Alan Wong's Ahi Carpaccio Martini with Crispy Slaw and Soy Vinaigrette. Photos by Dennis Oda, Star-Bulletin
Alan Wong's Ahi Carpaccio Martini with Crispy Slaw and Soy Vinaigrette. Photos by Dennis Oda, Star-Bulletin
So much so that New York restaurateur Douglas Rodriguez, winner of the James Beard Award as Rising Star Chef of 1996, presented a raw seafood styling on the "Late Show with David Letterman" recently.
"It was a great segment," Rodriguez said in a phone interview recently from his celebrated Patria restaurant in New York. "I prepared Honduran ceviche with coconut.
"The producer had said Dave likes anything with liquor and flames, but I said I wanted to do something different. I wanted to crack a coconut with a knife. They loved it. It was really fun."
The Cuban-American Rodriguez will prepare the "Late Show" special Honduran ceviche, as well as two other raw fish stylings at next weekend's Cuisines of the Sun food event on the Big Island.
"Ceviche is extremely popular," the 30-year-old chef said. "We had a ceviche special tonight and it sold very well. It featured crab and rock shrimp; then we served it with crispy fried octopus on the side."
Cuisines of the Sun also will feature Chilean restaurateur and TV cooking show host Jorge "Coco" Pacheco preparing sea bass ceviche. And, isle chef and restaurateur Alan Wong - himself a 1996 James Beard Award winner as Pacific Northwest Chef of the Year - will serve "lunch in a martini glass" of ahi carpaccio with salad of Asian slaw, ahi and poi vinaigrette.
Rodriguez represents a current phenomenon of talented, high-visibility chefs who run trendy restaurants, create fabulous food, jet set coast to coast and write cookbooks.
"It's a high rollin' time. I love it, though. I love the pace and I hope it never stops."
At the 1996 Academy Awards, Rodriguez unveiled a nine-ceviche bar at the post-Oscar party hosted by Whoopi Goldberg at Planet Hollywood. Raw seafood preparations included clams, oysters, lobster, shrimp, calamari, octopus, sea urchin, fish roes, aku and other fish.
Rodriguez said he liked Hawaiian poke. "Absolutely. I was in Hawaii and it would be a sin to be in Hawaii and not try poke. I had a couple different kinds."
About the rising star of contemporary American chefs, he said, "I just think people want good food. Now chefs from France are coming to see what we're doing. Our food is so much better than food in Europe, it's unbelievable."
As a proponent of Nuevo Latino - new Latin-American cuisine - he reinterprets traditional Latin-American dishes with dazzling contemporary touches. At Cuisines of the Sun, besides his ceviche stylings, he will present Venezuelan vichyssoise, clam tamal in the shell, and lamb empanada with mint mojo.
What: Cuisines of the Sun, showcasing 11 chefs including Larry Forgione of An American Place, New York; Michael Cordua of Americas, Houston; and Ben and Karen Barker, Magnolia Grill, Durham, N.C.; plus three winemakers
When: July 20-23
Where: Mauna Lani Bay Hotel and Bungalows, Big Island
Cost: Eight events are $40 to $140 each; packages cost $550 and $750
Information: 800-367-2323
Hook some refreshing, healthful seafood dishes from the Cuisines of the Sun lineup.
