If you have ever had something unfortunate happen while on a trip, from a lost wallet to a serious medical emergency, you know how important and comforting a helping hand can be when you are far from home.
The Visitor Aloha Society of Hawaii (VASH) serves as that supportive connection in the islands. Founded by the Honolulu Rotary Club in 1997 to share true aloha spirit when visitors most need it, the organization says it has helped between 1,600-2,000 visitors each year since its start. While based in Honolulu, VASH has individual chapters on Oahu, Maui, Kauai and the Big Island. They are a volunteer, nonprofit organization that gets some of its funding from the Hawaii Tourism Authority, but relies on volunteers and fundraising events for the rest.
On Saturday, you can eat, drink and dance while helping VASH continue to provide support and aloha spirit that helps turn unfortunate events into positive ones. Then Uncorked Food and Wine Festival features live music, a silent auction, wines, craft beers and delicious food from top Hawaii chefs. The open-air grounds of The Shops at Mauna Lani will host this event from 6-8 p.m. Attendees can sample food from 13 top Hawaii restaurants, including “izakaya-style” Monstera, gourmet vegan from Under the Bodhi Tree, European flavors of The Blue Room, contemporary island-style Tommy Bahama, and upscale sizzle from Ruth’s Chris Steak House. Brown’s Beach House, Canoe House, Mai Grille by Chef Allen Hess, Manta and Pavilion Wine Bar, Roy’s Waikoloa Grill, Sansei Seafood Steak and Sushi, Daylight Mind Cafe and A-Bay’s Island Grill are also participating.
As a bonus, attendees will receive a VIP Shopping and Dining Discount Card valued at more than $100 for future visits to participating stores and restaurants of The Shops at Mauna Lani. Tickets are $60 in advance or $80 on day of event, if available. Purchase at The Fine Hawaiian Gift Gallery at the Shops at Mauna Lani, or online at www.UncorkedML.bpt.me.
In the event of inclement weather, the event will be held at the Mauna Lani Bay Hotel.
For further information, call 885-9501.
Mahalo to several chefs who have contributed sample recipes to whet your appetite.
Alii mushroom bread pudding
By Pastry Chef Fenton Lee of Manta and Pavilion Wine Bar at Mauna Kea Beach Hotel. Makes 8-10 servings.
1 quart milk
2 cups (6-8) eggs
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon white pepper
2 cups Alii mushrooms, chopped
1 cup diced onions
1 tablespoon olive oil
Cubed bread (enough to fill a 2-inch deep hotel pan/large baking pan about half way)
2 tablespoons white truffle oil
In a bowl, combine milk, eggs, salt and pepper; set aside. In a pan, saute mushrooms and onion with olive oil until wilted. Place bread in 2-inch pan. Add mushroom and onion mixture and combine. Add milk and egg mixture to bread and soak well, then drizzle with white truffle oil. Bake in a 280-degree oven for 30-40 minutes. Serve warm.
Thai peanut vegetable ramen salad (vegan)
By Chef Stephen Rouelle of Under the Bodhi Tree. Makes 4 servings.
1/4 cup, plus 1/8 cup tamari soy sauce, divided
1 tablespoon fresh ginger juice
1 dash fresh cracked black pepper
1/2 pound vegan ramen noodles, fresh par-cooked
1/2 cup organic peanut butter, unsweetened
2 fresh kaffir lime leaves
1 inch stalk fresh lemongrass
1 teaspoon minced fresh ginger
1 Hawaiian chili (can substitute bird’s eye Thai chili)
1 cup sweet rice wine
1/2 cup broccoli, chopped and blanched
1 baby bok choi
4 tablespoons shredded carrot
1 stalk celery, sliced on bias
Place 1/2 gallon of water into a large pot. Add the 1/4 cup tamari, cracked pepper and ginger juice to the water and bring to a boil. Once the water is boiling add the ramen noodles, stir and turn off the heat. Let the noodles blanch for 5 minutes. Drain noodles over a sink and refrigerate.
In a small sauce pan, place the peanut butter; whisk in the 1/8 cup tamari soy sauce. Place the sauce pan on low heat; add the kaffir lime, lemon grass and minced ginger.
Cut the Hawaiian chili into quarters and add to the sauce; stir constantly while heating. Add sweet rice wine; stir until smooth. Remove from heat and cool. Cut and blanch the bok choy and broccoli, then refrigerate. Cut and prepare remaining vegetables. Once the noodles, sauce and vegetables are cold, toss them together. Top with mung bean sprouts or other sprouts of your choice if desired, and serve.
Roasted beet salad with li hing mui and kale dust
By Chef Allen Hess of Mai Grille.
1/2 bunch fresh kale (about 8 leaves)
3 pounds medium fresh beets
Olive oil
Sea salt
1 cup white balsamic vinegar
1 cup honey
3 tablespoon li hing mui power*
1 Hawaiian chili pepper
1 fresh bay leaf
4 peppercorns, toasted
Kale
Dehydrate kale leaves in the oven for 2 hours on lowest setting. When it is crispy to the touch, place in coffee grinder and grind until it is a powdered form.
Beets
Toss beets in olive oil and sea salt to coat. Roast beets, with skin on, at 425 degrees for 45 minutes. Allow to cool. Cut into wedges.
Dressing
Mix balsamic vinegar with honey and li hing mui powder. Add Hawaiian chili, bay leaf and peppercorns; simmer until mixture is reduced to cough syrup in consistency. Strain.
To serve, drizzle dressing over cooled roasted beets. At the restaurant, we garnish with Kekela Farms Spanishp radish, cherry tomato and thin slices of Japanese cucumber.
*Li hing mui powder is made from salty dried plums and can be found in Hawaiian snack foods sections of grocery and specialty stores.
Pulled pork tacos with salsa
By Chef Stennis Hirayama of Tommy Bahama Bar and Restaurant. Serves 6-8.
1 Boston pork butt, thawed, bone-in
1/2 teaspoon red Hawaiian salt
1 cup water
1 tablespoon liquid smoke
Banana leaves, as needed
1/2 cup reserved juice from cooking, strained
Cut pork butt in half, then butterfly each half and season with red Hawaiian salt. In a baking pan, add water and liquid smoke. Place a rack in pan, then banana leaves, and half butts on top. Cover with more banana leaves. Cover with foil. Cook at 350 degrees for 4 hours. Meat should easily fall apart; re-cover and steep for 30 minutes.
Discard all bones, then place pork into large mixing bowl with paddle while it is hot. Mix on slow speed for 20 seconds until meat breaks up. Can also be shredded with a fork or by hand. Add the strained reserved juice from pan, a little at a time into meat.
Go through pork and discard all the fat. Pull apart pork with your hands. It should have some small sized chunks left — not chopped fine. Cool.
Tomato relish
1 quart (about 3 pounds) Roma tomatoes, ripened, de-seeded, diced ¼-inch
1/4 cup red onion, diced 1/16-inch, very fine
1 tablespoon, plus 1 teaspoon fresh cilantro, chopped fine
1/4 cup fresh lime juice
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 teaspoons salt and pepper
Wash tomatoes and drain. De-seed tomatoes and dice quarter inch. Add the rest of ingredients together and mix until incorporated.
Roasted tomato salsa
5 vine-ripe tomatoes, sliced
2 tablespoons liquid smoke
1/2 cup yellow onion, diced small
1/2 cup olive oil
2 tablespoons kosher salt
1 teaspoon pepper
Toss all ingredients except onions in a bowl. Cover a sheet pan with foil and lay out tomatoes. Bake at 300 degrees for 2 hours. Once cooled, dice and mix into salsa with onions.