Sonia Tastes Hawaii

Bamboo Shoots & Our 'Yard Salad' with Fresh Bamboo Shoots

Bamboo is a grass.  That was news to me.   I knew you could eat the bamboo shoots or young canes, as I've eaten the canned varieties many times, but did not know what to look for or how to harvest or prepare them. 

This stand of bamboo is approximately 30 feet around and about 60-70 feet tall.  If I were to stand beside it, I would be dwarfed!  This shot was taken from about half-way up our driveway looking down.

There is a huge clump of bamboo growing at the bottom of the driveway and a friend comes every so often to harvest the new shoots.  When he was here a few days ago, I asked him to show me what to look for and how to prepare it.  Patrick was very helpful and I finally prepared and tasted fresh bamboo shoots for the first time.

Bamboo shoot coming out of the ground - not quite ready to harvest yet.  The shoots are harvested when they are approximately 2 weeks old.

According to one of the sources I checked, bamboo shoots are high in fiber, are a good source of potassium and contain very few calories (one cup of half-inch long slices contain only 14 calories) and hardly any fat, making it an ideal source of food.

Bamboo shoot after cutting and before peeling. 

Starting to peel

Trimming the bottom end

In the kitchen - peeling and trimming as I cut.  When you start peeling, there is a shiny pink layer of 'skin' similar to the skin on new ginger.  This layer needs to be trimmed off.

I sliced some of the shoot to make scalloped bamboo shoots and I cut some julienne style for our salad.

Most bamboo shoots need to be cooked before they are eaten.  There are some varieties I will mention below that can be eaten raw (*).  The internet sources I found said to cook the shoots for about 20 minutes.  Patrick told me they cook it for 1 hour.  I opted for safe I also cooked mine for an hour.

I rinsed them in cold water after cooking, drained and stored in a lidded-plastic container in the refrigerator until ready to use.  The cooked shoots can also be drained and frozen. 

The bamboo shoot can be stored in the refrigerator, raw while still whole and unpeeled.  Just place in the vegetable crisper drawer, but for no longer than two weeks as it then starts developing a bitter taste.  The site recommends keeping it away from sunlight as much as possible since that can also make it taste bitter.

Our Fresh Bamboo 'Yard Salad'

We call it our 'yard salad' since everything in it, except for the chevre, came from our yard.  This salad varies, depending on what is available to pick in the garden at the time.

The salad pictured above consisted of whole Malabar spinach leaves, whole Okinawan spinach leaves and a chiffonade of Dawn Dewa spinach leaves.  Chiffonade of Italian or sweet basil, leaves of lemon basil; ruffled and plain purple basil; snippets of flat or Italian parsley leaves;  the little top knot of pineapple sage; snipped chives; whole mizuna leaves, and another salad leaf I can't identify.  I added some seeded and sliced purple peppers and some seeded rounds of banana pepper.   To add color, I sprinkled the petals from both one yellow and one orange marigold.  I added the cooked, julienne bamboo shoots and about a tablespoon size piece of chevre.

We used a vinaigrette I make with white vinegar, garlic cloves and ginger slices.  It is so easy to make I never let this one run out!

(*) According to Barry, one of my sources from a tropical plant group in which I'm a member, he grows two varieties that can be eaten raw.

Nastus elatus and Dendrocalamus brandesil.

He says he likes to use them, raw in salads with much the same ingredients as one would find in the Thai version of Green Papaya Salad.  Replace the fresh, thinly shredded bamboo shoots for the green papaya.  He also says that fresh palm hearts and Peach Palm (Bactris gasipaes) will work in this dish as well.

The owner-moderator of that group, Mike V. said he thinks the P. dulcis, iirc variety of bamboo can also be eaten raw.  Another good edible variety according to Mike V. is Vivax, though he thinks it is best cooked.

For more information or if interested in joining click on the Taro and Ti  group.

Guava Shells in Syrup - Cascos de Guayaba

The skies have taken a deeper shade of blue with streaks of spidery gossamer clouds lazily drifting way above us like long, thin ribbons of white gauze. This time of year, the intoxicating and permeating aroma of fermenting guavas on the sides of the road follow us on trips up and down the Hamakua coastline.

Yes, definitely, fall is in the air... This is the time of year where I start thinking about making guava shells in syrup. 

Guava shells in syrup is a typical and very simple dessert or merienda (mid-afternoon snack)  in my native Cuba and South Florida, where it is usually found already canned.  Since I could not find it here on grocery shelves I decided to experiment and see if I could make them the way I remembered them.   Success!

Combination of both red and white guavas, peeled and seeded - the bowl on right contains the seeds and peels which will be used for maramalade

Guava Shells in Syrup - Cascos de Guayaba

Gather nice, yellow, unblemished guavas.  Wash and trim ends.   Peel, making
sure to peel thinly, since you want as much of the shell as possible.   Cut in
halves and, with a spoon, scoop out the seedy center.   Reserve these centers
and the peelings for later use.

For the syrup:

For every cup of water, use one cup of sugar.

