NORTH SALT LAKE — Far from the palm trees and ocean breezes of Hawaii, tropic-loving cooks in Utah can still create their own backyard versions of the Hawaiian luau with a little direction from someone in the know.
Local cooking instructor Meiling Dawson taught her own rendition of the traditional feast to luau enthusiasts a couple weeks ago at Ace Hardware in North Salt Lake. She combined recipes and elements from multiple Polynesian countries, incorporating some ingredients and dishes not usually served in Hawaii that still have the refreshing island flavor.
The traditional luau is known for a couple of unique courses, Dawson said. The main dish generally consists of roast pork that is cooked for hours in a pit.
Another Hawaiian staple, poi, is made from taro root that is pounded to a paste and baked. While Utah has a sizeable pig population, steaming one underground may not be the most practical option for an amateur party planner. Having traveled to Hawaii 12 times, Dawson suggests a few adaptations from her personal recipe collection for those who still want to have a luau, just without the pork pit.
Shrimp fried rice can take on the refreshing taste of the tropics by adding pineapple, she said, though the recipe originated in Thailand. Cashews and fish sauce give the rice a decidedly Asian taste, and the large, shelled shrimp make it filling.
Whether planning for a small or large gathering, Dawson recommends cooking the white rice a day in advance to save time and to allow it to firm up. Frying already-hot rice can make for a mushy side dish.
"If you want a party to be a success, prepare ahead of time," she said.
Grilled teriyaki salmon is a traditional Hawaiian menu item that Dawson revamped. Feeling it was lacking something, she added her own mango salsa recipe as a topper. The salmon is marinated for about four hours in a teriyaki sauce before it's grilled on a barbecue.
Criss-crossing sear marks make for beautiful presentation, and the colorful fruit in the salsa makes it even more vibrant. A splash of hot sauce gives the salsa an extra kick, while the mangoes and pineapple keep it sweet.
Dawson dressed up a simple green salad by adding chopped papaya — a favorite fruit from her homeland of Taiwan. The deep pink flesh was nicely complemented by the papaya-seed dressing, which has seeds that have been chopped in a blender and resemble ground peppercorns.
The greens can be washed and spun one to two days in advance, allowing them to crisp up.
The recipe for Dawson's rice pudding came from a woman she met in Hawaii. It remains virtually unaltered, though Dawson suggests using nonfat evaporated milk and fat-free sweetened condensed milk for those who are concerned about calories.
The light, sticky dessert is creamy and can be made the morning before the get-together
Dawson recommends a refreshing strawberry-watermelon drink for a cool barbecue beverage. Straining the blended fruit gives it a smooth, flavorful consistency. This recipe can be made four or five hours prior to the event before pouring it over ice and garnishing with sprigs of mint.
Her cooking classes focus primarily on the preparation and presentation of a meal, but Dawson said luaus are as much about entertainment and family gathering as they are about food.
The main purpose, she said, is to celebrate. Hula dancing, fire torches, hanging lanterns, background ukulele music and lots of leis can make it feel more even more authentic. The occasional game of limbo may even be a welcomed party favorite.
Although her recipes aren't always traditional, Dawson said the Hawaiian Islands have a compilation of cultures from different Asian countries, and she likes to bring that out in her cooking. Drawing from multiple islands and areas, Dawson's luau is more of a celebration of Polynesia and Asia.
"When you do the celebration, you're really celebrating many different cultures together because so many people immigrated to Hawaii," she said.
Bringing that celebration to your own backyard isn't impossible, despite being so far removed from Hawaii. But Dawson said to keep in mind that "here in Utah, we're going to do a different version."
Meaning: Enjoy your salmon, and keep your pigs above ground.
TERIYAKI SALMON WITH MANGO SALSA
Teriyaki Marinade:
1/2 cup soy sauce
1/4 cup water
3 tablespoons mirin (sweet rice wine)
2 tablespoons packed brown sugar
1/4 cup granulated sugar
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 teaspoons peeled, minced fresh ginger
3 pounds salmon fillet, skinned and cut into 6-8 equal portions, each about 4 inches square
Salsa:
2 cups diced peeled ripe mango (about 2 mangoes)
2 cups diced fresh pineapple
1 cup chopped English cucumber
1/2 cup red onion
2 tablespoons seasoned rice vinegar
1 teaspoon hot sauce
1/2 teaspoon salt
Teriyaki marinade: Combine soy sauce, water, mirin, brown sugar, granulated sugar, garlic and ginger in a saucepan over medium heat. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the sugar dissolves and the mixture comes to a gentle boil, about 3 minutes. Remove from heat and set aside to cool completely.
