Sustainable Sunday: Beef Kidneys

Against my better judgement, and the advice of most on the old internet, I am stewing some beef kidneys. It's just that I keep seeing them for sale in the "grass-fed beef" section at the store and got curiouser and curiouser. There was a big stamp on them that said "Eat Me." So we will.

Let's get straight to it. These kidneys stink to high heaven. And I'm not the squeamish sort. As I've often told my husband, as long as it's dead no amount of gore really bothers me, but the smell is a little hard to take. I followed all of the tips I could find on ridding the kidneys of this smell; I blanched them, rinsed them, salted then rinsed them, soaked them in milk then rinsed them, and braised before adding to a crockpot with lots of veggies and spices. Basically, I cooked the piss out of them. Literally.

...Excuse me while I laugh at my own joke...

So now this stewish concoction is bubbling away in the slow cooker. I'm not going to include a recipe until I've tried it but I will tell you that I used Okinawan sweet potatoes, Maui onion, carrots, garlic, shoyu, ketchup, and a bunch of spices.

Here's to hoping this Sustainable Sunday stew is edible.

Buy local, it matters!

**Update**
The stew came together nicely. The kidneys taste vaguely of liver. However. There is a smell. Proceed at your own risk.

Beef kidney stew

5 Ways to Get Motivated

Dawson wants my sandwich

As great as sitting on the couch watching episode after episode of Dawson's Creek sounds, there are actually lots of things I really should be doing instead.

Ya know, like painting the badly scuffed baseboards and door jams in our house, submitting first quarter grades, or developing a new recipe for the upcoming Kona coffee recipe contest. But, here I sit,  eating scotchmallows and drinking tea, perpetually mesmerized by Pacey Witter.

People, I'm in serious need of some motivation. I do, however, have a few tricks up my sleeve.

1. Listen to some uplifting tunes. I have a special Pandora station dedicated to my good female friends Pat Benatar, Cindy Lauper, Kelly Clarkson, Alicia Keys, Janis Joplin, and Stevie Nicks. They always know what to say.

2. Watch an uplifting movie. Careful here. Some movies seem inspiring because they're our favorites, but films that play too heavily on our nostalgic sensibilities might bring us down even more. "Almost Famous," "The Karate Kid," and "A League of Their Own" are my go-tos.

3. Get out. If you are stuck in front of the TV, go to the next room. If you are stuck behind the wheel, take a different route home. If you are stuck in a dorm room, go to a coffee shop. Get out, get away. Fresh air is good for your synapses.

4. Make a list, set a deadline, divide your work in chunks. Blah, blah, blah, blah. Could this list be a little more cliched? That's why I'm skipping number 5 to say that, you know what? Sometimes nothing works. Sometimes life sits on your head while you're sleeping and all you can do is crawl deeper under the covers. Sometimes when all you want is to be highly productive, creative, and efficient you only get  frustrated, twisted, and buffered down with an inferiority complex.

I don't have that magic touch called "drive," but I do have something else, it's called "grit." Life can keep sitting on my head, but I'll figure out a way to move forward, however slowly. Sometimes this involves chocolate and Joshua Jackson. I can't help that.

Sustainable Sunday: Here Fishy, Fishy

Sustainably raised Kona Kampachi

My soon-to-be brother-in-law recently returned from another summer fishing for salmon in Alaska. We love having him home and we also love having our freezer stocked with the freshest and most sustainable fish out there.

Being a northwesterner, salmon happens to be my favorite fish. Unfortunately, I don't buy it much because salmon doesn't exactly swim all the way to Hawaii, and I prefer to buy and eat locally raised or caught fish. Which leads us to today's Sustainable Sunday topic, how the heck do we make sustainable fish choices?

The first thing to do is reduce or eliminate our fish intake. I know, I know we gotta get our omega-3s, but these important fats can be found in lots of other foods including flax seeds and olive oil. Keep in mind that most omega-3 supplements are made from fish oils, so be sure to check the label if you are going that route. Scientists are predicting an end of edible ocean dwelling fish by 2050 if current consumption continues, so I'd say it's kinda crucial that we all take eating less fish seriously.

In real life many of us do eat some fish. Hey me too! So let's figure out which fish to bring home that won't contribute to the overfishing problem. In Hawaii, stores must mark the source of their seafood, but if you live in a place where this is not required, get to know the person behind the fish counter, they are most likely full of helpful information. Also, get to know which fish are local to your area, the less the fish has travelled the tastier it will be. Here are some online resources to help you sort it out:

Monterey Bay Aquarium: find seafood recommendations through their search engine, pocket guides, and iPhone apps.

NOAA - FishWatch: everything you ever wanted to know about fish, including farming practices.

NELHA: if you are on the Big Island and haven't gone on the NELHA tour, it is must. Learn all about Hawaii's energy and aquaculture future.


I hope that helps. If you have any other tips, please leave them in the comments below. 

Up Country Bakery & Cafe in Captain Cook, HI

Bagel with lox & breakfast burrito at Up Country

It's not often that I get REALLY excited about a new restaurant. As you can imagine, living in a tourist center means restaurants come and go nearly as often as the tides.

