Rustic "Quiche"

This is a perfect dish for brunch or a light breakfast. I called it a "quiche" because it basically incorporates the same ingredients and didn't know what else to name it. Enjoy! ^_^

Ingredients:

Won Ton Pi
Eggs
Herbs (dried or fresh)
Milk or Cream
Cheese (I prefer Gouda or Feta)
Cracked Pepper

Fillings:
Sautéed veggies of your choice
Cooked meats *optional* (I always prefer vegetarian)

Preheat oven to 350°
Spray a cupcake tin and put won ton pi inside.
Bake for 10-15 mins

While cups are baking, sauté veggies and or meat.
Careful to not to over cook them since they will cook a little more in the oven.

Take out the cupcake tins and fill with filling about halfway full.
Top with cheese.

Whisk together eggs, milk, herbs, and pepper.
Spoon the mixture into cups and bake another 15-20 minutes.

Take out of the oven and let cool 5-10 minutes before taking them out of the tins to serve.

*Side note (for Pohai)

Since you don't like eggs. I would try mashing some soft tofu mixed with cheese and veggies and then bake it. You should get the same texture :)

Seared Ahi over Sauteed Kale

This recipe is one of the easiest meals you could make. It is quick, healthy, and versatile.

Ingredients:

• Ahi
• Kale
• Mushrooms (whatever you prefer)
• Sesame Oil
• Olive Oil
• Sriracha Mayo
• Chopped Green Onions

You can also add or substitute into this recipe:

• Spinach
• Arugula
• Bell Peppers
• Onions
• Carrots

Directions:

1. Sauté mushrooms until browned and then add the kale (be careful to not over cook the kale, it will finish cooking on its own)
2. Transfer the veggies to your serving dish and drizzle some of the sesame oil over
3. Sear ahi in olive oil 
4. Put ahi on kale and drizzle Sriracha on it and top with the green onions
5. Bon appétit! 

Toasted Naan with Smoked Salmon and Arugula

So a few weeks ago I was in Las Vegas visiting my family and decided to make a special dinner for my sister since we hardly see each other in person now-a-days. This was the appetizer for the meal. It pairs perfect with a Pinot Grigio or Chardonnay.

Ingredients:

• Naan
• Smoked Salmon
• Arugula
• Fresh Cracked Pepper
• Ricotta Cheese
• Green Onion or Chives or Fresh Dill
• Sour Cream (just a little)
• Lemon

Directions:

1. Toast naan in your toaster or oven
2. Mix ricotta, cream, and herbs and spread over naan
3. Lay salmon on cheese
4. Squeeze lemon over salmon
5. Top with arugula
6. Crack pepper over arugula
7. Cut and serve

So its the middle of April and this is my first post of 2014?

Like the title says, this is my first post of this new year. What can I say? Much has happened. School has been going good, work has been amazing, I have been in such a positive mood that I donʻt really know how or when I started to feel this way. It is a plus though so I am not complaining. Though my life has been going good, I havenʻt really spent that much time in the kitchen, life has been keeping me busy. But I will not bore you, this was just an update and will go back to posting recipes soon.

Leftover salmon or poke? *recipe is possible to make vegetarian

For some reason, we almost always end up with leftover poke (you can freeze poke and defrost it) and sometimes salmon. We have always eaten tofu patties due to us following the Seventh-Day Adventist faith, but we have also when at home, had tofu patties with fish or as we call it, Aku/Ahi Hash. These hash go good as a pupu, a main course or side dish, it doesn't matter. They are always good! I will have 3 recipes below that you can easily add in leftover fish so that it doesn't waste.

Fish Hash

• Ingredients:
• 1-2 firm tofu (or extra firm)
• Chopped onion & water chestnut (optional)
• Grated carrot
• Eggs
• Panko
• Leftover poke or salmon chopped to small cubes (leave out if you want to keep it vegetarian)
• Directions:
• Mix all top ingredients together until you are able to form them into patties
• Fry in a pan until golden brown on each side
• Let cool slightly on paper towels to get rid of excess oil
• Garnish with chopped green onion
• Serve with a sweet chili aioli (sweet chili sauce and mayo) or wasabi-mayo

Fried Poke Won Ton or Man doo

• Ingredients:
• Won ton or Man doo pi
• Leftover poke chopped small
• Chopped Kim Chee or Water chestnuts (for crunch and is optional)
• Directions:
• Mix together poke with kim chee or water chestnuts
• Spoon onto pi and seal 
• Deep fry until golden brown
• Serve with hot mustard and shoyu

Salmon Hash (different from aku/ahi hash)

• Ingredients:
• Salmon
• Mashed potatoes (another food you can freeze and defrost to use later)
• Corn starch or flour
• Directions:
• Mix together salmon and potatoes
• Form into patties
• Coat with corn starch or flour
• Pan fry until desired crispiness on the outside (I like mine very burnt an almost black)

Enjoy!

-L

Let's throw a brunch!

To be honest, I really enjoy having brunch on Sunday mornings. With that being "said", I thought I would share my ideas on what I consider to be the perfect brunch menu.

