Wendell's Easy Sautéed Yama Imo

Wendell found this recipe on the RecipeTin Japan site.  It's pretty much just three ingredients - yama imo, shoyu and butter!  And it came out so tasty that he made it again for pupu for his softball team.

Ingredients 

• 300-350g Chinese mountain yam
• 1 tbsp butter
• 1 tbsp soy sauce
• Pepper (optional)

Garnish (optional)

• Chives cut into short pieces

Instructions

1. Peel mountain yam and slice it into 1cm thick discs.

2. Heat a large frying pan over medium heat and melt the butter.
3. Put the yam discs in the pan without overlapping.

4. Cook for 2½ – 3 minutes until the bottom of the yam pieces are browned.

5. Turn the yams over and cook further 2½ minutes until the bottom of the yams becomes browned.

6. Sprinkle pepper (if using) over the yam and add soy sauce.
7. Quickly turn the yam pieces over to coat both sides of the yam pieces with the soy sauce, then remove the pan from the heat.

8. Pile the sautéed yams on a serving plate, scatter the chopped chives over it.

Geri's Cream Cheese Caviar Spread

Landon looooves this spread.  My sister Geri has been making this for f-o-r-e-v-e-r.  I'm so glad that I realized (almost too late) that I never did blog about it.  So here it is with the recipe preserved for f-o-r-e-v-e-r.

 

 

Wendell's Dynamite Kim Chee Shrimp and Lup Cheong

This is a Foodland recipe.  Wendell chose to use aburage pouches instead of mushrooms to stuff.  He made it for his softball team.  It was a hit!

• 1 pound Crimini or Button mushrooms
• 3 ounces Lup cheong sausage
• 1/4 pound Kim Chee Shrimp Poke
• 1/2 cup Sriracha mayo
• 1/4 Yellow onion
• Salt & pepper, to taste

INSTRUCTIONS 

• Preheat oven to 350°F.
• Remove stems from mushrooms and bake bottom up for 15 minutes. This will render water content to ensure filling consistency. Gently drain mushrooms, season with salt and pepper, and let cool.
• Finely dice Lup Cheong and sauté. Let cool.
• Mince Kim Chee Shrimp Poke and finely dice onions.
• In a bowl, combine Kim Chee Shrimp, onions, lup cheong and sriracha mayo and mix thoroughly. Add salt and pepper to taste.
• Fill the mushrooms with filling and bake for another 10 minutes.
• Broil for 4 minutes and serve.
  
  

Wendell's Tazukuri

Wendell followed a recipe from Just One Cookbook to make this Candied Anchovies dish.  He tweaked the recipe by adding in a stalk of gobo, a hasu bulb and some dried shrimp.   He said that the softball guys "pounded um" (twice).

 

  

Cleta's Fried Garlic Peanuts

Cleta's peanut snack is soooo addicting.  Hard to stop eating.  I think the fried garlic pieces are my fave.

 

Here's an easy recipe from Recipes by Nora.

Ingredients

• 8 ounces raw, shelled peanuts, about 2 cups (see note)
• 1 cup neutral-flavored oil (see note)
• 8 cloves garlic thinly sliced
• Salt to taste

Instructions

• Rinse the raw peanuts under running water to remove excess dirt. Let them air-dry for about 10 minutes on a rimmed baking sheet or large tray. 
• In a wok, submerge the peanuts in cold neutral-flavored oil and set it to medium-low heat. Stir them constantly to prevent them from burning.
• When the oil starts bubbling, add the garlic. The garlic should brown in 3 to 5 minutes; the peanuts will be ready at that point.

  Peanuts cook differently depending on their size and oil temperature. When you start them in cold oil, they take between 6 and 10 minutes to cook.
• Once the peanuts and garlic turn lightly brown, turn off the heat. The residual heat will cook them further. It's okay to undercook them a bit, but overcooking will make them bitter.
• Remove peanuts and garlic from the oil and spread them on a baking sheet lined with paper towels. 
• Sprinkle the peanuts with salt while still warm. They will become crunchy as they cool.

Also, Cleta was inspired by Chef RV Manabat.

