THE ELECTRIC KITCHEN
Cookout season calls for fresh ideas
THE ELECTRIC KITCHEN
Hawaiian Electric Co.
IT MIGHT seem like summer's over, as most of the kids are back in school, but lucky we live Hawaii, the weather's still perfect for a cookout or a picnic at the beach. A cookout not only allows you to enjoy the great outdoors, but it helps to keep the kitchen and the house cool. This week, we're sharing more family favorites for cookouts from the good cooks who work with us.
The Taegu Spinach Salad is a nice change from a traditional spinach salad. The tofu makes it refreshing, and the taegu adds a nice spicy kick. The Chicken Pasta Salad can be a meal in itself -- perfect for a luncheon. We also included a good basic recipe for teriyaki sauce. Nowadays, it seems more commonplace to buy bottled sauce, but teriyaki sauce is so simple and easy to prepare -- try it and see. And the nice thing about making it from scratch is you can adjust it to your liking -- sweeter, less sweet; with ginger, without ginger.
Last, but not least, we share a super-ono yet super-easy recipe for BBQ Flank Steak that's good when broiled and even better when cooked on the grill. Be careful not to overcook the flank steak, or it will become tough. If you can't find flank steak in the market or if it's a bit pricey, good substitutes are skirt steak, hanger steak or tri-tip roast.
Taegu Spinach Salad
1 bunch cleaned horenso spinach
1 package (10 ounces) bean sprouts
1 large tomato, diced
1 block (20 ounces) firm or extra-firm tofu, cubed
1 tub (3 ounces) taegu (Korean seasoned shredded codfish)
» Dressing:
3/4 cup soy sauce
3/4 cup vegetable oil
2 tablespoons sugar
1 tablespoon minced garlic
Combine dressing ingredients in small saucepan. Bring to a boil; cool.
Combine salad ingredients in large bowl. Just before serving, toss with dressing. Serves 8.
Approximate nutritional analysis, per serving: 330 calories, 27 g total fat, 3 g saturated fat, 5 mg cholesterol, greater than 2,000 mg sodium, 13 g carbohydrate, 3 g fiber, 8 g sugar, 16 g protein
Chicken Pasta Salad
3 cups cooked, cubed or shredded chicken
1 pound spiral pasta, cooked and cooled
1/4 cup chopped cilantro
1/3 cup chopped green onions
6 cups torn spinach leaves
» Dressing:
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1 teaspoon sesame oil
1/3 cup soy sauce
1/3 cup rice vinegar
3 tablespoons sugar
1/4 cup toasted sesame seeds
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger, optional
To make dressing: Place all ingredients in a screw-top jar; cover and shake until well-blended.
Marinate chicken, pasta and cilantro in dressing at least 1 hour, but preferably overnight.
Toss with green onions and spinach just before serving. Serves 10.
Approximate nutritional analysis, per serving: 380 calories, 16 g total fat, 2 g saturated fat, 35 mg cholesterol, 800 mg sodium, 41 g carbohydrate, 4 g fiber, 6 g sugar, 22 g protein
Basic Teriyaki Sauce
1/2 cup soy sauce
1/3 cup sugar
Pressed garlic, to taste
» Optional:
1 piece ginger, grated
1 Hawaiian chili pepper, seeded and minced
Dash of sesame oil
Combine all ingredients and use as a marinade for short ribs, chicken, hamburger, meat juhn, Spam musubi, or fish. Makes about 1/2 cup.
Approximate nutritional analysis, per tablespoon serving: 40 calories, no fat or cholesterol, greater than 1,100 mg sodium, 9 g carbohydrate, no fiber, 9 g sugar, 1 g protein
BBQ Flank Steak
1-1/2 pounds flank steak
» Marinade:
1/2 cup soy sauce
1 tablespoon liquor (such as wine or brandy
2 teaspoons dry mustard (such as Coleman's)
1 clove garlic, crushed
1 inch piece ginger, grated
3 tablespoons sugar
2 tablespoons flour
Combine marinade ingredients. Pour over steak, turning to coat; marinate in refrigerator overnight.
Grill on an outdoor grill or broil to desired doneness.
Slice thinly, against the grain. Serves 6.
Approximate nutritional analysis, per serving: 210 calories, 8 g total fat, 3 g saturated fat, 45 mg cholesterol, 45 mg sodium, 9 g carbohydrate, no fiber, 6 g sugar, 24 g protein
Hawaiian Electric Co. presents this weekly collection of recipes as a public service. Many are drawn from HECO's database of recipes, accessible online at
www.heco.com.