Tomato, Sashimi, Avocado Salad with Pesto & Chevre

I was asked to make a guest appearance at the Kino'ole Street Farmers Market in Hilo yesterday.  Yesterday was a special day also for the Kino'ole Market because it was celebrating being open for 2 years and has grown from a handfull of vendors to anywhere from 20 to 25 on any given Saturday

This market is known for vendors that sell their own farm grown produce or locally made products...no imports...so when I'm requested to make a guest appearance doing a food demo, I always try to demonstrate dishes made with as many ingredients grown or produced locally.

For this past Saturday, I chose to make a dish that can be served as a main entree for a brunch or luncheon or it can be made into a smaller version and served as a salad with a meal.

Tomato, Sashimi, Avocado Salad with Pesto & Chevre

Ripe tomatoes slices

Ripe avocadoes wedges or slices

'Ahi Sashimi (*)

Pesto

Chevre (goat cheese)

Chopped and toasted macadamia nuts

Sprigs of watercress for garnish

 

(*) Crab meat, tuna, chicken or smoked salmon can be used instead if you wish.

 

I made the pesto at home using 3 different varieties of basil; Thai, Italian Sweet and a basil I found that was called Cuban Basil, but I was not familiar with it before I bought the plant. 

 

To make the pesto:

Take 4-5 bunches of basil, leaves and stems

Olive oil that I previously enfused with garlic (**)

Chopped and toasted macadamia nuts

Freshly grated Parmesan (Parmigiano Reggiano) cheese

Salt & freshly ground pepper to taste (optiona)

 

Place all ingredients in the blender or food processor and process until smooth.

 

(**) To infuse the oil with garlic, I empty a whole bottle of Extra Virgin Italian Olive Oil in the bowl of my crock pot turned down to low.  Add the peeled and sliced cloves of a whole head of garlic.  Let cook until garlic starts turning slightly beige.  Skim the garlic out and save for other uses (we love mashing it and spreading on bruschetta) - when cool, pour the oil back into bottle.

 

 

In serving dish place a slice of tomato, top with sliced avocado and sashimi, drizzle with pesto add a teaspoon or so of creamy goat cheese (chevre) and sprinkle with the chopped and toasted macadamia nuts.  Give it a twist of the pepper mill if desired and top with a sprig of watercress.  Place another sprig or two of watercress by the side.

 

The tomatoes were furnished compliments of the Hamakua Springs Country Farms in Pepe'ekeo; the watercress by Berger's Kama'aina Farms in Mountain View and the avocadoes from Volcano Isle Fruit Company in Pahoa.  Many mahalos!

 

The goat cheese I used is locally made (Lava Rock Puna Goat Cheese in Kurtistown) but the farmer does not sell at the Kino'ole Market.

 

 

 

If you live in Hilo or nearby and haven't visited the Kino'ole Farmers Market yet, please make it a point to do so. 

 

Kino'ole Farmers Market

1990 Kinoole Street, and corner of Kahaopea Street

Open 7 AM to Noon - Saturdays only

 

Plenty of parking and paved grounds - no mud even when it rains!

 

If interested in selling at the market, please call Rusty at 938-4545 or through dperry@papayas.net

 

Other writings about the Kino'ole Farmers Market:

TROPICAL TASTE - Chicken Salad in Papaya Boat & Papaya Smoothies

Tropical Ambrosia

Demo at the Farmers Market

Traipsing through a new Farmers Market 

(c) Sonia R. Martinez

Comments

[Sonia]

A whole website about Italian olive oil.....how wonderful!
Thank you for your comments, Nova

[Nova]

Just a great article there is nothing like fresh natural vegtables, and I agree gourmet olive oil with crushed garlic tastes amazing especially with some mixed herb, but i find adding mixed herbs is better for a meat dish rather than a vegtable dish

http://www.italianoliveoilblog.com/