 

Pickled Korean Peppers

Landon is into chili peppers, so I was intrigued by these Korean Peppers at Palama Market a few weeks back and bought a bag for him.

They turned out to be only very mildly spicy and not too thrilling for Lan. I went online to see what I could do with them and decided that pickling them might be interesting.

 

I found a recipe at My Korean Kitchen site and made this. 

 

Lan remained unthrilled.  The taste was good to me, but since I'm not really into peppers I probably wouldn't make it again. 

 

• 1 pound Korean green peppers
• ▢ 1 cup shoyu 
• ▢ 1 cup water
• ▢ 3/4 cup apple cider vinegar
• ▢ 1/2 cup sugar

Instructions

• Rinse the pepper in cold running water. Chop into small 1-inch pieces.
• Combine the soy sauce, water, vinegar and sugar in a saucepan and boil until the sugar dissolves (about 5 mins) on medium high heat. Whisk occasionally. Remove the pan from the heat and cool it down (about 10 mins).
• Tightly stack the peppers (without crushing them) in a glass jar suitable for pickling then pour the brine over them. Seal the lid and leave it at room temperature for 24 hrs. Transfer the jar to the fridge. For small sized peppers, you can start eating them 72 hrs after making them. For larger sized peppers, you can start eating them one week after making them.

Wendell's Warabi Salad

Wendell had been wanting to make this ever since we ate some at a wedding reception awhile back.  I was finally able to find some warabi at the swap meet this past weekend.

He followed the recipe at the Keeping it Relle site.  It came out good . . . crunchy and very refreshing.

INGREDIENTS

• 1 pound pohole fiddlehead fern (warabi), cut into 1 inch pieces
• 1/2 sweet round onion, sliced
• 2 small roma tomatoes, diced
• 1/4 cup ika dried cuttlefish
• 1/4 cup dried shrimp
• 2 tablespoons shoyu
• 2 tablespoons rice wine vinegar
• 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
• 1 tablespoon sesame oil

INSTRUCTIONS

• Rinse warabi with clean running water and remove any small hair fibers on the shoots.
• In a medium bowl add ice and water to create an ice bath. Set aside.
• Place a large pot of water over high heat and heat until rolling boil. Add chopped pohole and blanch for 1-2 minutes. Remove pohole and place directly in the ice bath to stop the cooking process.
• To large bowl add pohole, onion, tomato, ika and shrimp and set aside.
• In a small bowl add shoyu, rice wine vinegar, sugar, and sesame oil. Mix to combine.
• Pour sauce over pohole and gently toss to combine. 

Crab/Clam Dip with Cream of Mushroom Soup

A few days ago I blogged about the Ranch Dip from Costco and mentioned that it reminded me of a dip that I used to make a looooong time ago.  cs commented and asked if I would provide the recipe, so here it is.  Maybe I'll actually make it again and can provide you with a photo . . . but don't hold your breath.   

It doesn't say so in the recipe, but I'm pretty sure you need to drain the can well because the dip was pretty thick.  I never did add anything more to make it fancy, but it was my go-to pot-luck dip, and people would usually ask for the recipe. 

Note:   Pal Fay asked if it needs to be cooked.  The answer is no, you just mix everything together.

 

Easy Ono Pupu

Wendell made a beautiful platter of cocktail sauce surrounded by imitation crab for an after softball game pupu, but I forgot to take a photo of it.  Instead I just have this picture of my sample piece.  Bah!

Landon liked it so much that he copied and brought it to a friends' gathering himself.

This is our favorite imitation crab.  It's from Chef Zone.

Landon's Stuffed Jalapeños

Landon halved some jalapeños, stuffed them with cream cheese, sprinkled on taco seasoning and wrapped them with bacon.  

He threw them on the hibachi alongside some steak which we were having for dinner.  Needless to say, it was supah ono (BACON).

Landon's Fried Tako

Landon made this a few weeks ago and it was as good as it looks.  