4 fresh coconuts
Using the back of a heavy knife, whack each coconut along its middle while rotating it in your hand, until it splits open. To catch the water, do this over a bowl. Pat the insides of the coconuts dry and refrigerate.1 jalapeno chile, chopped, with seeds Sauce
2 tablespoons chopped ginger
3 tablespoons Asian fish sauce
1 tablespoon sugar
1/2 cup freshly squeezed lime juice
1 can (14 ounces) unsweetened coconut milk
1-1/2 pounds fresh aku, cut in 1/4-inch dice
1/2 red onion, thinly sliced into half-moons
1/4 cup shaved fresh coconut
2 tablespoons sliced scallions
1 tablespoon finely chopped chives
3 tablespoons finely chopped cilantro
2 crisp fried plantains Garnish
1/2 cup diced red bell pepper
Bunch watercress, leaves only
2 cups shaved coconut
Place the jalapeno, ginger, fish sauce, sugar, lime juice and coconut milk in a blender and puree until smooth. When you are ready to serve, toss with the tuna. Then, at the last minute, sprinkle with the onion, shaved coconut, scallions, chives and cilantro. Place mixture in the coconut halves and garnish with plantain slices, bell pepper, watercress leaves and coconut. Makes 8 servings.
1 pound extra-large shrimp (16 to 20), peeled, deveined
1 small red onion, thinly sliced
2 tablespoons chopped chives
2 tablespoons sliced scallions
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro leaves
1/2 cup freshly made plain, unsalted popcorn
1/2 cup unsalted corn nuts
1 large tomato, roasted, peeled, seeded, choppedBring a large saucepan of water to a boil. Add the shrimp, turn off the heat and blanch for no longer than 1-1/2 minutes. Remove immediately from the water, and transfer to an ice bath to cool. Drain the shrimp thoroughly and place in a mixing bowl. Place the dressing ingredients in a blender or food processor and puree until smooth. Pour over the shrimp and toss.
2 jalapeno chiles, roasted, peeled, seeded, chopped
1 red bell pepper, roasted, peeled, seeded, chopped
1/2 onion, roasted and chopped
3/4 cup freshly squeezed lime juice
1/2 cup freshly squeezed orange juice
1/4 cup canned tomato juice
1 tablespoon sugar
Tabasco sauce to taste
Salt to taste
Just before serving, toss the ceviche with the red onion, chives, scallions and cilantro. Transfer to serving plates, sprinkle with the popcorn and corn nuts, and serve. Makes 4 servings.
1/2 cup freshly squeezed orange juiceCombine juices, mustards, mustard seeds, horseradish, white onion, lobster stock and celery in a blender and blend well. Reserve.
1/2 cup freshly squeezed lime juice
3 tablespoons Dijon mustard
2 tablespoons dry English mustard
1 tablespoon mustard seeds
1 tablespoon horseradish
1 tablespoon chopped white onion
1/2 cup lobster stock
1 stalk of celery, diced
4 Maine lobsters (1-1/2 to 2 pounds each, about 4 to 4-1/2 pounds cooked meat)In a large mixing bowl, combine lobster, tomato, red onion, cilantro, scallions, chives and marinade. Toss and reserve. Steam hearts of palm for about 2 minutes, then chill in an ice-water bath.
1 large yellow tomato, diced
1 small red onion, halved, then julienned
1/4 cup cilantro leaves
1/4 cup sliced scallions
1/4 cup chopped chives
1 pound fresh hearts of palm
To serve, lay some chilled hearts of palm decoratively on each plate. Place a scoop of lobster ceviche in center.
12 ounces ahi, yellowfin tuna No. 1 grade, sliced and poundedSlice ahi then pound between 2 pieces of plastic until the fish is thin and even. Line 4 martini glasses with fish. Place the crispy slaw over ahi and drizzle with soy vinaigrette. Makes 4 servings.
1/2 cup Chinese won bok cabbage, finely julienned Crispy slaw
1/4 cup snow peas, finely julienned
1/4 cup carrots, finely julienned
2 red chile peppers
4 kaffir lime leaves
4 won ton pi, finely julienned, deep-fried crisply
6 sprigs cilantro, finely julienned
1 cup water Soy vinaigrette
1 cup Yamasa soy sauce
1 cup salad oil
1 cup rice vinegar
1 cup sugar
1 cup mirin
1/2 clove garlic, smashed
1-1/2 teaspoons sesame oil
4 limes, juiced
2 Hawaiian red chile peppers, chopped