Dustin & Cruiser soaking up some rays outside Up Country

Up Country Bakery & Cafe, located 30 minutes south of Kona in Captain Cook, makes food to get really excited about.

Oatmeal cookies with cream cheese frosting at Up Country

It's your usual cafe fare with an island twist. The homemade bagels, breads, and pastries won't disappoint. Plenty of vegan, vegetarian, organic, and gluten-free options to choose from. Everything we ate here was fresh, simple, affordable, and filling. There is plenty of indoor and outdoor seating, the staff is super friendly, and I'm happy to say I will definitely be back.



I was not paid or compensated in any way to write this review. Check out my other (boring but to-the-point) reviews on Yelp. 

What's in my toolbox?

Kitchen gadgets I can't live without currently:

From top left, clockwise

Stand-up knife sharpener. Simply stand on the counter and drag knife through. Takes the guess work out of free-hand sharpening.

Microplane grater/zester. Works wonders with ginger and parmesan.

Madoline slicer. A dream with onions.

Boy scout style can opener. Tried and true, never breaks, super-cheap. I got tired of paying big bucks for can openers that only lasted a year, these little guys never fail.

Wooden spatula. Great for stir-frying and just general stirring. Won't melt, like plastic, or get too hot, like metal.

Last but not least, my beloved woo-woo. Or as most people call them, an immersion blender. Awesome for soups, mine comes with a mini chopping attachment that I use to make salad dressings, pesto, and marinades.

What's in your toolbox? Please share here or visit MauiShopGirl to find out what others have tucked away.

Breadfruit Festival & Cooking Contest Results

Award-winning 'Ulu Gnocchi 

Yesterday we spent the morning at the Breadfruit Festival in Captain Cook, Hawaii. The main aim of the festival is to promote breadfruit use in everyday cooking.

Making 'ulu (breadfruit) poi

The starchy fruit, similar to potato, is a logical replacement for rice, bread, flour, tortillas and potatoes when eaten in the "green" stage. Once the fruit ripens, it can be used in various desserts.

Sam Choy giving a cooking demo

Breadfruit grows abundantly here in the islands, although it is not widely used. We know this because most of our food is imported from abroad, particularly our most common starches. Hopefully attendees were able to learn some new uses for the fruit at the festival, I certainly did.

My 'ulu gnocchi won the heathy choice award!

I currently have a breadfruit and portuguese sausage stew bubbling away in the slow cooker as I type this, inspired by the winning recipe at the cooking contest. My entry, recipe below, got second place in the entree division as well as nabbing the "Healthiest Choice" award of which I am particularly proud. You all know by now how passionate I am about making food that is good for our bodies as well as the 'aina. I hope you will give breadfruit a chance, maybe even by trying the recipe below.

'Ulu (Breadfruit) Gnocchi with Hamakua Mushroom Ragout
serves 4-6

For gnocchi:

1 green breadfruit

1 to 1 1/2 cups flour

2 egg yolks

For ragout:

2 cups alii mushrooms, chopped

½ Maui onion, chopped

1 garlic clove, chopped

3 tablespoons olive oil

1 tablespoon butter

1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar

4-5 sage leaves, chopped

salt & pepper to taste

grated parmesan to serve

Preparation:

Peel, decore, and chop breadfruit into bite sized pieces. Steam in a steamer basket for 20-30 minutes or until soft. Place in a large bowl and mash.

When breadfruit has cooled some, but is still warm, add flour and beaten egg yolks. Use your hands to mix and knead until it becomes a ball of dough. Do not over work the dough. Take a small handful of dough and roll into a tube about ¾ inch in diameter on a floured surface using the tips of your fingers. Cut the tube into 1 inch pieces and press each with your thumb to make a small indentation. Place gnocchi on a wax paper covered cookie sheet and continue with the rest of the dough.

Begin making the ragout by sautéing onion, garlic, and mushrooms in the olive oil over medium heat until soft, adding salt and pepper to taste as you go. Add the balsamic vinegar and sage, cover and turn off heat. 

To cook the gnocchi, bring a salted pot of water to a boil. Add a cup or so of gnocchi to the pot at a time, boiling for 1-2 minutes or until gnocchi float to the surface. Remove from the water with a slotted spoon and boil the next batch. Take care not to crowd the gnocchi, this is why we cook them in batches. 

Toss cooked gnocchi in the ragout and top with freshly grated parmesan cheese, if desired. Enjoy!

A Bunch of...

I'm playing along again this week with Maui Shop Girl and her "Just Another Photo Challenge" series. This week the photo prompt was "A Bunch of..." I always have a bunch of something growing in the garden.

A bunch of shampoo ginger.

A bunch of broccoli flowers, which are edible as well as the leaves.

A bunch of basil. Pesto party here I come!

A bunch of papaya. My husband planted these trees from seed last year. It is amazing how fast they grow. Hoping to make some green papaya salad soon, one of my favorites.

I hope you'll join us by taking your own "A Bunch of..." photos. Cheers!