 

1.  Lomi tako in Hawaiian salt until your hands get too cold and you have to stop.  Rinse. 
2.  Boil in water and beer with bay leaf, peppercorns, garlic cloves for 40-45 minutes. 
3.  Remove.  Chop.  Add onion/garlic powder (the one from Ross).  Let rest for a little bit.
4.  Coat each piece in a mixture of 1/2 cornstarch, 1/2 flour and Aunty Dd’s Season All. 
5.  Fry. 

Wendell's Grilled Tako

Wendell saw this recipe on Facebook.  It's by Barlow BBQ and was super ono. 

 

1 lb wild caught baby octopus Kosher salt Bacon Olive oil Blackened seasoning Minced garlic Lime Set up your grill for indirect cooking, let grill warm up to 250 degrees. Rinse octopus and place either directly on grill or in a small grilling basket. Season with salt. Cover and let cook at 250 until tender. You should be able to pierce the tentacle flesh easily with the tip of a sharp knife. If the octopus still feels rubbery, continue to cook. Once octopus is tender, remove and set aside. If needed, add more charcoal to get ready for the sear. Using a frying pan or griddle, fry up a few slices of bacon, being sure to save any of the drippings. Remove tentacles from octopus and toss with olive oil, bacon drippings, blackened seasoning (or your favorite seasoning), and fresh garlic. Sear over direct heat until flesh begins to char and tentacle tips begin to crisp up. Serve hot with crumbled bacon and a squeeze of fresh lime juice. BLACKENED SEASONING 1.5 tbsp hot paprika 1 tbsp garlic powder 2 tbsp fresh thyme 1 tsp cayenne pepper 1 tsp basil 1 tsp oregano .5 tsp mustard powder 1 tbsp onion powder (2 tsp minced, 1 tsp powder) 1 tsp celery salt

Wendell's Pickled Shrimp

Wendell made this a couple of weeks ago.  The recipe is from the Crave section of the Honolulu Advertiser and is called George Holapa's Pickle 'Opae.  Landon said that it's probably the best he's ever eaten.  

I thought it was very generous of George to share his recipe especially since he makes his living selling his Pickle 'Opae.  Make sure you check out his Instagram to keep up to date on where you can get your own George-made jar.

• George Holapa's Pickle 'Opae
• 
  
• 2 white or sweet onions (do not use yellow onions) 
• 2 whole large tomatoes 
• 1/2 cup fresh, raw limu (ogo or seaweed) 
• 1/4 cup dried whole opae (shrimp) 
• 1/4 cup dried cuttlefish strips 
• 
  
• >> Sauce:
• 2 cups Chinese red vinegar (substitute any vinegar) 
• 1 cup soy sauce (Silver Swan brand preferred) 
• 1/4 cup dark brown sugar 
• Dried red chile pepper flakes or 3 Hawaiian chile peppers, minced or mashed in a mortar (optional) 
• 
  

>> To make sauce: In sauce pan, mix vinegar, soy sauce, brown sugar and chile, if using. Heat over medium until sugar dissolves completely, about 5 minutes. Cool to room temperature, about 30 minutes off the stove or a shorter time in the refrigerator.

Peel onions and cut from stem to root, then in 3/8-inch slices in the shape of half moons. Place in mixing bowl. Cut tomatoes the same shape and add to bowl.

Wash limu and break into chunks. Add to mixing bowl with dried shrimp and cuttlefish. When sauce is cool, pour into bowl. Let stand at room temperature at least 30 minutes.

Pour mixture and liquid into sterilized glass jars. Cover with lids and refrigerate for up to 1 month. Makes about 48 ounces.

Taegu

I made this!  And it came out good!  Drawback is it makes me eat more rice.

I followed a Foodland recipe and used scallop strips from Wholesale Unlimited instead of cuttlefish.  

My bag of scallops strips was only 3 ounces (I needed 5 ounces), but it was too hard for me to calculate how much to lessen all the other ingredients to fit the recipe so I didn't. 

Ingredients

5 ounces

package shredded cuttlefish

2 tablespoons

honey

2 tablespoons

sesame oil

2 teaspoons

toasted sesame seeds

1 tablespoon

fish sauce

2 tablespoons

kochujang 

1⁄2 tablespoon

shoyu

2 teaspoons

asian chili pepper powder

Instructions

1. Take cuttlefish out of the package and cut into 3 inch pieces then place in a mixing bowl.
2. Mix the rest of the ingredients together and combine with cuttlefish.
3. Let mixture sit for 30 minutes to let the flavors combine and serve.

