Hawaiian dinner brings out beauty of the tropics
Bringing a bit of the Aloha Spiritto your summer picnic or patio table isn’t so hard, even if you don’t have sea breezes, sand and ocean as backdrop. Recently, after a wonderful Hawaiian vacation to visit family, my first trip to the dreamy islands, I conjured up a taste of the tropics for a gathering.
On my wish list for our visit was to eat fresh seafood every day. That wish was granted, and wow, did I relish every bite. The Mahi-Mahi and Ono (Wahoo) dishes I had were outstanding, and the Onaga, or long-tailed red snapper, at the acclaimed Mama’s Fish House was truly amazing.
Mahi is not hard to find in Wisconsin, so I chose to go with that for the Hawaiian get-together. A Mahi that boasts potato “scales” by Chef Geno Sarmiento, who oversees several restaurants on Maui, seemed like a fun thing to try. It also looked like fairly easy prep, and that’s what home cooks need for our short summer season!
The islands are famous for all sorts of great food, including mangoes and macadamias. Avocados are abundant, and our niece Jen and husband Aaron who live there, have an avocado tree outside their home. It’s impossible to eat up the entire harvest, so they give lots away to friends and neighbors. They cooked up a great Ono dinner, which we relished as we gazed upon the lush green upland vista and aqua sea beyond — almost surreal.
A summery chopped salad that combines mango, avocado and crushed macadamias with arugula is a perfect accompaniment to the Mahi/potato entrée. Every bite will taste like the islands. This tropical and crunchy combo would also make a great summer meal on its own topped with grilled chicken or shrimp.
Another local chef who’s honed his reputation at many reputable island eateries is Anton Haines, and his choconutty-date dessert tops off this menu. Dense and rich with a dollop of tangy crème fraiche, it’s a sumptuous treat that tastes like it should be more work than it is to prepare.
Maui Winery is the source of a delicious tropical drink that rounded the island meal out. This sangria calls for pineapple wine from mauiwine.com or you can find pineapple wine at Total Wine. My daughter worked on Maui Winery this past spring, and she describes the wine as bright and fruity — refreshingly crisp, but not as sweet as you’d expect. If you can’t get pineapple wine, she suggested a Chenin Blanc or Sauvignon Blanc as a substitute.
The welcoming Aloha Spirit will be certainly be present with a pineapple and Hawaiian fruit centerpiece. And if you can, look for some extra large leaves, such as hosta or mullein from your garden to place underneath serving dishes.
Hawaiian hula dancers and Tiki bar hut are optional.
Amy DeWall Dadmun is a Milwaukee area food and garden writer. Email her at amydadmun@gmail.com.