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The Electric Kitchen: Book fest promotes literacy

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COURTESY MUTUAL PUBLISHING

Bread pudding made with malasadas is featured in “A Portuguese Kitchen.”

Local foodie and cookbook writer Wanda Adams will be among featured storytellers at the 14th annual Hawai‘i Book & Music Festival this weekend on the Civic Grounds outside Honolulu Hale.

More than 150 events are planned during this event, such as book readings and signings, music and hula performances, and the ever-popular book swap.

The festival runs 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday and Sunday. Admission is free, but sales of items at the event benefit Hawaii Literacy and Read to Me International. Go to HawaiiBookAndMusicFestival.org for a full schedule.

These recipes from Adams could involve the whole family in cooking together.

Portuguese Chicken ‘Poke’

  • 6 bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs
  • 1/2 cup cider vinegar
  • 1 tablespoon brown sugar
  • 1 small, hot red chili pepper, finely minced (do not seed)
  • 4 tablespoons olive oil, divided
  • 3 cloves garlic, chopped
  • 1 large onion, coarsely chopped
  • Salt and pepper, to taste
  • 4-5 long sprigs fresh rosemary or ground, dried rosemary, to taste
  • 1 pint cherry tomatoes, halved
  • 1/2 cup thinly sliced green onion (green and white parts)

Pierce chicken thighs with a knife in several places. In a bowl, marinate chicken in vinegar with brown sugar and chili pepper for 30 minutes.

Meanwhile, in a large pan, heat 2 tablespoons olive oil, then add garlic and onion, cooking over medium heat 3-4 minutes; onion should still be a little crunchy. Drain on paper towels; set aside.

Heat oven to 350 degrees. Place remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil in shallow baking dish.

Drain chicken thighs and pat dry. Rub generously with salt and pepper. Place rosemary on bottom of baking dish and lay chicken on top. Roast 30-40 minutes, until chicken is cooked through.

Remove chicken. When cool enough to handle; remove skin and bones; cut into bite-size chunks.

In a serving bowl, lightly cover chicken with onion mixture, tomatoes and green onion. Serve over hot rice. Serves 4.

Approximate nutritional information, per serving (not including salt to taste or rice): 540 calories, 40 g total fat, 9 g saturated fat, 185 mg cholesterol, 150 mg sodium, 12 g carbohydrate, 2 g fiber, 8 g sugar, 33 g protein

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Madeiran Kebabs

  • 2 pounds beef rib-eye, tenderloin, sirloin or strip loin, cut into 1-1/2-inch cubes
  • 1/4 cup butter, melted
  • 4 tablespoons olive oil
  • 4 cloves garlic, minced
  • Sea salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste
  • Handful fresh bay leaves (available at farmers’ markets)

Place beef in 9-by-13-inch baking dish.

In a small bowl, combine butter, olive oil and garlic. Crumble a handful of bay leaves into small pieces and add to butter mixture. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Pour over beef, cover and marinate several hours.

Heat a charcoal grill to white-ash stage or place a gas grill on high. Thread beef chunks on 6 skewers, placing whole bay leaves between every couple of beef chunks.

Grill kebabs, turning to evenly brown each side, about 4-6 minutes for medium rare. Serves 6.

Approximate nutritional information, per serving (and not including salt to taste): 330 calories, 23 g total fat, 9 g saturated fat, 110 mg cholesterol, 160 mg sodium, 1 g carbohydrate, no fiber or sugar, 32 g protein

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Tip: When using bamboo skewers, soak them first in water so they don’t burn while cooking.

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Malasada Bread Pudding

  • Softened butter, to grease baking dish
  • 6 cups torn or chopped stale malasadas, in small pieces
  • 3 cups nonfat half-and-half or whole milk
  • 4 eggs
  • 1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted
  • 1/2 cup brown sugar, packed
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla
  • 2 teaspoons Portuguese five-spice powder or pumpkin pie spice

Butter a casserole or 9-by- 13-inch baking dish. Spread malasada pieces in dish.

In a bowl, blend half-and-half, eggs, butter, brown sugar, vanilla and five-spice. Pour mixture evenly over malassadas. Press bread under liquid. (If mixture seems dry, stir in 1/2 cup additional half-and-half.) Let stand 30 minutes or more, or cover and refrigerate overnight.

Heat oven to 350 degrees. Place baking dish in a larger pan, then fill that pan with hot water until it comes halfway up sides of bread pudding dish. Bake 60-65 minutes, until bread pudding is set and not soupy. Serves 10.

Approximate nutritional information, per serving (based on whole milk): 360 calories, 23 g fat, 12 g saturated fat, 105 mg cholesterol, 150 mg sodium, 32 g carbohydrate, no fiber, 23 g sugar, 7 g protein


More Hawaiian Electric Co. recipes are available at hawaiianelectric.com.


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