Photography by Mieko HorikoshiA great flavor change-up for your BLT sandwich! You can make it like a traditional BLT or the way I like to— on rye toast with our Ho Farm pickled Gherkin relish and caramelized Kula onion aioli.
Course: Main Course
Author: Chef Kevin Hanney
Equipment
Mixing Bowl
Two Sheet Pans
Parchment Paper
Ingredients
Glaze
3Tbs.Real Maple Syrup
3Tbs.Whole Grain Mustard
1CloveGarlic(Thinly Sliced)
1tsp.Fresh Lemon Juice
Chicken Skin Bacon
12Chicken Skins
Salt(To Taste)
Pepper(To Taste)
Instructions
Prepare Glaze.
Mix all the ingredients well in a bowl. Let stand refrigerated for 1-2 hours
Prepare Chicken Skin Bacon.
Preheat oven to 325. Place chicken skins flat on parchment paper on a sheet pan. Brush both sides lightly with vegetable oil and season with salt and pepper. Place parchment paper on top and then another sheet pan.
Place in oven for approximately 45 minutes. Remove the top sheet pan and parchment paper and baste with glaze. Leave uncovered and bake for another 10-15 minutes more. Remove and cool.
Fill wok with enough canola oil to deep-fry Kole. Fry the Kole over medium heat; while fish is frying, season with Hawaiian salt. Cook until golden brown, about 3-5 minutes on the first side.
When the first side is cooked, flip and season other the side with Hawaiian salt. Continue to cook the other side for 3 minutes. When fish is thoroughly crispy and golden, remove and set it on a plate lined with paper towels, allow oil to drain.
Mix soy sauce and Hawaiian chili pepper in a bowl, and use as a dipping sauce. Enjoy!
1MediumLeek(Halved, Rinsed, Sliced Crosswise Into 1-inch Pieces - White Part Only)
2lbs.Medium Button Mushrooms(Stems Trimmed And Quartered)
6Thyme Sprigs
1Bay Leaf
1.5QuartsWater
7oz.Tapioca Flour
Instructions
Prepare Mushroom Stock.
Heat oil in a large saucepot over medium heat. Add carrot, onion, and leek and cook stirring occasionally until softened, about 8 minutes.
Add mushrooms, thyme, and bay leaf and cook until mushrooms start to release moisture, about 4 minutes.
Add water and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low and simmer until stock has a pronounced mushroom flavor, about 1 hour. Pick out thyme sprigs and bay leaf, blend then place back on the heat.
After stock comes back to a boil, remove from heat and strain through fine-mesh sieve. Reserve stock and pulp.
Prepare Chicharrón.
In the blender add tapioca flour, 7 ½ oz cooked mushrooms, and ¾ oz. of mushroom stock, blend until a smooth dough forms.
Place 1 lb. of mixture on a sheet tray with plastic wrap, with another on top. Flatten with a rolling pin till about 1/8-inch thick (3 mm). The dough should be nearly translucent.
Prepare a steamer. Steam the dough sheets, still wrapped in plastic, for about 15 minutes. Steaming will let the starch set so it is workable.
Unwrap steamed dough, and place on parchment paper. Place pan in the oven and let bake for 60 minutes, or until dough is dry and brittle. Flip the dough sheets occasionally to allow even drying. Once the dough is completely dry and brittle, remove from the oven and let cool. Once cool, break into desired bite-size pieces. (Note: Chicharrónes will triple in size when fried.)
In a large pot, fill with oil and set over medium and bring to 355° F. Working in batches, fry crisps until they are fully puffed. Let oil drain on a paper towel and season with salt.
To get extra fancy, paint with tempered dark chocolate and serve as hors d’oeuvres.
Sunday is a day many families look forward to for no work and all play. This holds true for Ed and Spanky Kenney and their keiki, Celia, 15, and Duke, 12. Theirs is a busy household and the kitchen is the hub of activity. Many would expect a huge, fancy kitchen with all the latest gadgets from award-winning chef Kenney, owner of Town restaurant in Kaimukï. Instead, it is small and close knit, just as the family itself.
Here’s the scene: 60’s rock ’n roll pumps in the background. Spanky relaxes and reads while Ed and the kids file in for breakfast duty. With just enough room to rub elbows, the kitchen comes to life with kid’s bright, enthusiastic energy. They shuffle between the fridge and prep counter.
Before heading out for a beach day, their tradition is to make waffles out of pa‘i‘ai, a concentrated form of poi (hand-pounded taro root). There is no real recipe to this causal, locally sourced dish. Simply refrigerate the pa‘i‘ai for several days, cut a 1″ slice and pop it in the waffle maker with a slice of butter. After a homemade breakfast together, they pile into the car and go.
The waffle recipe was conjured up by Duke and executed by Celia. With a little tweaking, it just may appear as a new menu item at Town. This morning the waffle was topped with banana, straw- berries, honey, and whipped cream, but it can be eaten plain, right out of the waffle maker too. Once it’s cooled it becomes firm, but retains that slight, sweet twang of fresh pa‘i‘ai. The kids also recommend using the waffle as a base for savory ingredients.
Cooking and sharing a meal has always been a focal point for this family. Spanky does most of the shopping and the kids participate in much of the cooking. Celia tends to stick to the recipe, while Duke’s love of food and cooking is more freestyle. He’s known to put together a meal with whatever is on hand in the fridge or garden. A few years back that spontaneity lead Duke to enter a cooking contest after overhearing the five minute call for final en- tries. His creation, a slice of Big Island beef, some warm pa‘i‘ai and fresh tomato, placed first to everyone’s surprise!
Clearly, the real secret to their family cooking is a pure love of delicious, local food, cooked simply and to perfection.
