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By Request

By Betty Shimabukuro

Wednesday, March 14, 2001

By FL Morris, Star-Bulletin
Spicy and slightly sweet, linguine with chicken and
hoisin sauce combines Asian and Italian flavors

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Hoisin adds depth of flavor

Hoisin is that oh-so-Chinese sauce made of soybean paste and a host of flavorings, among them vinegar, garlic and sugar. Its distinctive deep, sweet taste plays well off of roasted meats and in China that's the traditional pairing.

In Hawaii, chefs doing the fusion thing often turn to hoisin for a glaze for lamb chops, but there is a world of other possibilities.

Russell Siu of 3660 on the Rise and Kakaako Kitchen uses hoisin in two Italian dishes, a linguine with chicken and a pizza. Daisee Mau asked for the linguine recipe, which also incorporates chile sauce and shiso leaf. "The robust flavor is just the right blend of spicy and sweet."

Siu said he enjoys the sweetness that hoisin brings to a dish, but cautions that it must be used sparingly. It's a strong flavoring and too much will throw a dish off balance. He added it to the linguine, he said, to add an Asian flavor to the pasta.

Both these recipes are from Siu's cookbook, "On the Rise" (L.A.K. Enterprises, 1996)

Linguine with Island Chicken

1 tablespoon peanut oil
2 chicken breasts, boned, skinned and sliced
1 Japanese eggplant, halved lengthwise, grilled and sliced diagonally 1/2 inch thick
8 shiitake mushrooms, stemmed and sliced
1/2 cup chopped oven-roasted or sun-dried tomatoes
1 tablespoon garlic, minced
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper
2 cups heavy cream
1-1/2 tablespoon soy sauce
3/4 tablespoon chile sauce
1/4 tablespoon hoisin sauce
1/4 cup julienned shiso leaf
Salt and pepper to taste
3/4 pound dry linguine, cooked

Heat oil over medium-high heat. Brown chicken. Add eggplant, mushrooms, tomatoes, garlic, red pepper and saute, 2 minutes. Add cream and reduce by 1/4. Add soy sauce, chile sauce, hoisin and shiso. Season with salt and pepper. Add linguine and toss; simmer 1 minute. Serves 4.

Approximate nutritional information, per serving, based on 9 ounces boneless, skinless chicken breast and not including salt: 900 calories, 50 g total fat, 28 g saturated, 200 mg cholesterol, 600 mg sodium, 30 g protein, 85 g carbohydrate.*

Smoked Chicken Pizza

4 ounces smoked chicken, shredded
1/4 cup oven-dried tomatoes
1/4 cup sliced onions
1/4 cup sliced shiitake mushrooms
2 tablespoons chopped green onion
1 tablespoon cilantro
1-1/2 tablespoons hoisin sauce
1 teaspoon sesame oil
1/2 cup grated Monterey Jack cheese
Pizza dough
1 package instant yeast
7/8 cup lukewarm water
1-1/2 tablespoon vegetable oil
3/4 teaspoon salt
2-2/3 cups flour

To make dough: Dissolve yeast in water; let sit five minutes. Add oil, salt and all but 1/2 cup of flour. Mix until soft, but not sticky (add remaining flour a little at a time if dough starts to get sticky). Place on a floured board and knead until smooth and elastic-like. Place in a lightly floured bowl and allow to double in size. Roll or pat out into a 10-inch circle on a pizza or cookie sheet.

Preheat oven to 425 degrees, with the rack in the bottom third of the oven.

Top pizza dough with chicken, tomatoes, onions and mushrooms. Sprinkle with green onion and cilantro. Mix hoisin and sesame oil and drizzle over pizza. Sprinkle evenly with cheese. Bake for 12 minutes or until crust is crisp. Makes 1 10-inch pizza.

Approximate nutritional information, per slice: 330 calories, 9 g total fat, 3 g saturated, 25 mg cholesterol, 525 mg sodium, 15 g protein, 48 g carbohydrate.*

Food Stuffs: Morsels

Send queries along with name and phone number to:
"By Request," Honolulu Star-Bulletin,
500 Ala Moana, No. 7-210, Honolulu 96813.
Or send e-mail to bshimabukuro@starbulletin.com

Asterisk (*) after nutritional analyses in the Body & Soul section indicates calculations by Joannie Dobbs of Exploring New Concepts, a nutritional consulting firm.