The Food:

Eggs (scrambled normally) *My version of vegetable soufflé and eggs florentine below
Biscuits (American) or Scones (English) 

• Served with jams or jellies (or lemon curd if you have)

Breakfast Meats (bacon, sausage, links, etc.)
Fruit or Fruit Salad (apple, pear, strawberry, blueberry, banana, or papaya) *Easy recipe below
Cheese (brie is my favorite)
Lox and Bagels or Toast (baguette or any european type loaf)

• Serve with a dill cream cheese, sliced tomatoes & red onion and capers

Vegetarian Fried Rice

Drinks:

Mimosa (Champagne or Prosecco)
Orange Juice
Guava Juice
Moscato d'Asti
Coffee
Variety of Tea (green, chamomile, peppermint, any herbal tea, etc.)

Table Setting:

• When possible, use real plates (especially if you have enough for everyone). I find plastic/paper to be tacky and it isn't eco-friendly.
• Glass flutes for the first four drinks mentioned above
• Coffee mugs and Tea Cups

Recipes:

Vegetable Soufflé 

• Ingredients:
• 7 eggs at room temperature
• 1/4-1/2 cup of heavy cream or milk
• any assortment of veggies
• spinach, kale, mushroom, bell pepper, tomato (fresh or sun dried), eggplant, zucchini, etc.
• fresh or dried herbs 
• rosemary, dill, basil, oregano, etc.
• cheese (feta or parmesan) 
• Directions:
1. Pre-heat oven to 350º
2. Spray a large (6 cup) muffin tin with Pam™
3. Grate or chop your veggies and layer them in the tins
4. Top with cheese
5. Whip together the eggs, creams, and herb
6. Spoon it into the tins
7. Bake until the eggs rise and are golden brown on top

Eggs Florentine

• Ingredients:
• 1 egg per person (I always add a few more just in case anyone wants seconds)
• Frozen spinach (enough to cover the bottom of the pan at least 1/4-1/2 in.)
• chopped onion & garlic
• Directions:
1. Pre-heat oven to 375º
2. Spray a 9 x 13 with Pam™ (bigger or smaller on the pan as need be)
3. Sauté chopped onion and garlic with salt
4. Microwave spinach, squeeze out excess water and add to onion and garlic
5. Pour into 9 x 13 and make wells for the eggs
6. Crack eggs into well
7. Crack fresh black pepper and sprinkle paprika over eggs
8. Bake for 15-20 mins 
• Longer or shorter depending how you want your eggs

Fruit Salad

This has to be the easiest fruit salad you will ever make. The recipe is:

• Ingredients:
• Any kind of fruit you want (get creative and add in fruit you may not normally eat by itself)
• Can guava concentrate
• Directions:
• Cut fruit into bite size pieces and add to bowl
• If using bananas, add last
• Pour guava over fruit and mix
• Serve cold and Enjoy

I hope you will enjoy having a brunch as much as I do. Also don't overthink the menu or stress out. Enjoy the company you are with because that is what's important.

-L

Green Papaya Salad

I would say that roughly every other Friday, I find myself in Chinatown (Honolulu) buying produce with my Puna because it is 90% of the time cheaper and almost always fresher than the grocery stores. Yesterday I found myself in Chinatown with Mother Dearest looking for vegetables for the ox-tail soup for dinner last night (ox-tail soup is one of my step-dads specialties and will appear on my blog if and when I ever master it). Going to one of my usual ladies, she had shredded green papaya by the cash register and over hearing my mom and I talking about it, told me exactly how to make it (to my surprise, one of the easiest recipes in the world). This recipe will be different because it doesn't have exact measurements, everything is according to taste and preference.

Ingredients:

Shredded Green Papaya
Pa'akai (hawaiian salt)
Fresh Garlic
Chili Pepper
Lime
Patis or any fish oil (optional if you want to keep this vegan/vegetarian)
Sugar
Chopped tomato

Directions:

• In a large bowl mash together salt and garlic with a pestle (I didn't have one so I improvised, main idea is to incorporate them together)
• Add Chili pepper and sugar and continue to mix
• Add a little more salt and the patis
• Add fresh lime juice and mix together
• Toss in papaya and mix well
• Add tomato (add more chili, salt, sugar, patis or lime if needed)
• The Aunty in Chinatown told me remember this when cooking, "You need 4 things in this dish, salty, sweet, sour, and spicy! Is real ono dat way."
• Enjoy

Here are some great toppers for the salad:

• Tofu (fried or regular)
• Sashimi (I had it with albacore this morning with little bit shoyu on top)
• Shrimp (cold)
• Chicken (seasoned with sea salt and asian herbs, grilled and chilled)

You can also toss in any kind of vegetables you prefer (ex. cucumbers, bell peppers, zucchini, onion, etc.)

This meal is very refreshing (and perfect for warmer days) and can either be served by itself for a meal or as an accompaniment to any asian meal (or here in Hawai'i any meal because we are not so anal about what is on the table). You can get very creative with this dish.

Bon appetite! 

-L