Recipe: Hawaiian Seafood Festival Competition recipes

These are the four 1st prize winning recipes from salad, soup, appetizer and entree (main course) category from Hawaii Seafood Festival Competition. Quite interesting.

1ST PRIZE IN THE SALAD CATEGORY:

GRILLED LEHI AND WAIMANALO MIXED GREENS WITH OGO LEMONGRASS VINAIGRETTE
Rene B. Caba, Chef Garde Manger and Glen Yagyagan, Pantry,
Hau Tree Lanai Restaurant, The New Otani Kaimana Beach Hotel
Makes 3 servings

6 Hawaiian lehi fillets (1 oz. each)
Lehi Marinade (recipe follows)
6 papaya wedges (1/2 oz. each)
1 1/2 ounces roma tomato, sliced
1 1/2 ounces Japanese cucumber, sliced
3 ounces Waimanalo mixed greens
3 fried leeks (1/4 oz. each)
Ogo Lemongrass Vinaigrette (recipe follows)

Marinate lehi fillets in Lehi Marinade for 30 minutes. Mark marinated fillets on grill and cook to desired doneness. Set papaya wedges, tomato and cucumber slices on three plates in a semicircular pattern. Place Waimanalo mixed greens in the center. Top with grilled lehi fillet and fried leeks. Drizzle with Ogo Lemongrass Vinaigrette.

LEHI MARINADE

1/2 cup olive oil
1/2 ounce green onion, chopped
2 teaspoons, minced garlic
1 tablespoon minced lemongrass
1 tablespoon chopped ogo
Juice of 1/2 a lemon
1 tablespoon fish sauce (Tiparos)
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes

Combine all the ingredients in a plastic zip-lock bag and mix well.

OGO LEMONGRASS VINAIGRETTE

6 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
1 teaspoon minced lemongrass
1/2 teaspoon minced garlic
1/2 teaspoon minced shallots
1 tablespoon chopped ogo
1 tablespoon olive oil (Bertolli Extra Virgin)
2 teaspoons sugar
2 teaspoons honey
1 teaspoon black and white sesame seeds
Salt and pepper to taste

In a bowl combine vinegar, lemongrass, garlic, shallots and ogo; blend thoroughly. Slowly beat in olive oil, mixing constantly. Add sugar and honey. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

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1st prize in soup category:

HAWAIIAN STYLE FISHERMAN'S SOUP WITH POACHED HAPU'UPU'U
Alfred Cabacungan, Chef, Marina Grill
Makes 2 servings.

12 ounces Fisherman's Soup (recipe follows)
1 potato, peeled and sliced
2 Hawaiian hapu'upu'u fillets (3 oz. each)
garnish:
6 sprigs Italian parsley
1 ounce fried leeks
12 garlic croutons
Aioli Sauce (recipe follows)

In a stockpot bring Fisherman's Soup to a simmer. Add potato and cook until tender. Poach hapu'upu'u in soup. When ready to serve divide soup between two soup plates and pour hot Fisherman's Soup over fish. Garnish with Italian parsley and fried leeks. Sprinkle with garlic croutons and add a dollop of Aioli Sauce.

FISHERMAN'S SOUP

1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
1 medium Maui onion, chopped
2 Kula tomatoes, chopped
1 fennel bulb, julienned
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 pound fish bones and scraps
2 tablespoons tomato paste
5 cups cold water
1/4 teaspoon saffron powder (optional)
1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon white pepper

In a large stockpot heat olive oil and sweat onion, tomatoes, fennel and garlic. Add bones and fish scraps and sautee for 5 minutes. Add tomato paste and cook for about 5 minutes. Add water and bring to a boil; skim. Simmer for 45 minutes to an hour, replacing water as liquid reduces. Add saffron, cayenne pepper, salt and white pepper. Press through a fine sieve; strain.

AIOLI SAUCE

1/8 teaspoon garlic pureed in olive oil
1 egg yolk
1/16 teaspoon salt
Pinch of cayenne pepper
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

Combine garlic puree, egg yolk, salt and cayenne pepper; beat well. Slowly add olive oil and beat constantly, until sauce thickens.

