in the future, and keep the recipes coming.

Mahalo,

Chef Michael

(4-3-2010)

Aloha and welcome to the recipe pages!

Let me begin with some personal kitchen thoughts…

For me, the best meals are almost always simple ones shared with family and friends. I try to use the freshest, best quality ingredients (which can sometimes be a challenge out here in the middle of the Pacific) We have wonderful fresh fish, and exotic tropical fruits available year round, I also have a vegetable garden and take advantage of Kauai’s many farmers markets.

I will give you a few example of some meals we enjoy regularly…

Pacific grilled chicken with brown basmati rice and garden salad

for the chicken marinade…

4 inches of fresh ginger root (crushed and chopped)
2 cloves of garlic (crushed)

1/4 cup peanut oil

3 Tblsp. dark sesame oil

2 Tblsp. honey

3 Tblsp. shoyu

1 tsp. tiki spice smoked salt

4 or 5 twists of the pepper grinder

Cut whole chicken into 10 pieces and marinate overnight (I use a gallon ziplock) Grill slowly over low heat to a tender, golden deliciousness, pour remaining marinade over cooked chicken and finish in a 350 oven for 10 minutes.

For the rice, I love the flavor and extra healthyness of the aromatic brown basmati. I use a rice cooker (we eat alot of rice out here)

For stovetop cooking, combine 1 cup of rice with 2 cups of water and about a Tblsp. of butter…bring to a boil, cover and reduce heat to simmer and cook 50 minutes.

* rice tips…add a pinch of curry powder or a caramom pod to your pot, I add a fresh kaffir leaf (Thai lime leaf) from my tree. Try sesame oil, rendered duck fat, bacon drippings or truffle oil instead of butter. And don’t peek! leave the lid on until it’s done. If you don’t have one yet…go buy a rice cooker…they are cheap and foolproof!

For the salad, toss any greens and vegies you like with this dressing…

1 Tblsp. sweet pickled ginger ( chopped)

1 Tblsp. honey

juice of one lime

2 Tblsp. rice vinegar

2 tsp. shoyu

1/2 cup sesame oil

1 green onion (sliced thin)

1 Tblsp. toasted sesame seeds

I put everthing in the blender except oil, seeds and green onion…blend and drizzle in oil then add sesame seeds and green onions…yum!

more thoughts…

If you use tiki spice, you already know it’s yummy versatility. I’m not going to waste your time telling you how to season a steak or sprinkle tiki spice on your popcorn. Here are a couple new and tested recipes that don’t suck….

Spiced Honey Macadamia Nuts

2 cups raw macadamia nuts
1/4 cup honey
1 T Thai sweet chili sauce
1 t tiki spice

toss all together, spread out and bake 15 minutes @ 350*

Grilled Lamb Chops with Mint Pesto

1/2 cup fresh mint leaves, loose
1/4 cup toasted macadamia nuts
1 T. sweet pickled ginger
2 green onions (green part)
1 clove garlic
1/2 t. freshly ground pepper
1/2 cup olive oil
2 t. tiki spice
Blend all in blender…marinate chops 1/2 hour before grilling drizzle over before serving stays good in a jar in the fridge for a while.

Edamame Dip

1 cup shelled edamame (steamed and cooled)
1/2 sweet onion(diced and sauted and cooled)
2 T. fresh minced ginger
1/2 bunch cilantro
2 T. thai sweet chili sauce
3 fresh lemons (juice ‘em)
2 T virgin coconut oil
1 T. sesame oil (the toasted kind)
1 T. tiki spice
2 T. water

Blend all…great with warm naan bread or toasted pita (I always brush with olve oil and sprinkle with tiki spice)