Susan's Quick Kamaboko Dip

I got the word about "dip in the lounge" just in time. Good thing I didn't hesitate to go check it out . . . might've been too late!

I asked Susan for the recipe and OMG . . . so easy. I'm totally making this for Mother's Day.



2 blocks kamaboko, grated (if you can)
1/3 cup round onion, minced
garlic salt 
mayo

Tole you . . . easy, hah!

Wendell's Ham and Cheese Rolls

I saw this on Pinterest and emailed a link to Wendell. I was shocked to see him actually making it late one afternoon. Turned out he was making it for his softball team, but he did save a few for me and Landon to try.  The recipe is from here.  

Ingredients:

• 1 can Pillsbury™ refrigerated Classic Pizza Crust
• 3/4 lb deli ham (thinly sliced, but not shaved)
• 12 slices Swiss cheese (thinly sliced)

GLAZE

• 1/2 cup (8 tablespoons) butter
• 2 tablespoons brown sugar
• 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
• 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
• 1 tablespoon poppy seeds

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Coat a 9×13-inch baking dish with cooking spray.
2. Unroll the pizza dough onto a cutting board and press into approximately a 13×18-inch rectangle. Top with ham and cheese slices. Starting on the longer side of the rectangle, roll up the edge tightly. When you reach the end, pinch the seam together and flip the roll so that the seam is face down. Cut into 12 slices, approximately 1-inch wide. Arrange in prepared baking dish.
3. Next combine the butter, brown sugar, Worcestershire sauce, mustard, and poppy seeds in a sauce pan over medium heat. Whisk until the butter is melted and the glaze is smooth and combined. Pour evenly over the rolls.
4. Cover and refrigerate for up to 24 hours or bake, uncovered for 25 minutes until golden and browned. Enjoy!

Grandpa's Kim Chee Recipe

My sister Geri made this kim chee following Wendell's dad's recipe. I didn't even know that he had a kim chee recipe.



Here is my father-in-law's hand-written recipe that Geri gave to us. She made a copy for herself. Geri said that he had given the recipe to her a long time ago with a package of the "secret ingredient".

Hawaiian Electric Recipe: Aburage Pupu

There was a bag of aburage left after Wendell made nishime for New Years.  I found a Hawaiian Electric recipe for Aburage Pupu, and it looked simple enough, so I made it. I shoulda known that 5 cloves of garlic was too much garlic, but I still followed the recipe exactly. In retrospect, I think maybe even three cloves woulda been enough.



I've been adding it to my tofu salads. It goes well.


5 cloves garlic, minced
3 tablespoons vegetable oil
2 tablespoons sesame oil
3 tablespoons shoyu
1 1/2 tablespoons vinegar
2 tablespoons sugar
6 aburage (deep fried tofu), thinly sliced

Mix all ingredients except aburage. Add aburage; mix well and chill overnight. Makes 6 appetizer servings.

Landon's Escargot

You can make this at home. For cheap. And you no need fancy serving dishes.



Just serve on slices of bread.


I bought this can of snails from Chef Zone. Guess how much it cost. 


$9.97!!  For 96 snails! My son Landon prepared it for us. He couldn't give me the proportions of his ingredients because he just "eyeballs" when he cooks, but I've listed the ingredients for you below. He combined everything and made a thick paste.


He put um in a pyrex dish like this and then broiled it on a low broil for a few minutes.


My low-carb diet went out da window, but it was worth it.


Landon's Escargot Ingredients:

Butter
Milk
Garlic
Shallots
Parsley
Worcestershire sauce
Pepper
Chili flakes
Parmesan cheese
Dried tarragon 
Johnny Walker Black

Wendell's Ahi Limu Poke

Wendell followed a Food.com recipe to make this poke. You can find the recipe here. He left out the sesame seeds and the shoyu. I don't eat raw fish so I can't tell you if was ono or not, but he made it twice already so I think it's good.



Did you notice the smiley face?