Place salmon fillets in a 1 gallon lock-top plastic bag or in a shallow dish; add marinade, coating all sides well. Squeeze all the air out of the bag or cover the dish. Refrigerate 1-4 hours.
Salsa: Combine mango and the remaining ingredients.
Heat grill to medium-high and coat with nonstick cooking spray. Lay salmon on barbecue. Close and cook for 4-5 minutes until sear marks are visible. Rotate 45 degrees and repeat. Flip salmon when criss-cross pattern is visible. Cook until firm and done.
Serve teriyaki salmon topped with the salsa. — Meiling Dawson
PINEAPPLE AND SHRIMP FRIED RICE
Shrimp:
1/2 pound shelled shrimp
1 teaspoon sesame oil
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon cornstarch
Oil for cooking
Marinate shrimp in the sesame oil, salt and cornstarch for at least 10 minutes. Cook shrimp in hot oil until no longer pink.
Rice:
3 tablespoons oil
1 small yellow onion, chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
4 cups cold cooked white rice
4 eggs, scrambled
2 cups chopped fresh pineapple
2 green onions, chopped
1/2 cup cashews
3 tablespoons fish sauce
1 teaspoon sugar
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
2 tablespoons soy sauce
Heat oil. Cook the yellow onion and garlic for 2 minutes. Add the rice and heat through; add scrambled eggs, pineapple, green onion and cashews. Season rice with fish sauce, sugar, black pepper and soy sauce. Mix well and serve warm. — Meiling Dawson
GREEN SALAD WITH PAPAYA-SEED DRESSING
1/3 cup rice vinegar
1/3 cup canola oil
2 teaspoons sesame oil
1/2 small sweet onion, chopped
2 teaspoon sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon dry mustard
2 tablespoons fresh papaya seeds
1 large sweet onion, thinly sliced and rinsed with cold water
1 pound mixed salad greens
2 avocados, pitted, peeled and sliced
1 cup papaya, cut into bite-sized pieces
In a blender, whirl vinegar, oil, sesame oil, chopped onion, sugar, salt and mustard until smooth. Add papaya seeds and pulse until the seeds look like coarsely ground peppercorns.
In a large bowl, combine sliced onion, salad greens and 3/4 of avocado slices and papaya.
Pour dressing over salad and toss gently to coat. Arrange salad on a large platter and top with remaining slices of avocado and papaya. — Meiling Dawson
HAWAIIAN RICE PUDDING
2 cups short/medium grain rice
4 cups cold water
1 tablespoon vanilla
3 tablespoons butter
1 can sweetened condensed milk (low fat may be used)
1 large can evaporated milk (low fat may be used)
Fresh pineapple, cut into small pieces
Wash and drain the rice; add water and cook. Add vanilla, butter, sweetened condensed milk and evaporated milk to the hot rice. Stir to blend the flavors. Serve warm with fresh pineapple. Makes 8 one-cup servings.
Note: Leftover rice pudding may need to be thinned with milk during reheating. — Meiling Dawson
SUMMER STRAWBERRY-WATERMELON DRINK
2 cups seedless watermelon, rind removed and cut into chunks, plus 8-10 small wedges with rind for garnish
1 cup strawberries, plus 1/3 cup sliced strawberries
5 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
5 tablespoons sugar
2 cups water
Ice cubes
1 bunch fresh mint for garnish
Combine watermelon chunks, 1 cup strawberries, lemon juice, sugar and water in a blender. Process on high speed until smooth. Strain the mixture into a serving container. Stir remaining strawberry slices into mixture. Refrigerate 3-4 hours. Fill tall glasses with ice and fill almost to the rim with watermelon mixture.
Decorate the cup edge with watermelon slices. Garnish each glass with mint. Serve immediately. — Meiling Dawson
E-mail: mfarmer@desnews.com