So I checked the calendar and it’s still August and still hot af, as the kids say. So I’m grilling again—Hawaiian style!
Okay, technically, it’s still just the ol’ Weber, with charcoal briquets, but the food is Hawaiian!
I’ll lead off with chicken thighs—(remember my lat post on Moroccan chicken? well, this is what I made with the other half of the package). I prefer the thighs because they’re thinner, so they cook more quickly, use less fuel, and I think the flavor of the dark meat really comes out more with soy-based marinades. If you use breasts instead, you might want to cut them up into thinner and/or smaller pieces. (For the pineapple juice, you can either get it from a can intended as a beverage, or you can drain the juice from a can of pineapple.)
HAWAIIAN CHICKEN
2 lbs of boneless thighs or 3 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1/3 c soy sauce
1/4 c pineapple juice
1/2 c water
1/2 c brown sugar
4 scallions, chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 t fresh ginger, minced
1 t sesame oil
Combine soy sauce, pineapple juice, water, brown sugar, scallions, garlic, sesame oil and chicken in a resealable plastic bag. Marinate in refrigerator for 8 hours or overnight.
Grill chicken over low heat; be careful not to overcook!
Serve chicken on a bed of coconut rice. Garnish with additional chopped scallions if desired.
When I make rice pilaf, I saute the orzo and rice in olive oil. The same principle applies here—if you don’t saute the rice in butter, half of it will stick to the pan! Be sure to swirl the butter up the sides of the pan a bit, as well. Generally, I only use imported coconut milk (Chaokoh is my preferred brand); it’s one of those ingredients where getting the highter quality, more expensive brand is totally worth it. However, for this rice, it’s not as critical. Also, coconut milk freezes well, if you have some left over and don’t plan to use it any time soon.
COCONUT RICE
1 1/2 T butter
1 1/2 c long grain white rice
1 1/2 c coconut milk
1 1/2 c water
Melt butter over medium-high heat. Add rice and saute for about 3 minutes, stirring occasionally. Carefully pour in the coconut milk and water, stir to combine. Bring to a boil. Once boiling, stir once more and cover. Reduce heat and cook on lowest setting for 15-20 minutes. Watch carefully to ensure it neither sticks nor burns.
You may not need a recipe or instructions for this last one, but I’m going to include it anyway. One can of pineapple chunks will make 3 small or 2 regular servings. Use more skewers if you’re using more than that. Confession: I’m not good at cutting up fresh pineapple, so Mrs. Spectre does that when we have it. This also goes well mixed with other tropical fruits, especially fresh mango—which I generally don’t grill, as it tends to get too mushy.
GRILLED PINEAPPLE
Method 1: Soak 6-10 bamboo skewers (depending on length) for 6-8 hours. Open a can of pineapple chunks and drain the juice into a glass (good to drink with dinner!). Thread the pineapple chunks onto the skewers. Grill over low heat, turning every 2-3 minutes. Remove once chunks are nicely charred but not completely blackened.
Method 2: Cut off the top and outside of a fresh pineapple. Cut pieces lengthwise around the core, thick enough to hold together when grilled. Grill over low heat, turning every 2-3 minutes. Remove once spears are nicely charred but not completely blackened.
I had an uncle who drank Primo, a beer made in Hawaii, but I haven’t seen that in my area in decades, so I like to drink pineapple juice to go with this. Leis are optional. Bon apétit and mahalo!