Bring to boil in a large saucepan or pot.   When it starts to boil, drop a few guava
shells in and let them boil, for about 5 to 10 minutes on each side (depends on thickness of the shells), or until they kind of fold into themselves.

 

Guava shells cooking in the syrup

Scoop out with a slotted spoon, and cook another batch of shells until all
shells are cooked.   To preserve:  place  the shells in clean, hot sterilized
jars, cover with the remaining hot syrup and seal.  Syrup will have turned a
beautiful ruby color.

They can be canned in jars following your favorite method, or stored in the refrigerator for a few days.

Serve as is, or better yet, with a slice of cream cheese or a scoop of fresh chevre (soft, creamy goat cheese)  or creme fraiche on the side.

Guava Marmalade
In the spirit of 'waste not', take the reserved peelings and the scooped-out centers of the guavas you prepared for shells, seeds and all.   Place them in a large saucepan or pot with an equal amount of sugar.   Do not add water.

Cook down at medium-low temperature until the mixture forms its own syrup. 
When it boils down to a nice syrupy consistency, place through a food mill, chinois
or medium mesh colander.   Discard the seeds and whatever chunky debris
remains.   If the marmalade is still too thin, you can cook down some more
until it reaches the consistency desired.

Uses for thin marmalade:
*Use as syrup, over pancakes, waffles, pound cake or ice cream.   
*Blend it with minced garlic and brush over chicken or pork to be grilled
or broiled.  This last is a favorite of ours.

These and several other recipes using guavas can be found in my Tropical Taste cookbook

Scallop Ceviche in Avocado Bowl

In Hawaii, it is called poke (poh-kay), in Cuba, where I was born, we call it by the Spanish name of ceviche.   

According to chef Sam Choy, our most recognized ambassador of all things Hawaiian, ceviche or poke originated in Chile several hundreds of years ago and slowly made it's way to Europe with the returning Spaniards and to the Pacific Islands by migration, first to Rapa Nui (Easter Island) and the Pitcairn Island (of Captain Blight and Mutiny on the Bounty fame), then on to Tahiti, where their version, containing coconut milk, is known as Poisson Cru (or raw fish) and from there traveled throughout the South Pacific. 

With variations, taking into consideration locally available ingredients, it eventually traveled to Polynesia, where the people who later populated the Hawaiian Islands brought with them the tradition of poke in their canoe travels wherever they settled.

By combining ingredients from several recipes I have come up with my own version of this traditional dish. According to the lack of leftovers every time I prepare this dish, it seems everyone enjoys it and think it is 'ono', Hawaiian for delicious!

This is a good dish to serve as appetizers and best eaten just barely 4 hours after mixing with the "cooking" juices. If there is much left over, drain and use in a quick stir-fry by adding to a few vegetables and serve with rice. If left in the lime juice too long, the little scallops will just shrink and not be as pretty nor appetizing and turn to mush.

6 pounds bay scallops
16 limes, juiced
2 large Maui or other sweet onion,  chopped fine
12 large garlic cloves, chopped fine
3 Habanero peppers, chopped very fine
2 red bell peppers, chopped fine
5 bunches green onions, chopped small, including some green
1 medium bundle flatleaf parsley, chopped
1/4 bundle cilantro leaves, chopped (*)
Sea salt, rock salt, Hawaiian or Kosher salt to taste
3 Tablespoons sugar, or to taste

Wash and drain scallops, check thoroughly and discard any bits of shell. Place back in refrigerator until ready to mix with the rest of the ingredients. Juice the limes and reserve.

Chop the sweet onions and garlic cloves together in a food processor or blender, or very fine with a good, sharp knife. Check to make sure all pieces of onion are chopped very small. Finely chop the Habanero peppers, making sure to wear plastic gloves. Chop the red bell peppers, the green onions and some of the green tops. You can chop the parsley and cilantro together and mix well.

Mix the onion and garlic with the Habanero and red bell peppers, add the chopped green onions and the parsley-cilantro mix.  Add the scallops and lime juice.  Salt to taste.  Add sugar, just enough to cut the acidity a bit. 

For this presentation I used avocado halves.  The salad is a combination of two different 'spinachs' growing in the yard.  The one with the purple underside is Okinawan Spinach.  The second green leaf is the Dawn Dewa or Mollucan Spinach, credited with healthy cholesterol lowering properties.  Add a few grape tomatoes from the garden and a light dressing that does not compete with the taste of the ceviche.

You can cut the recipe by half or even fourths.  The quantitity of ingredients needs to suit your taste, so play around with them to come up with the combination you like the best.

When serving a large group of people, I serve it in a large clear acrylic shell shaped bowl or my old clay paella dish.  For small dinner parties I use either small shell shaped bowls to be placed around the table or as in this presentation using an avocado half as an 'edible' serving bowl.

(*) instead of cilantro I sometimes add green edible limu or seaweeds to give it crunch.