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1st prize in Appetizer Category:

STEAMED MONCHONG "SUI MAI STYLE" WITH TOMATILLO PUREE
Wong F. Keng, Sous Chef,
Canoes Restaurant, Ilikai Hotel Nikko Waikiki
Makes 2 servings

8 ounce Hawaiian monchong fillet (skin off)
2 teaspoons fish sauce
Pinch ground white pepper
4 drops sesame oil
2 teaspoons soy sauce (Kikkoman Lite)
1 tablespoon minced garlic
1 whole dried bean curd (about 1/8 oz.)
4 pieces wakame (seaweed)
2 ounces shiitake mushrooms, julienned
1 ounce young ginger root, julienned
2 ounces carrot, julienned
2 ounces Tomatillo Puree (recipe follows)
3 ounces brut champagne (or your own preference)
1 ounce ogo, rinsed and chopped
garnish:
1/2 ounce black caviar
1/2 ounce tobikko (flying fish roe)
8 each edible flowers
2 sprigs ogo

Cut monchong fillet into sticks 1/4-inch x 4-inches. Combine fish sauce, white pepper, sesame oil, soy sauce and garlic and marinate fish for one hour. Soak whole dried bean curd in water until soft; remove and pat dry.

Cut bean curd into four pieces about 1 1/2-inches x 6-inches long. Rinse wakame in water and cut into pieces about 5-inches long. Place 2 ounces monchong sticks, 1/2 oz. shiitake mushrooms, 1/4 ounce ginger and 1/2 ounce carrot on each bean curd and roll it tight. Tie a knot with a piece of wakame to secure the packet. Prepare a steamer for the siu mai.

Prepare Tomatillo Puree and chill. Combine champagne and ogo in a blender and puree. Stir into Tomatillo Puree before serving. Place two Monchong Siu Mai on a plate. Drizzle with Tomatillo Puree. Garnish with caviar, tobikko, edible flowers and ogo.

TOMATILLO PUREE

12 each tomatillos, peeled and cut in half
2 cloves garlic
1/2 green chili pepper, chopped
16 ounces brut champagne (or your own preference)
1 sprig cilantro (Chinese parsley), chopped

Combine all ingredients in a stockpot and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 20 minutes. Remove from heat and let cool. Place in blender and blend until smooth; then strain. Serve chilled or at room temperature.

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Entree/Main Course Category:

MARINATED MONGCHONG WITH WASABI AIOLI AND CILANTRO OIL
Thomas E. Lohman, Executive Chef, Palm Cafe
Makes 1 serving

1/2 cup red wine vinegar
1/4 cup safflower oil
1/3 cup oyster sauce
1 1/4 tablespoons sugar
1 teaspoon fresh ground pepper
4 tablespoons minced ginger
6 ounce Hawaiian mongchong fillet
1/4 cup vegetables of your choice
1 tablespoon butter
1 teaspoon Wasabi Aioli (recipe follows)
1 teaspoon Cilantro Oil (recipe follows)
Crispy Ogo Potato Cake (recipe follows)
garnish:
1/4 teaspoon black sesame seeds

Combine red wine vinegar, oil, oyster sauce, sugar, pepper and ginger; blend well. Marinate mongchong in marinade for four hours. Remove fish and sautee; reserve marinade. Sautee vegetables in butter. Place vegetables in center of plate. Drizzle plate with Wasabi Aioli and Cilantro Oil. Place sauteed mongchong on top of vegetables. Place one Crispy Ogo Potato Cake on top of fish and sprinkle with black sesame seeds.

WASABI AIOLI

2 tablespoons nonfat mayonnaise
1 teaspoon lime juice
1/3 teaspoon soy sauce
1 teaspoon wasabi

Combine all ingredients; blend well. Place in squeeze bottle and reserve.

CILANTRO OIL

2 cups cilantro, leaves only
1 cup safflower oil
1/4 teaspoon salt

Place cilantro and oil in a glass jar. Place on windowsill and let steep for 2 to 3 weeks. For a stronger flavored oil repeat step with fresh cilantro. Strain through cheesecloth. Season to taste with salt. Reserve.

CRISPY OGO POTATO CAKE
Makes 4

1 medium russet potato
2 ounces ogo
1 tablespoon safflower oil

Peel potato and shred on turning slicer. Soak in water to remove starch from potato. Place in a small skillet. Layer ogo between potato. Saute in oil until crisp; reserve.