A Little Hawaii At Home
It is quite possible that I spent more money on gas this morning driving to my local coffee shop to get my usual cup of Joe than I spent on the latte itself. With the price of gas sucking every last dollar from my wallet it is unlikely I’ll have enough money left over to spend on a summer vacation.
But no one wants a boring summer, so why not travel within your own space for a change? You might not be able to afford a Hawaiian vacation or even a day trip to the big city, but maybe you can bring a little bit of those vacation dreams into your home with some festive meals designed to sweep your taste buds away on one fantastic trip.
Over the next few weeks I’m going to propose some meal ideas for your own dinner get-aways. Whether it brings up memories of a vacation dinner had long ago, or just gives you a taste of a vacation that may be in your future, these meal ideas might be (almost) enough to satisfy your need for a stay-at-home vacation.
Perhaps ever since Gidget went Hawaiian, it has been the dream of many Americans to have their own Hawaiian vacation complete with luaus, Hanging Ten, and perhaps a hula dancer or two. A flight to Hawaii may not be in the cards this year, but bringing a little bit of the islands to your house may not be as hard as you think with the help of some tropical flavors.
When I think of the best meals I have had in Hawaii, fish and tropical fruits are almost always in the mix. Lucky for us, thanks to flash freezing fish and the miracle of transportation, both fish and exotic fruits can be had just about anywhere in the country these days, even if you don’t live on a tropical island.
Hawaiians are serious about their fish. So much so that at certain restaurants, such as Mama’s Fish House in Maui, they will tell you not just what fish you are eating, but precisely where it was caught down to the bay it came from and by whom. The fish you buy in your local market may not come with the signature of the fisherman who caught it, but you can do your part to make sure the fish is coming from waters that have not been over fished. Download the Pocket Seafood Selector Guide from the Environmental Defense Fund and feel certain your fish is coming from a good place.
Once the fish is selected, it is time to incorporate some island flavors into the dish. Mangoes, papayas, and passion fruit seem to grow like weeds in Hawaii and find their way into many recipes from main courses to cocktails. Most mainstream markets seem to carry a selection of tropical fruits these days, but even if you can’t find it fresh, check the freezer section or the juice aisle. Frozen mango chunks work perfectly well in slushy cocktails or cooked into a sauce. Likewise, purees or tropical juices can be tweaked to work in sauces as well as marinades and glazes.
Even if your view from your porch does not include coconut laden palm trees swaying in a tropical breeze, you can still bring a little coconut inside the house. Coconut crust on just about anything from shrimp to pork and your meal will practically scream of the islands. And now that coconut milk is available in almost every corner store, I like to spruce up my standard side of rice by using part coconut and part water for the cooking. With nothing more than a can opener, that boring side dish goes tropical, the perfect accompaniment for an island feast.
Travelling sure is great, when money isn’t an object. But since there truly is no place like home, why not bring the vacation to you this summer with some homemade adventures beginning in the kitchen and ending at your own table?
Made with mango, non-stick cooking spray, salt and pepper, coconut milk, water, jasmine rice, salt, wasabi peas, butter, ono fillets
Serves/Makes: 4
- 1 can light coconut milk
- 1 cup water
- 1 1/2 cup jasmine rice
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1 cup wasabi peas
- 3 tablespoons butter, at room temperature
- 4 ono fillets
- salt and pepper
- non-stick cooking spray
- 1 cup diced mango
- 1 1/2 limes, juiced
- 1 tablespoon sugar
Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
Bring coconut milk and water to a boil in a medium saucepan. Add rice and salt and stir to combine. Return to a boil then reduce heat to a simmer, cover with a lid and cook for 15 minutes. Turn heat off of rice and let sit for 5 minutes then fluff with a fork.
Meanwhile place wasabi peas in a reseal-able plastic bag and smash with rolling pin until peas are in fairly small pieces.
In a small bowl combine pea crumbs and butter, mixing until well combined. Pat fillets dry and season on both sides to taste with salt and pepper.
Spray a cookie sheet with non stick spray and lay fish out on sheet. Top each fillet with 1/4th of the wasabi pea mixture pressing down to cover the tops of each fillet evenly. Place fish in oven for about 14 minutes depending on the thickness of the fillet, until just cooked through.
Meanwhile combine mango, lime juice, sugar and a pinch of salt in a blender and puree until smooth. Bring mango mixture to a simmer in a small saucepan over medium low heat, cooking for about 5 minutes.
To serve, plate each serving with a scoop of coconut rice topped with a fish fillet and a couple of tablespoons of mango sauce alongside.
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