GARDEN TIP: You can save all of the veggie trimmings, peels, discards, etc.  Put them in the blender with water.  You might have to do it in batches if you have too much.  Give them a whirl in the blender and use it to water and feed around your vegetable garden plants.  By using the blender you make the pieces so tiny that they will not attract vermin.

Roasted Tomato Sauce

Tomatoes are at their best right now.  If you are lucky enough to be growing your own so much better, but it's also nice to know and live close to a wonderful tomato farm.  Richard Ha and his family haven't been growing tomatoes all that long, but they have already made a name for themselves and their product is sought out by at least one well known Hawaii chef

I had saved a recipe found  in a magazine last year and decided to play with it.  We loved it so much that it has fast become a favorite. Easy, tasty and very versatile, the following roasted tomato sauce was used as a topping for appetizers, mixed with ground turkey (or beef) in lasagna, a pizza topping, grilled polenta and also as a filling for acorn squash.

Roasted Tomato Sauce

3-1/2 pounds fresh, ripe tomatoes
2 large onions, thinly sliced
1 head garlic, peeled and mashed with the flat part of a knife blade
10 small or 3 large carrots, peeled and cut in half, lengthwise or rounds, for the large ones.(*)
10 - 15 large fresh button type mushrooms, sliced
Dried oregano
Olive oil (*)
Hawaiian sea salt and freshly ground multicolored peppercorns
Bunch of fresh basil leaves

Preheat oven temperature to 425o F
Prepare tomatoes by coring tops and cut each in half..  I don't peel them and do use the seeds.

In a large roasting pan lined with foil, place the sliced onions first then layer the tomatoes on top, cut side down, add the rest of the veggies all in between tomatoes. Dribble with olive oil (I did not measure, but don't overdo it), and generously sprinkle with oregano, salt and ground pepper.

Roast for 1 hour, but check the tomatoes and carrots once at the half-hour mark to make sure the carrots get cooked in the juices. Cool the mixture and then process in batches in a food processor or blender with handfuls of fresh basil.

Yields approximately 5 1/2 cups. Store in tightly sealed container for up to a week in the refrigerator or can be frozen in batches in the freezer for up to 3 months.

The original source is in the Martha Stewart's Everyday Food magazine – September 2005 issue, but I made several adjustments and changes to the recipe to suit our taste.

(*) My notes:

*I sometimes don't use the carrots, and just adjust the rest of the ingredients.  The carrots impart a slight sweeter taste.

*I used an olive oil and garlic infusion made using 3 heads of garlic, peeled and mashed cloves and 1 liter of virgin olive oil.  Place in the crockpot and cook until garlic turned golden but not burned.  Fish out the garlic and use in garlic soup or something else.  Pour cooled infused olive oil back in bottle and refrigerate.

Crostini Appetizer

Slice French bread at a slant in rounds about 1/2-inch thick. Brush with some of the garlic infused olive oil. Spread about 1/4 inch of the roasted tomato sauce over the bread slice. Sprinkle with shredded mozzarella or your favorite cheese. Place in 425o F oven for about 5-8 minutes or until edges turn golden. Serve while hot.

Pizza Topping

Cover the top of the pizza dough or ready-made crust with a generous layer of the roasted tomato sauce. Cut bunches of fresh basil leaves into ribbons (a chiffonade) and spread over the sauce. Sprinkle with shredded mozzarella cheese – we used a mixed mozzarella with sun- dried tomatoes and basil – and bake until done.

Grilled Polenta with Roasted Tomato Sauce

I bought a package of polenta, which comes in a sleeve. Cut it in 1/2-inch rounds, coat with a brushing of olive oil and place on hot grill. Grill on both sides until golden.

Place polenta rounds on your plate and cover with a tablespoonful of the heated roasted tomato sauce. Top with freshly grated Parmegiano Romano cheese and serve with a salad of fresh greens or on a bed of the greens.

Stuffed and Baked Acorn Squash
Wonderful as a main entrée if using meat or a side dish when not.

3 acorn squash
1/2-cup fresh bread crumbs
1/4-cup celery, finely chopped
1 Tablespoon fresh basil, minced
1 cup roasted tomato sauce
1/4-cup water
1 pound ground beef or turkey (optional)

Preheat oven at 350o F.

Wash the squash and cut in half lengthwise. Remove seeds and pith and cut off a small section on the rounded part, but not enough to cut into the yellow. Place squash with the cavity side down, on an oiled baking pan and bake for 30 minutes, or until almost tender.

Meanwhile, if using the ground meat, brown it in a large skillet. Drain off excess fat. Stir in breadcrumbs, celery, basil, roasted tomato sauce and water. Toss lightly to combine. Fill the squash halves with the mixture. Place in a shallow pan and return to oven to bake between 25 to 30 minutes or until heated through. Yield: 6 servings

Sonia's Note: If not using meat, stir the breadcrumbs, basil, celery and water into the roasted tomato sauce and then fill the squash.  I have also used it with roasted butternut squash

A nice added touch can be ground raw macadamia nuts sprinkled on top before baking the second time.