Hawaiian Tuna Poke-- Real Onolicious Grinz

Tuna poke w/Hawaiian kettle chips for crunch

The first time I ever tried Hawaiian poke (pronounced pokē) was in Kona on the Big Island of Hawaii. We were there because my husband, Tim, had qualified for the Ford Ironman World Championships which, as you can imagine, is a story in and of itself. Much of our first week was spent resting and relaxing before the race since, as some of you may or may not know, Ironman Hawaii is a grueling 2.4 mile ocean swim, followed by a 112-mile bike and finally, a full 26.2 mile marathon. It's an all-day intensely grueling race in unbearable heat and is not for the faint of heart, so anyone who dares to compete in it (a la my hubby) must monitor their diet and rest accordingly (which meant for us, no raw fish goodies).

Tim starting 26.2 miles after 112 mile bike. He so crazy.

After the race was another story. In addition to consuming plenty of Kona Longboards, Tim was free to indulge in plenty of local cuisine (a.k.a local kine), and in addition to gobs of sushi, bulgogi, adobo, Kalua pork, Spam musubi, lau lau, pancit noodles, even the infamous loco moco, a heart-attack inducing combination of two fried eggs, two fried meat patties, resting atop rice and mayonnaisy mac salad that's then smothered in gravy, we ate loads of tuna poke.

Poke is a Hawaiian pupu (or appetizer) consisting of diced raw tuna, shoyu, fresh grated ginger, onions (Maui onions and green onions) and sesame oil. There are numerous variations to this basic theme including the addition of ogo (seaweed), furikake (a seaweed and dried fish combo), kukui nuts, wasabi, masago, mayo...the list goes on and on. Even better, poke can be found anywhere and everywhere, from grocery stores to gas stations, and this ain't half-ass road stop food. The poke we sampled as we drove all over the island was delightfully fresh with a creamy texture that only raw tuna can provide. It was positively addicting, especially when eaten with a bag of salty potato or taro chips.

Naturally, really fresh sushi-grade tuna (preferably yellowfin) is essential since this dish is 100 percent raw, so opt for the best you can find. As far as other ingredients go, you can use your imagination or reference legendary Hawaiian Chef Sam Choy's book simply titled Poke which is chock full of poke recipes, and not just tuna. Chef Choy includes an array of versions, from lobster poke to steak poke.

To really enjoy this Hawaiian delicacy, have yourself a poke party and throw in a couple of tuna maki, spicy tuna and avocado rolls for good measure. It's a light, fun-to-make, summery meal that gets everyone involved. Scroll down for a basic poke recipe and feel free to make it your own with the addition of nuts, seaweed, red chiles, avocado, even chopped Hanover tomato. It's totally up to you.

 Classic Hawaiian Poke

(Serves 2)

1/2 pound sushi-grade tuna, cubed

2 tablespoons soy sauce or shoyu

2 tablespoons green onion, minced

2 tablespoons sweet onion, diced

1 tablespoon dark sesame oil

1/2 tablespoon freshly grated ginger

Dash of garlic chile sauce

1 tablespoon toasted sesame

                                                      Hawaiian red sea salt*, to taste

Mix all ingredients except sea salt in a medium-sized bowl. Cover and refrigerate for two hours. Spoon poke into martini glasses with a sprinkle with sea salt. Garnish with Hawaiian kettle chips or taro chips.

*If you can get your hands on real Hawaiian sea salt, do so. If not, any coarse sea salt will do.

All photos and text ©2011 Fatback and Foie Gras. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission Pin It Now!

Gone Fishing!

We're busting out our saltwater poles and heading to the shore.  If we're lucky, our catch will look something like this:

or this:

Only the inshore/offshore fishing gods know for sure.

In the meantime, keep an eye out for a couple of recipes and, of course, plenty of tall fishing tails! Pin It Now!

All Hail the Salad Nicoise

Photo Kendra Bailey Morris

So, last night's dinner consisted of the above-- locally grown green beans and potatoes, Hanover tomatoes, a couple of boiled eggs and a big jar of Spanish bonito tuna soaked in olive oil. A crusty baguette and a hunk of my favorite European-style butter, Plugra, rounded out the perfect meal for yet another searing day in ole Virginney.

My first love affair with this blanched and lightly dressed composed salad was as a culinary student at the Institute of Culinary Education in NYC. As we learned about blanching techniques and how to properly emulsify a vinaigrette, I couldn't help but feel rather Julia Childish in a newbie French kinda way. (By the way, Julia Child's recipe for salad nicoise is one of my all-time favs.) A classically prepared nicoise is a gorgeous salad with all its components gently mounded in the their proper place, all glistening with olive oil and minced fresh herbs.

I fell in love the nicoise all over again while visiting Grand Case Beach in French St. Martin. One afternoon, while sipping a crisp and lovely Aime Roquesante Cotes De Provence at a seaside brassiere, I ordered this little gem (along with a cheese and onion crisp bread pizza).

Photo Kendra Bailey Morris

As you can see, this salad, unlike the photo above it, is not composed but rather layered and tossed. The beauty of the salad nicoise is that, basically, you can make it however you want. As long as your foundation ingredients are there-- tuna, boiled eggs, tomatoes, green beans, potatoes, anchovies and of course, nicoise olives, the rest is up to you.

The salad I enjoyed in St. Martin incorporated onions, artichokes, even a bit of sprouts for garnish. I've enjoyed the nicoise with boquerones (white anchovies), freshly seared tuna instead of canned, capers, even pimentos, and with each variation, I relished each bite. What's important is not your chosen ingredients, but rather the method by which they are prepared.

Blanching is essential as the nicoise is typically not a raw salad per se. Carefully blanching your green beans, scoring and lightly boiling your tomatoes, and of course, cooking your potatoes and eggs are a must. Then, there's the vinaigrette. My favorite combination is classically French, and incorporates Dijon mustard, shallots, a little garlic, tarragon vinegar and lots of quality olive oil along with some fresh herbs (whatever I've got growing).

Finally, there's the tuna. I've seared it fresh on the grill, and I've poured it straight from the can, but every time I made sure the tuna was of the highest quality. The tuna in this dish is designed to shine. It's the star of the platter, so don't skimp here. If you're using canned, invest in imported tuna packed in olive oil, such as Italian or Spanish. Skip the Chicken of the Sea, even if it's packed in oil because it's probably low quality vegetable oil. Live a little and pay the extra couple of bucks to get the good stuff.

As the heat continues to rise (Lord knows it's been miserable in the Mid-Atlantic) consider this light refreshing meal as an alternative to firing up your oven, and if you can get a hold of a nice bottle of rose and a freshly baked baguette, you can spend the evening imagining your someplace else, perhaps a little cafe in St. Martin or a seaside patio along the French Riveria. Pin It Now!